Before I started practising law full time, I asked myself this important question: what kind of lawyer do you want to be, Vincent?
As a lawyer, my professional work is guided by several industry principles including “acting in the best interest of my clients” and “acting with integrity.”
Soon, I came to realize that “acting in the best interest of my clients” and “acting with integrity” means often I will lose a lot of money in turning clients away—which is what I proudly do.
It’s not easy to shut down the dreams of clients but when it is necessary and the truth, I do it all the time.
In a week, I get hundreds of clients contacting me with different Immigration/Visa issues. And many of them have no case at all—the prospect of success, if their case is taken on, is almost zero.
With such clients, I tell them the truth that there is nothing that can be done in law after evaluating their case or circumstance.
But if something can be done, no matter how complicated or difficult the case is—I take it up and fight it through to the end—ensuring that the client gets a positive outcome.
Being the kind of lawyer I have become or chosen is difficult. It means I spend a lot of my time speaking to clients freely—sometimes offering free consultation—to make sure the client understands why I am not taking their case or why I am taking their case.
The law is about people: their lives today and their future. Over the years, I have helped several clients travelled to the UK for different reasons—to reunite with their family, for visits, for work/employment, for school, to join the Army and even for medical reasons. I have also helped hundreds in the UK obtain their stay/residence or renew their existing residence.
Similarly, I have turned away several prospective clients who were ready to pay for my professional representation fees—but who had no case—such that taken on their matter would have just benefited only me financially, and they would have gotten nothing out of it. Obviously, this wouldn’t be “acting in the best interest of my clients” and “acting with integrity.”
Sometimes, I would tell a client that there is no way you are going to be given a visa or Leave to Remain or win this case—you do not meet the legal requirements. And the client will say, “lawyer do something about it, just let’s try by submitting an application to see.”
I tell such clients that, taking your money to submit a frivolous application for you when I know that your chances of getting this is zero as you do not meet the requirements or the rules goes against my personal and professional integrity—and it is not in your best interest so I cannot act for you—and they get shocked.
Today, two of my clients have received positive decisions in relation to their cases I handled. One received a decision allowing him to bring his wife to join him in the UK after many failed attempts before coming to me. The other, after a failed British Citizenship application which he lost about £1,000 in an application fee, he came to me and the application I submitted for him has been successful—he is almost a British Citizen now (he needs to just attend a Citizenship ceremony to seal it.)
They all called to express their gratitude—ending the conversation on the note that they would refer to me more people for the good work done. Is this not satisfying and wouldn’t this help my work as a lawyer to flourish?
In whatever you do, ensure that you are not prominently influenced by money or what you can gain but what you can help others gain—this is how you would gain more on the back of a clean conscience and by genuinely helping others.
So when I am asked what kind of lawyer I am today—I say, I am that lawyer who does not let money lead me but rather what is in the “best interest of my clients” and what sits well with my personal and professional integrity.
If you need a lawyer who will bring expert representation to the table and tell you as it is, then better call Chris-Vincent Agyapong and not the other guy, Saul Goodman.
You can reach me via +447837576037 (Whatsapp/Direct) or E-mail: [email protected]
I specialize in UK Immigration Law, Family Law and Civil Litigation.
When it comes to UK Immigration Law, I mostly represent those coming to the UK to study, visit, settle or work–by representing them in their various applications, appeals, Administrative Review and Judicial Review. If you need legal representation in securing a visa to come to the UK or overturning a refusal via Appeal, Administrative Review or Judicial Review, contact me via Whatsapp/Direct Call: +447837576037 or E-mail: [email protected].
