Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/04/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We initially made an appointment with Attorney Laura **** to see if she could take over our I601 case we had with a *******, ** lawyer *************************** which we paid everything in full but was hard to travel she was aware we would be looking for another attorney close to home and provided us with all documentation of the case just so the attorney would no where we were at. In our initial visit with Laura **** she didn't even open the folder with our open case in it and just went on in telling us about the new immigration law that was called U-***** She told us it was a 1 year waiting time frame but that it would be much faster than the 5 -6 year processing time the I601 application process was going to take. She said my husband would be able to go into ****** with in a year and since my husbands parents are severely ill we got excited and accepted the offer on 05/10/2023. Total cost for this process was $15000 with a $5000 made on 05/19/2024 initial down payment and $500 monthly payments after besides any ***** application fees and biometric fees. We received a letter from ***** but it was for the other case that we had opened prior I601 not for U-***** Which made me question why we had not received a receipt from the ***** for the ****** application and when checked on the cashier checks they had not been cashed it was 10/23/2024 going on 5 months already. Called ***** and they said they had not received any application only application that was on the system was the one received on 12/24/2020. Called Laura **** and spoke to her secretary and asked why ***** had not received the application she said Laura would call me back shortly. All I said was please have her call be back immediately thinking the application must have been lost with the checks and did I need to place a stop on them. She called my husband and said she would no longer represent him the she hanged up. We have tried getting a contract they sent me someone else not ours they are not answering our call

  Business Response

  Date: 04/04/2024

  We would like to address the situation following a thorough review of our records. Upon concluding the attorney-client relationship on October 19, 2023, we proceeded to refund ******************. There are several discrepancies we'd like to highlight in response to the claim made against our firm.
  
  Firstly, the original agreement stated a fee of $12,000, not $15,000 as indicated in the claim. This information is verifiable in the contract attached. Secondly, the termination of the attorney-client relationship was formalized with a disengagement letter, along with a refund of $2,000, and money orders totaling $1,225, which were promptly sent to the client via ***** The remaining amount was intended to cover operational costs for attorney and paralegal fees.
  
  Additionally, the claimant has submitted a contract unrelated to this matter. Furthermore, it's important to note that the client breached the contract by failing to state the truth during the course of the attorney-client relationship, providing false information, and misrepresenting facts on a separate legal matter.
  
  Lastly, despite the client's assertion of repeated attempts to contact us, our phone records show no evidence of any such communication since the day they spoke with the attorney regarding the termination of the relationship.
  
  We trust this clarifies the situation, and we remain committed to resolving any further concerns. 
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/05/2024

  Complaint: 21525810
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  I dont see how she would say it was $12,000 when we were not the only ones getting charged $15,000 we have more witness that can state that they gave us this amount to pay. The contract was never given to us, the contract that was attached is what yall sent us. We asked for a copy of our contract and you sent me someone elses please see attached image from my phone messages.Why were you charging them only a third of what you charged us for the same application? What truth was not given that we had another case open she knew it we wanted her to continue that case but said we should start a whole new one.Again when we made the appointment you should have it recorded where we made it for that reason to see if she could continue our case. Yes, we did receive $2000 back but when we asked where was the rest that you agreed to give back and then later called my husband and told him you could not after you had told us nothing had been sent to the ***** after 5 months of us starting the case.We did call and the secretary said you would call us back with a more detailed explanation of why we were getting charged $5000 for something that never got submitted.Still no reason of why you just  after we asked for an explanation of why only because I received a letter from ***** about the other case? How was that a discrepancy when that was the reason why we went to you in the beginning if you have your calls recorded you can listed to them and then say we are lying. The disengagement letter didnt say anything other than you will no longer represent us no real explanation of why? Also, we left a ****** review how did you manage to remove that? We didnt say but the truth and it was posted for 2 weeks and how were you able to remove it from ****** reviews without them reaching out to me. 

  
  Regards,
  
  *************************

  Business Response

  Date: 04/08/2024

  Thank you for your continued communication regarding the concerns you have raised with our firm through the Better Business Bureau. We understand that our initial response did not fully address your expectations, and we appreciate the opportunity to provide further clarification.
  
  Clarification on the Agreement and Services Provided:
  We want to reiterate the existence of a binding contract signed by ******************, which clearly outlines the scope of services agreed upon and the fee structure. This contract, along with a detailed invoice evidencing the agreement for the $12,000 service fee, remains central to our professional engagement. 
  
  Regarding the Refund Request:
  We acknowledge your request for a $7,000 refund, against which we have already processed a $2,000 partial refund. While our contract specifies that "Paid fees are not refundable," we took a step beyond our policy to accommodate a partial refund, considering the circumstances. The resources and effort invested in ********************** case were significant, and the partial refund was our gesture of goodwill, recognizing the unique situation presented by the claimant.
  
  Miscommunication and Misunderstanding:
  We regret any misunderstanding regarding the status of a case managed by another attorney, which was initially communicated as having been approved. Our decision-making was heavily influenced by this information. Upon discovering the inaccuracy of this approval status, we adjusted our course of action accordingly. This was a pivotal factor in our decision to offer a partial refund, balancing both the work already invested and the evolving situation.
  
  Openness to Feedback:
  We want to clarify that we have never sought to suppress feedback, including the removal of any reviews on ****** or elsewhere. Constructive criticism is invaluable to us for continuous improvement and client satisfaction. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/08/2024

  Complaint: 21525810
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

   

  Still not understanding the reason why, none of my questions were answered with what work was performed if nothing was provided to ***** for the 5 months from initial payment. I don't get what you said that you are doing me a favor by giving me $2000 in goodwill. If nothing was done for my case you just kept my money for no work performed because no paperwork was sent to the ***** or can you provide me proof of that. Please provide me with a breakdown of the work and legal paperwork you did for me. So I guess I am not understanding when I provided you with the money and money orders nothing got sent to ***** correct? Then only when I called to tell you that I received a letter from the other case you decided to fire us as your client for that reason when you already knew we had another case. Money was given to you to perform a job you said would be in 9 months now because of that letter I would of believed you were working our case but it wasn't but monthly payments were taken out monthly. I don't get it!!! That is $5000 that you kept $1000 a month for what??? 
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************