James Beirne Scam

1. Two Former Clients Tell
Harrowing Tales After Hiring
Atty James Beirne
By Jenilene Francisco and Rene
Villaroman
PinoyWatchDog.com Staff
1/24/2012 James Beirne Scam 1

2. Reynaldo Anson Villarica – Beirne Used False/Non Existent Companies
Two brave former clients of famous Glendale Attorney James
Beirne are among those who have contacted
PinoyWatchDog.com to expose the Glendale-based lawyer for
failing to deliver legal services, harrowing experiences that
negatively impacted their lives.
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3. Reynaldo Anson Villarica, who hails from the province of
Cavite, told PWD that he was able to breathe normally for the
first time in many years after he read an advertisement in the
pages of PinoyWatchDog.com seeking stories about
Attorney James Beirne’s victims.
“They kicked the air out of my lungs,” Villarica said, who
first sought Beirne’s assistance to secure a work
authorization and a green card in 2001.
He felt alone and powerless, but “now I knew there were
others who would support me.” Villarica stated that he found
hope that his case could be revived and possibly continued
by another company that would be willing to file a petition
on in his behalf after Atty. Beirne failed to secure work
authorization for him since he first consulted him in 2001.
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4. Villarica recounts the Beirne’s law office had filed three
different petitions using three different companies, all of
which turned out to be non-existent. “Every two years,
pinapalitan yung company,” Villarica said, The first petition
was made through a company known as Executive Aviation,
followed two years later by Quad Medical Services; and the
third petition through Family Care Homes. “Pagkatapos
nuon, itinago na nila sa akin (After those petitions were
denied, they hid everything from me). Kasi, pag binasa mo
yung mga letters, wala silang maipasok na lisensiya sa EDD
(Employment
Development Department). Parang nakakasira ng ulo,”
Villarica said. Investigations conducted by a PWD staff
member revealed that these three companies were
nonexistent during the times that these petitions for Mr.
Villarica were being made by the law office of Atty Beirne.
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5. For instance, the first company, Executive Aviation Services,
did not exist at the time of the application. PWD has also
learned that even the address, using “Hangar 22” at the Chino
Airport, does not exist. When PWD called the number used in
the application we were informed by the woman that answered
that for a decade she had been receiving calls by people
searching out others who had committed wrongdoing, and that
she had nothing to with Executive Aviation Services.
“This was a common practice with some shady immigration
lawyers during the big 245(i) push in the beginning of 2001,”
said an immigration lawyer who had processed hundreds of
labor certifications in that time period and who asked to not be
identified for fear of retribution from Beirne’s colleagues.
“Everyone was scampering for employer sponsors, and many
lawyers did not verify whether the employers provided were
legitimate. It got a lot of people into trouble,” the lawyer said.
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6. Villarica said he was directed to these employers by an
outside agent of Attorney Beirne. When he confronted the
office after making some discoveries, Ching Mendoza of the
Beirne Law Office threatened him with words to the effect
that “they knew powerful people and he better not tell anyone
what happened.”
All in all, Villarica, by his estimate, had paid Beirne’s law
office some $7,000.00, never got any visa, and in the end
received only threats.
“Nakahinga ako ng maluwag (I was able to breath easy) for
the first time in many years after I read your
newspaper,” Villarica said.
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7. Gertrudes and Rick Pecaoco – Judge to Atty Beirne – ‘You
Filed the Wrong Petition’
A couple from Burbank also contacted PWD to air their
grievances against Atty Beirne. The Pecaocos were no longer
able to afford the $6,000-amonth mortgage payment on their
house and it was on the verge of foreclosure when they sought
the legal advice of Atty Beirne. Unfortunately, the Pecaocos said
recently to PWD, “The help and assistance they perused in
Beirne’s advertisements (published in Balita) were not met.”
PWD had previously reported that the L.A. Superior Court had
recently ordered Attorney Beirne to cease this type
of deceptive, false advertising. It appears that Attorney Beirne
is now complying with this court order and no longer places
false advertising in Balita newspapers.
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8. According to the couple, they only met with Beirne’s assistant,
Ruby Sexon, who explained various bankruptcy procedures.
PinoyWatchdog.com has learned that Sexon has no formal legal
training even though she was the only assistant the couple ever
met at the law office. Rick says that Sexon advised them to stop
paying the mortgage and some important bills. With every letter
received regarding their house and notice to vacate, Beirne’s law
office and Sexon would simply say that their bankruptcy petition
would be filed. “It’s more of everything was just paperwork,” says
Gertrudes. “Sabi naman niya, pag-aaralan nila ito,” she added.
Regardless of Sexon’s reassurances and claims, the negligence
and lack of concern for clients was revealed at the hearing when,
for the first time, Gertrudes actually Gertrudes further expressed
her sentiments of not feeling secure even after finally meeting the
attorney himself. “Parang, he was just there to file it. But he didn’t
care to be concerned of ano ba talaga ang gusto mo? How can I
be there to help you? What do you want to do?” Simply put, “He
was not helpful. He was not concerned.” The case was eventually
pulled out. “Dismissed ang kaso ko. Bali wala.”
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9. As for a refund, the couple assures that the only refund they
received was for the lien stripping which was between $3 to 4
thousand out of an estimated $10,000 in total that the couple says
they paid the law firm. Gertrudes said, the refund for the lien
stripping would never have been returned if she had not
demanded for it. “Nung tumawag ako, sabi ko pwede ba irefund.
Kasi na dismiss naman yung kaso. Sabi n’ya (Ruby Sexon)
dismissed or not dismissed hindi na kailangan ang refund.”
The Pecaocos also spoke about the hassle and inconvenience
they experienced with Beirne’s law office. They said that simple
questions regarding their case and files could not be answered
over the phone. “I don’t know, but it was easier for them to collect
money than really helping out,” says Gertrudes. “Yung feeling mo
na matutulungan ka, wala rin. If you don’t call, they’re not going to
do anything.” A direct trip to the office was needed. Even then,
proper direction, guidance, and answers to their questions were
never seen. “They won’t even entertain you,” says Rick.
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10. Needless to say, the couple’s grievances with their overall
experience with Beirne can still be felt. As Rick expresses near
the end of the interview, their initial case was manageable and
could have been properly handled had they not consulted
with Atty Beirne, but went to an attorney who actually reviewed
the case, and not leaving the matter up to an untrained assistant
such as Ruby Sexon.
PinoyWatchDog.com has earlier reported that Ruby Sexon was
the Beirne staff member that mishandled the case of Diosdado
and Janet Duldulao, whose home was actually foreclosed upon
when Sexon failed to file the bankruptcy petition.
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11. Factual errors? Believe this article violates journalistic ethics?
Contact editor@pinoywatchdog.com and/or webadmin@pinoywatchdog.com.
http://www.pinoywatchdog.com
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