Best Practice for Signing Up with Lawyer Through Legal Aid

[mafghan]

Hi,

I contacted a lawyer, who has over 150 reviews on Google and his rating is solid 5.0. It seems that he specializes in Refugee / Immigration cases (thought not very sure).

I requested for initial meeting but the lawyer repeatedly asked for the details of Legal Aid Certificate, which I find it bit weird. I clearly told him that I do have approved Legal Aid Certificate and just wanted a quick meeting for me to decide if he is the right lawyer to go with.

Is this normal? I find it weird that he is asking for Legal Aid certificate details prior to initial meeting.

Any tips / advices on some Best Practice for Signing Up with Lawyer Through Legal Aid

 

[canuck78]

Hi,

I contacted a lawyer, who has over 150 reviews on Google and his rating is solid 5.0. It seems that he specializes in Refugee / Immigration cases (thought not very sure).

I requested for initial meeting but the lawyer repeatedly asked for the details of Legal Aid Certificate, which I find it bit weird. I clearly told him that I do have approved Legal Aid Certificate and just wanted a quick meeting for me to decide if he is the right lawyer to go with.

Is this normal? I find it weird that he is asking for Legal Aid certificate details prior to initial meeting.

Any tips / advices on some Best Practice for Signing Up with Lawyer Through Legal Aid

The lawyer wants to make sure they will get paid so it makes sense that they want proof that you qualify for legal aid before the meeting.

 

[Naturgrl]

Hi,

I contacted a lawyer, who has over 150 reviews on Google and his rating is solid 5.0. It seems that he specializes in Refugee / Immigration cases (thought not very sure).

I requested for initial meeting but the lawyer repeatedly asked for the details of Legal Aid Certificate, which I find it bit weird. I clearly told him that I do have approved Legal Aid Certificate and just wanted a quick meeting for me to decide if he is the right lawyer to go with.

Is this normal? I find it weird that he is asking for Legal Aid certificate details prior to initial meeting.

Any tips / advices on some Best Practice for Signing Up with Lawyer Through Legal Aid

DO you have legal aid certificate or not. The lawyer wants to know that they will get paid so if you don't have a certificate then pay out of pocket. Lawyers are not going to meet you for free, even for a "quick" meeting.

 

[mafghan]

DO you have legal aid certificate or not. The lawyer wants to know that they will get paid so if you don't have a certificate then pay out of pocket. Lawyers are not going to meet you for free, even for a "quick" meeting.

Yes, I do have Legal Aid Certificate.

I have no problem at all you if the lawyer wants to safeguard his rights, that's totally understandable. I don't have any issues showing proof of my legal aid certificate.

But I was concerned that the lawyer may use the legal aid certificate, for his time / initial consultation, and we may not agree to move forward. If that is the case, it might become difficult for me to hire another lawyer if my legal aid certificate is utilized by the first lawyer, just for a short discussion.

But after reading couple of other posts, I think the system works in a bit different way than I thought.

Thank you for your input, I now feel comfortable sharing legal aid certificate prior to first meeting.

Thank you @canuck78 for your input as well.

 

[Jakiewuyi]

Yes, I do have Legal Aid Certificate.

I have no problem at all you if the lawyer wants to safeguard his rights, that's totally understandable. I don't have any issues showing proof of my legal aid certificate.

But I was concerned that the lawyer may use the legal aid certificate, for his time / initial consultation, and we may not agree to move forward. If that is the case, it might become difficult for me to hire another lawyer if my legal aid certificate is utilized by the first lawyer, just for a short discussion.

But after reading couple of other posts, I think the system works in a bit different way than I thought.

Thank you for your input, I now feel comfortable sharing legal aid certificate prior to first meeting.

Thank you @canuck78 for your input as well.

@mafghan most government lawyers don’t have the time to meet because they have large numbers of files. They’ll want to ensure that you have the legal aid certificate before setting out time for any form of meet and greet. Here is my advice (based on personal experience) please try and look for a private lawyer with good reviews and testimonials. Yes, private lawyers may be slightly expensive but they’ll definitely give you all the attention and guidance you need at this stage. I was almost messed up by the legal aid lawyer I initially used at the beginning of my claim but was fortunate enough to get a private lawyer that walked my case to a successful outcome (From when I submitted my refugee claim till when I applied and got my PR). The trust is their services doesn’t come cheap but it’s smart to get a good lawyer and reap the benefits.