A legal second opinion is an independent review of your situation by an attorney who has no stake in the case. El Paso residents ask for one when a settlement offer feels too low, when their lawyer has stopped returning calls, when they were told their immigration or probate matter is hopeless and want to be sure, when a quoted fee seems far out of line, or when they are about to sign something on a lawyer's recommendation and want a second set of eyes first. It is the same thing you would do before a major surgery, and for many people the cost of being wrong about a legal decision is just as high.
Texas law protects your right to do this. The Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct require your current lawyer to keep you reasonably informed, explain matters so you can make informed decisions, and hand over your file when you ask for it, and consulting another attorney does not breach your existing agreement. Everything you tell us is covered by attorney-client privilege under Texas Rule of Evidence 503, whether or not you ever hire us for anything else. If your concern is whether your current attorney handled something improperly, we will tell you plainly, and we will also tell you when the advice you received was correct and the situation is simply difficult. A second opinion is not a second lawsuit; it is information.
You send us the relevant documents: the contract, the settlement offer, the court papers, the USCIS notice, the engagement letter, or the emails with your lawyer. Robert Navar reads everything, researches the specific Texas or federal law that applies, and delivers a written opinion in plain English or Spanish covering whether the advice is sound, what risks or options were not mentioned, what a realistic outcome looks like, and what he would do next. We then walk through it with you by phone or at our El Paso office. No court appearance is involved. If you decide to change lawyers, we can help with the transition; if you decide to stay, you go back with better questions. Related services include flat-fee contract review, severance agreement review and background check review.
When a second opinion makes sense
You have been offered a settlement in a personal injury, employment or property dispute and want to know if it is fair before you sign a release. Your lawyer recommends pleading guilty, accepting a deal, or dropping a claim, and something feels off. Another attorney told you that you do not qualify for expunction, a green card, a waiver or a probate shortcut, and you want that checked. You are being quoted an hourly fee for something you suspect can be done for a flat fee. You have a judgment, a demand letter or a lawsuit against you and are unsure whether the advice to ignore it or to pay it is right.
What you receive and what we will not do
You receive a written opinion, usually two to four pages, that addresses your specific questions, explains the law in plain terms, identifies any deadlines you are up against, and lays out realistic options with the pros and cons of each. We do not contact your current lawyer, the other side or any court unless you hire us to do so afterward. We do not guarantee that a different result is possible, and we will say so when it is not.
Because Robert Navar practices in a wide range of flat-fee areas in El Paso — traffic, record cleanup, estate planning, probate, uncontested family law, immigration, business and consumer matters — the second opinion comes from someone who handles these cases daily in El Paso County courts and agencies, not from a general checklist.
What's included
- Confidential intake call to define the exact questions you want answered
- Attorney review of the documents, correspondence and advice you provide
- Research of the specific Texas or federal statutes, rules and deadlines that apply
- Written opinion in plain English or Spanish with realistic options and recommended next steps
- Walk-through call or in-office meeting to discuss the opinion and answer questions
- Credit of the second-opinion fee toward our flat fee if you hire us to take over the matter
How it works
Confidential intake
Call (915) 526-0787 and describe the decision you are facing. We check for conflicts, agree on the specific questions to answer, list the documents we need, and quote a flat fee.
Review and research
Robert Navar reads your file, researches the applicable Texas or federal law, and identifies deadlines, risks and options that may not have been explained to you. This usually takes three to five business days.
Written opinion and discussion
You receive the written opinion and we go through it together at our El Paso office or by phone. You decide what to do with it — stay, switch, negotiate or walk away — with clear information.