Waheed Karl

This review is in English as this lawyer’s office specializes in immigration cases, particularly work-​related immigration cases. So it’s more likely an anglophone will be searching it out as opposed to a local.
Despite being a serial shit-​stirrer and rabble rouser, I’ve never had to hire an attorney before. But dealing with French bureaucracy, a mind-​numbingly complex visa situation, and four years of simply guessing our way through the legal minefield based on hearsay, it was high time to «lawyer up» and make sure my household was doing everything right before starting the process of becoming permanent residents in France.
Needless to say, I was a bit nervous about going into a lawyer’s office. I equate any French «cabinet» (cabinet d’avocat, cabinet médical, cabinet dentaire) with unpleasant things, so I was surprised to turn up in a lofty, airy –dare I say chic –yet semi-​rustic space in a quiet corner of the 20^th arrondissement. Every single person working in the office stopped by to say «bonjour» as we waited for our appointment, and when we were eventually seated in the conference room with our lawyer, we felt comfortable, relaxed, and absolutely free to speak and ask questions (in English and in French).
While our issues weren’t miraculously solved with the wave of a legal-​magical wand, a consultation with a lawyer here shed so much light on what we need to do and what our options are that it was fully worth the time and money. After an hour’s discussion, we felt much more confident and certain about our future in France, setting up shop for the long term, and growing roots here. We left the office with a good feeling and much-​needed clarity, which in this day and age is completely unexpected.
Even if you think you don’t need a lawyer (we went for years without bothering), if you have any doubts or concerns about your legal/​immigration status in France and can’t seem to get a clear answer from the Préfecture, save up a few fancy dinners worth of euros and see someone at this firm. It may not fix any problems right away, but you’ll at least know for sure what’s up. And you can’t put a price tag on peace of mind.