Urgent help - is it worth the risk?? Forum

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Urgent help - is it worth the risk??

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Jan 12, 2017 7:24 pm

Hi there, I am an LLM graduate who passed ny bar and living in Tx. I am currently looking for a job in Houston in the field of immigration law. I recently got an offer from an attorney who was rated poorly by many on avvo, yelp and google. I still took the risk and went and joined. No contract nothing. She just sent an email about the salary she would pay.

It's been about 2 days. She just has a secretary who is a high school pass out and dresses inappropriately. What scared me most was - she never attends and returns client calls properly. Comes to office at 2 or 3pm. She told me yesterday she had a court appointment - that's ok, today she tells me that she had to go to the bank and there was some problem there (who the hell gives such lame excuses). The clients who were supposed to meet her got angry and asked for a refund of their money. There were also clients yelling on phone why she has not returned calls.
She convinces me that they were dodgy clients. I am like whatttt.....

I do have an option of working for a reputed ngo. I am wondering if I should just ditch this job with the firm and work for free for the ngo. I honestly can't take the stress of working with An unorganised lawyer like her. It really scares me and the customer reviews are believable now. Or should I just continue and learn what I eve I can until I find the next job. Honestly I don't feel like working but chances of finding a job are so less that it scares me to quit the job and take volunteer work.

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Re: Urgent help - is it worth the risk??

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Jan 12, 2017 7:47 pm

Sounds like a nightmare.

Imagine how she will treat you as an employee based on how she treats her clients (who are arguably more important to her). She gave no contract for you to sign which is a red flag. You should get something in writing at least (even if it's an at-will employment).

Pros of working for her: You get relevant (?) experience. Working for a solo will allow you to be exposed to a wide range of work and you'll definitely get thrown into the fire. You have something on your resume while you look for another job. You get paid.

Cons: Potentially poor training. Even if you do get substantive work, you might not get any valuable feedback or she may be training you improperly. Your hours might be horrible if she is coming to the office at 2pm and leaving at 8pm. Working for a solo means your life revolves around their schedule. If she suddenly remembers she has a deadline on a Sat. night and calls you, your Sat plans just go out the door.

Are you looking to do immigration law or is that just one of many options? Are you looking for a job in NY or only in TX? What school did you go to and rank? When did you pass the bar and when did you graduate? Can you afford to not be paid/work for free?

Nybar2015

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Re: Urgent help - is it worth the risk??

Post by Nybar2015 » Thu Jan 12, 2017 8:06 pm

Anonymous User wrote:Sounds like a nightmare.

Imagine how she will treat you as an employee based on how she treats her clients (who are arguably more important to her). She gave no contract for you to sign which is a red flag. You should get something in writing at least (even if it's an at-will employment).

Pros of working for her: You get relevant (?) experience. Working for a solo will allow you to be exposed to a wide range of work and you'll definitely get thrown into the fire. You have something on your resume while you look for another job. You get paid.

Cons: Potentially poor training. Even if you do get substantive work, you might not get any valuable feedback or she may be training you improperly. Your hours might be horrible if she is coming to the office at 2pm and leaving at 8pm. Working for a solo means your life revolves around their schedule. If she suddenly remembers she has a deadline on a Sat. night and calls you, your Sat plans just go out the door.

Are you looking to do immigration law or is that just one of many options? Are you looking for a job in NY or only in TX? What school did you go to and rank? When did you pass the bar and when did you graduate? Can you afford to not be paid/work for free?

I passed in 2016 and completed my law in India in 2004. Yes I can afford to work for free. It would be nice to get a job though but as you said it's a nightmare. I have worked In a small firm and legal aid firms before and all of them very dedicated to their clients. I never met anyone giving silly excuses for not attending calls or coming on time. It's her work ethics that's scares me. Even if I continue I definitely won't mention her name on my resume as she has terrible reputation on internet.

Cons: I can learn some work- but not sure of her training experience. She tells me today all
Information is on google and uscis website. Just look at some files and I will walk you through. It's easy. I know it's easy but that's not the way someone trains anyone.

Pros: just an add on resume excluding the firm name.

I really would be happy to put the volunteer work but I heard firms don't value it.

I am looking for work in Houston as my family is based here. Can't really find work in any other field though. Don't understand what to do??

Any advice is appreciated.

Anonymous User
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Re: Urgent help - is it worth the risk??

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Jan 12, 2017 8:09 pm

I don't see how you can add the firm on your resume without naming it.

if that's your only "pro", I would say don't do it. You can always try and quit though. Nothing stopping you. Although you might have to disclose this employment to future employers for conflicts checks, etc.

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A. Nony Mouse

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Re: Urgent help - is it worth the risk??

Post by A. Nony Mouse » Thu Jan 12, 2017 8:32 pm

And honestly someone who says it's easy and everything is on the USCIS website seems like a walking malpractice case.

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Nybar2015

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Re: Urgent help - is it worth the risk??

Post by Nybar2015 » Thu Jan 12, 2017 10:38 pm

Unfortunately everyone wants a trained lawyer. If no one gives experience how are we supposed to gain. I feel like suing the universities here. They lure the foreign students and mint money. I
Understand education is not the end all for a job but it least has to be a beginning of someone's career and not the end.

I am pressurised to work for crazy attorneys like her becoz no one wants to give a chance. Even taking a volunteer is impossible becoz they don't want to train. It's like beating around the bush and going no where.

RaceJudicata

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Re: Urgent help - is it worth the risk??

Post by RaceJudicata » Thu Jan 12, 2017 10:55 pm

Nybar2015 wrote:Unfortunately everyone wants a trained lawyer. If no one gives experience how are we supposed to gain. I feel like suing the universities here. They lure the foreign students and mint money. I
Understand education is not the end all for a job but it least has to be a beginning of someone's career and not the end.

I am pressurised to work for crazy attorneys like her becoz no one wants to give a chance. Even taking a volunteer is impossible becoz they don't want to train. It's like beating around the bush and going no where.
Sorry to be harsh, but the job prospects/us legal employment stats are all out there. Should have made a more informed decision. I'm also fairly certain that others have tried to sue the schools - and were unsuccessful.

clerk1251

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Re: Urgent help - is it worth the risk??

Post by clerk1251 » Fri Jan 13, 2017 11:28 am

This sort of seems like a no brainer to me. You've been there two days and are already having A LOT of concerns. It'd be very easy to make a clean exit now. The attorney sounds very unprofessional. You don't want to be associated with a firm like that. Also, aside from the no contract issue, if she is having issues with her bank and with clients demanding refunds, I foresee issues when it comes to you actually getting paid.

If you want to work for the NGO, go work for the NGO. If not, Houston is a big city and I imagine there are many more immigration law opportunities. Cut ties and don't look back. Don't put this on your resume. Start making calls and scheduling coffee meetings. Consider looking into bar associations, and also consider looking into your US law school's job board.

Nybar2015

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Re: Urgent help - is it worth the risk??

Post by Nybar2015 » Fri Jan 13, 2017 12:42 pm

Thank you all so much for the help!!! I have thought enough about this job and decided to QUIT today. I am really having some peace now. It was a terrible experience. I am going forward with my volunteering at the ngo and will look for jobs.

Yes I agree that I should have take an informed decision and can't blame the country.

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cavalier1138

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Re: Urgent help - is it worth the risk??

Post by cavalier1138 » Fri Jan 13, 2017 2:24 pm

A lot of LLM graduates don't stay in the US after earning the degree. Is working in your home country not an option?

Nybar2015

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Re: Urgent help - is it worth the risk??

Post by Nybar2015 » Fri Jan 13, 2017 4:11 pm

Becoz my husband works here I have no choice but to look for work here. It's true most them return to their home country.

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Devlin

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Re: Urgent help - is it worth the risk??

Post by Devlin » Sat Jan 14, 2017 11:43 am

There are a metric ton of immigration law firms in Houston. Like, jump on craigslist and you can find many looking to hire. Should not be too hard to find another position at a Houston immigration law firm.

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