FINDING AN ATTORNEY YOU TRUST
TIPS FOR FINDING A TRUSTWORTHY ATTORNEY
More frequently than ever, community members have been reporting attorneys in Waco and surrounding areas (Temple, San Antonio, etc) who are ripping off families and individuals in Waco –they’re messing up paperwork, not showing up for court, not filing paperwork, not returning calls, and refuse to issues refunds.
Before consulting with an attorney
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Check the Texas State Bar website to ensure their license hasn’t been suspended or revoked or surrendered, or if they’ve had any grievances or disciplinary actions against them.
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Google them! Read all the reviews you can find. Be skeptical if they’ve only got a few reviews and they’re all sounding perfect.Also, really pay attention to negative reviews. They’re usually accurate!
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Check to see if they have an active page on social media, a nice website, or photos they’ve shared online of happy customers. Those who are more honest and trustworthy tend to have a more public presence.
WARNING SIGNS:
Disclaimer– individually, these things don’t automatically mean that an attorney is bad; however these are the common signs that victims of attorney fraud have reported.
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their price is much lower than most other attorneys, and they’re not a non-profit or faith-based legal service
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they repeatedly don’t return phone calls
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they don’t show up to court appearances
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they claim they can fix your case when others cannot
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they guarantee a positive outcome
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they are referred by a stranger, someone who is a new acquaintance or “friend”
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they are referred by someone who works for them
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they answer calls from people who aren’t current clients, on the weekends when no one else does (and family is desperate to get help quickly)
Notarios are not authorized to do immigration papers!!
Often they are filed improperly or without correct information and even if you’re initially granted a green card or visa, it will put you at risk of deportation and your legal status revoked if ICE feels you were dishonest. They have no sympathy if you allowed a notario to do it for you. Please check the State Bar website before paying anyone money or hiring them.
Attorneys we personally recommend:
(We do not receive any compensation for these recommendations. These are all based on personal relationship and experience with these lawyers.)
SAN ANTONIO
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Bertha Zuniga at Zuniga Law (retired immigration judge, specializes in complex cases)
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Monica Saenz and the team at DeMott, McChesney, Curtright, & Armendariz
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Sonsiré Vargas at Vargas-Calderón Law Office
AUSTIN
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Kate Lincoln Goldfinchat Lincoln Goldfinch Law (will work with payment plan)
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Chito Walker at Walker, Gates, and Vela
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Stephanie Taylor at Hansen & Taylor
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Nicole True at Nicole True Law Firm
Find An Attorney
WACO
Immigration:
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Analí Gatlin Looper at American Gateways (sliding scale / low cost)
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Kent Mckeever at Greater Waco Legal Services (sliding scale / low cost)
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Susan Innmon Nelson at The Nelson Law Firm
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Kate Lincoln Goldfinchat Lincoln Goldfinch Law (will work with payment plan)
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Lonestar Legal Aid (cost- free / in-home services)
Criminal Defense, Family Law, & More:
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Mona Keathley at Keathley Law Office
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Seth Suttonat Sutton, Milam, and Fanning
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Curtis and Kimberly Lucas at Lucas & Lucas Law
We need your help:
If you have ever hired an attorney or notario in North /Central / South Texas and had a negative experience, please send us a quick message so that we may be aware of those we may not refer other people to. Thank you for helping other families. No one deserves to lose their hard- earned money or worse, to lose their legal status or their immigration case and to be torn away from their family and their lives here.
What to do if you’ve been defrauded:
Read over this information from the Texas State Bar to learn about the grievance process. Please contact us if you need help deciding whether or not you should file a grievance, or need help with the process.