FAQs

The practice of law is governed by state ethics rules. Dyan Williams Law is a Minnesota-based firm and the founder of the firm is licensed to practice law in the State of Minnesota. So we focus on the Minnesota Rules of Professional Conduct.

We represent Minnesota lawyers or lawyers who are facing ethics complaints in the State of Minnesota. Your state bar association can help you find a legal ethics attorney if we are unable to represent you or counsel you.

Because ethics rules are similar across states, however, we can assist you in taking preventing measures. This includes providing guidance in creating employee training and case management manuals, documenting your office procedures and processes, and preparing checklists and templates for repeatable steps in your client matters. Having the right systems enables you to avoid running afoul of the rules of professional conduct in any state.

We reserve the right to decline any legal matters that could lead to the unauthorized practice of law in a state where we are not licensed.

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Lawyers often think they know more about legal ethics than they really do. The rules of professional conduct are not as intuitive as they might seem. Also, an ethics grievance, investigation and complaint can bring out strong emotions that interfere with your objectivity and taint your response.

A good legal ethics attorney can help you stay calm and tailor a response that is supported by facts and documents. She can also help you deal with ambiguities in the ethics rules and resolve tough ethics dilemmas. When your attorney license and professional reputation are on the line, you need an objective sounding board and a supportive confidante. A legal ethics attorney fulfills these critical roles.

The firm is founded by Dyan Williams, who is licensed to practice law in the State of Minnesota. Because immigration law is federal, we represent clients in all 50 states and in every  country around the world in U.S. immigration matters.

We have handled many cases where the clients, applicants or beneficiaries live out of state or overseas, and have never met us in person.  With today’s technology and fast courier service, in-person meetings between attorneys and clients are largely unnecessary.

When it comes to attending a USCIS interview that is out of state, we can travel there or partner with a local attorney.  Given the right preparation, and assuming your case does not have red flags, you can also attend the interview without an attorney.

Information is readily available online.  You can go to the USCIS website, fill out the forms, and file your case according to the instructions. If you have a clean case, clearly qualify for the immigration benefit, and have no criminal history, illegal entries or run-ins with immigration authorities, you can potentially do without a lawyer.

But having a lawyer often makes the difference between getting an approval and getting your application denied or rejected.  Lawyers are better equipped to understand the law and determine how it applies to your specific situation.

You will save yourself time, avoid unnecessary risks, and minimize stress with an experienced lawyer. If you don’t have a lawyer, the process can be much more overwhelming and the outcome is much more uncertain.

Immigration law is complex and ever-changing.  The decisions and findings are often completely discretionary and highly subjective. A simple mistake could end up costing you more money in the long term, result in unnecessary delays, and lead to denial of the petition/application and even deportation from the United States.

Although law is not rocket science and a smart, educated person can learn the law by reading books and going online, raw knowledge is not enough. You need experience, wisdom, and sound judgment, which generally requires several years of dedicated practice.

We’ve seen clients mess up their case because they tried to do things themselves, such as attending a marriage-based green card interview and responding to a Notice of Intent to Deny the visa petition without counsel. Unless your case is squeaky clean and you know exactly what you’re doing, get legal advice and representation from a reputable attorney.