First of all I want to express how grateful I am for Neda and the whole family! I say family because it truly felt like family when I would go and visit the office! They had a way of being compassionate, understanding and working as a team in pure harmony to make sure everything worked out!
I mus...t admit, my case was a scary and complicated one. I have been in the United States since I was 4 years old which would usually make the process smooth and easy. Oh boy! That was not the case for me at all. I started running away at a really young age and got in trouble for alcohol abuse, shop-lifting and fighting. Although I had changed my life, it often felt like my past was haunting me. I felt hopeless that I would ever be able to legally be in the United States. Luckily i met Neda:)
When I first started my DACA journey I had started working with a lawyer who made me feel hopeless and alone. He told me he had never worked on a case like mine and that there was a high chance I would get denied. It was clear that he didn't find my case worth his time. I got all my documents and information together, I payed for the consultation and a fee for him to review my paperwork but after he reviewed my paperwork he stopped returning my calls. I had to call his secretary several times before he finally returned my call and stated I was better off waiting until a new law passed. I felt hopeless and decided to hold back on the process! About a year later I tried a consultation with a different lawyer but I still didn't feel like he was genuinely interested in helping me. I felt like a burden and felt like I was going to need a lot of money before a lawyer would even consider my case.
My little sister was going to be 18 soon and I really wanted to give her the gift of receiving her DACA and work permit so she could be able to get a job she enjoyed! I did my research and took her to go see Neda! We met with Randle Caudle (the owner) and Neda, and instantly felt an amazing connection.This topic has always been very emotional for my sister and I so we were in tears for most of the meeting. I truly felt from the bottom of my heart that they genuinely cared about serving us! We weren't just a number coming into their office! I felt their compassion and their true authentic desire to help us out! Although I was still scared about my case, we went ahead with my sister's case and she was accepted! Her case went really smooth and we couldn't have been happier with how we were treated and how attentive they were to her case! The whole team was very organized and dedicated to making the process as fast, simple and easy for us!
After my sister received her work permit I knew it was my turn to face my fears. I felt confident that I was working with an amazing lawyer that truly cared about my future and happiness. They treated me fairly and told me about my options and the risks that i would be taking. They assured me that they would support me throughout the whole process and explained the laws behind what they could and couldn't do. They made sure i felt comfortable with every action they took and made sure I understood everything! I felt like we were in it together which really meant the world to me!
A few months later i received a letter stating that they needed the exact documents of all the misdemeanors I had by a deadline or my case would be denied. ! I was really worried because I had got my record sealed around the time i was working with my first lawyer and under California law once you get your record sealed it's gone forever. Luckily Neda replied with a very descriptive letter stating the California law. I honestly don't know how to explain what she wrote except the fact that it worked and that this women knows the law and will do whatever she can to help her clients!
A month later I got a letter saying i was approved! I am so grateful for Neda! She has changed my life and honestly don't know if I could've gone through it w/o her