I need a US lawyer although I'm here

Hi, Everyone,

This is a tricky topic and I am at my wits end. I need an American lawyer to assist me with a US legal issue.

I've lived in the UK for 8 years, married to a Brit for the last three years and have my ILR. I do not maintain any residence in the US and I have no living relatives or any other ties there.

Several times over the past few years, I have contacted lawyers in my native state, in the state in which this matter has arisen and in the state in which I last lived but was told that they could not assist me as I am no longer a US resident.

Subsequently, I have spoken to several UK attorneys only to be told a similar story; they cannot help me because it is a US legal issue and I'm American.

I really want to sort this out but find myself in a no man's land. Can anyone advise?

Kind regards,

I'm a US lawyer, but I never got the chance to practice before I moved to the UK so unfortunately I can't help you. However the US embassy has a list of US attorneys in the UK on their website here:
http://london.usembassy.gov/mobile/us_attorneys_in_uk.html

You might find a place to start there. Even if you can't find someone licensed in one of the relevant states, maybe email someone and see if they have anyone they can put you in contact with to help.  What area of law does you issue involve? And which states are involved? I depending on your answers, I might be able to at least put you in contact with someone who can steer you in the right direction.

Thank you! Would you believe that the US Embassy was the last place I thought of?

It is a complicated situation that has nothing to do with immigration. I can pm you to give you a little bit more detail to see what you think.

I see you are in SC...lovely state, my folks originally came from Newberry.

Feel free to PM me. Can't guarantee I'll be helpful at all, but I'm certainly willing to have a look and figure out if I know anyone who might be able to help.

Can you give the state and a vague description (family law, litigation, etc) of the matter? You can also PM me. I'm a California licensed lawyer.

Several times over the past few years, I have contacted lawyers in my native state, in the state in which this matter has arisen and in the state in which I last lived but was told that they could not assist me as I am no longer a US resident

The US Embassy's consular list of attorneys cannot help you.

You imply this concerns the law of a state where you once lived. If it's a matter of inheritance, family law, property law, state taxation or state administrative law it's unlikely a lawyer from anywhere but that state can provide useful help, though no doubt some would let you pay them for advice.

My field of expertise is conflict of laws. I do not accept clients from the Internet but do occasionally try to provide, on various forums that I come across, some guidance as to where to look for help.

Your request is impossible to answer as we don't know anything, not even the state in question.

It just seems so wildly improbable that any, much less several, lawyers from your state would say what you attribute to them that I feel I must be missing something.

"It just seems so wildly improbable that any, much less several, lawyers from your state would say what you attribute to them that I feel I must be missing something."

Actually, I am not lying. The lawyers I contacted both in person and by phone once I moved to the UK were adamant that they could not assist me as I was no longer a resident of Ohio, the state in which the issue occurred and the state in which the said lawyers were licensed.

Of course you're accurately recounting what happened to you. It's just that it's so incredible. There are, after all, 38,541 lawyers in Ohio https://lawschooltuitionbubble.wordpress.com/original-research-updated/lawyers-per-capita-by-state/ (20th highest per capita ratio).

It may well be that you wanted to hire the lawyer on contingency or that there was some other reason why the lawyer doubted the case would be profitable for him or her. And from the client's point of view, paying a substantial retainer usually means the fees will be totally consumed. (I recall once refunding a $9,500 balance of unearned fees and the client's accountant was mildly surprised.)

I would start by telephoning the offices responsible for Ohio lawyer licensing and supervision -- not to complain, but (and say this right away) just to find out why a lawyer might have said what s/he did:
Supreme Court of Ohio, Office of Office of Attorney Services, 614-387-9327.

In general I always suggest people retain a lawyer who has provided good assistance to a friend. Most of those I know who cold-called a lawyer come to regret it, for whatever reason. But then, as one of my early law professors said in class, most lawyers are "plumbers". By which he meant, incompetent. Hopefully not including those he taught: it was at one of the top half-dozen U.S. law schools.

I recall once refunding a $9,500 balance of unearned fees and the client's accountant was mildly surprised.

Well to be honest that made me slosh my coffee over.