Communication Policy

We understand how important it is for our clients to be informed about the progress of their case and to have their questions and concerns answered in a timely manner. To do this in the most effective manner and to protect our ethical responsibility of client/attorney confidentiality, we have developed the following communication policy and kindly request that follow these guidelines:

 

1. All case-related communication will be solely between any member of FitzGerald Law Company and the client we represent. There are strict ethical rules that limit communication to a non-client. The term “our client” means the person or entity whom we represent in a legal matter, and does not include any family member or employee of our client (i.e. spouse, parent, child, partner…), and it generally will not include an employee of a company that we represent.
2. We respond to client telephone messages in the order that they are received and by the urgency of the matter. The response to a non-emergency call may take 3-5 business days. We ask clients to leave a detailed message outlining the nature of their question or concern, as this helps us in prioritizing the calls and respond more efficiently. Messages that only request a return call will be deemed non-priority and will be returned last.
3. We ask that you always make an appointment if you need to meet with one of our attorneys or staff members as their schedule is planned in advance. If you come without an appointment the person may be busy with another client, court or a deadline and may not be able to meet with you.
4. If you cannot come to a scheduled appointment, please make sure to call and cancel or reschedule your appointment as soon as possible, as this may allow us to attend other clients. Also, if you are late to an appointment, your appointment time may have to be cut short or rescheduled, if there is another scheduled appointment immediately after yours.
5. We will send copies of all case- related documents (i.e. petitions, immigration or court decisions, receipt notices, appointment notices, court dates, requests for evidence, etc.), to our client unless the original document was sent to the client directly by the court or agency.
6. We will communicate with our client about their case to keep them informed at all times and we will notify them if we need additional documents, we have new information regarding their case (i.e. we receive a decision, notice, request for evidence, etc.), to recommend actions or a change in strategy, etc.
7. We ask our clients to gather and provide any documentation requested by our office as quickly as possible as we may not be able to file applications and make progress on the case without it. Please always make an appointment to bring documents to our office as we need to allocate time to review them to make sure they are correct and complete.
8. It is our client’s responsibility to complete any necessary therapy, programs, or actions as well as follow the instructions provided by our attorneys. Failure to comply with these instructions and requirements can have an adverse effect on your case.
9. When cases have long wait periods (3-8 years), we will generally communicate every 6-9 months during the wait time after the petition has been filed, or as needed; and as soon as we receive a response.
10. We generally communicate in writing with either a letter or an email, as this creates a written history of the case, and is useful for both parties to keep track of the progress of the case. We communicate via the telephone if the message is of an urgent nature.
11. We will only send email communication to the email address provided by the client. If there is an additional email address or if an email changes, that information must be provided to our office.