For the second time, an immigration-services firm in El Monte has been seized by the State Bar of California for allegedly offering legal services without proper authorization.
The immigration practice of Elena Orizabal has a history of providing services that should only be offered by a licensed attorney, the State Bar’s Office of Chief Trial Counsel (OCTC) said in a news release. The seizure of Orizabal’s firm occurred on Aug. 29 under the authorization of an order from Los Angeles County Superior Court.
The State Bar took the action after a former client of Orizabal’s last year reported that she continued to represent the client on immigration matters after the State Bar seized her practice in 2020. Another consumer complaint was also filed in 2023 that alleged Orizabal failed to carry out legal services in an asylum case after collecting $3,200 in fees.
“Ms. Orizabal’s brazen disregard for the rule of law does serious harm to her clients,” George Cardona, the State Bar’s chief trial counsel, said in a prepared statement. “Even after our previous action, many who came to her for help, including immigrants in need of legitimate legal counsel, remained unaware of her illegal practice until it was too late.”
A total of 45 boxes of Orizabal’s client files were seized during the OCTC’s seizure of the firm. The OCTC is now asking former clients of Orizabal – who used a variety of company names, including Unity Immigration, Unity Immigration Law Offices or Unity Immigration Corp. – to call the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs at (213) 765-1679 to seek the return of their confidential information.
In 2020, the State Bar said the immigration services firm misled immigrants and persuaded them that she was a lawyer or was qualified to offer advice on immigration law, all the while charging thousands of dollars for services she was not qualified to offer. In turn, officials at that time seized hundreds of client files, froze company bank accounts and took control of the firm’s means of communications, including a website and phone numbers.
Orizabal previously registered with the state Secretary of State’s Office as an immigration consultant, but that designation expired in May of 2020, the State Bar reported. Such consultants can translate information on federal forms, obtain copies of records and make attorney recommendations, but they cannot represent clients as practicing lawyers do, according to the State Bar.
Orizabal did not respond to requests for comment.
The number of cases in which non-attorneys have engaged in the unauthorized practice of law (UPL) have gone down about 11% from 2019 to 2023, according to State Bar statistics. Five years ago, the State Bar opened more than 900 such cases, while the number last year was about 800, with 300 of the cases referred to law enforcement.
And in 2023, about 20 UPI cease-and-desist notices were filed in Los Angeles County alone.
To avoid being UPI victims, the State Bar encourages consumers to ask attorneys for their full names and State Bar numbers and look the person up on the State Bar’s website for verification. In addition, consumers are urged to get a written contract for services.