News Releases

L.A. County DA Files Charges and State Bar Seizes Los Angeles Immigration Service Offices for Unauthorized Practice of Law

In a joint effort with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office, the State Bar of California on Thursday seized the downtown Los Angeles office, as well as relevant documents at the Glendale home, of Nubia Esmeralda Burrier for the unauthorized practice of law (UPL), announced George Cardona, State Bar Chief Trial Counsel.  

The Los Angeles County Superior Court granted the State Bar’s assumption action in a civil proceeding after the Office of Chief Trial Counsel (OCTC) provided evidence related to 14 complaints it received that Burrier was engaged in UPL in immigration cases. OCTC’s court filings outline how she fraudulently took money from clients who were seeking to stay in the U.S. and led them to believe she was a licensed attorney. Burrier is not―nor has ever been―a licensed California attorney.  

In a separate criminal court action, the L.A. County D.A. charged Burrier with 11 related counts focused on Burrier offering fraudulent immigration services. The D.A. also executed a search warrant to search Burrier’s home and office.  

“Nubia Esmeralda Burrier cruelly preyed on immigrants seeking to lawfully remain in the U.S. by giving them suspect legal advice when she knew she has no authority in California to offer any legal counsel,” said Cardona. “Our seizure is one step in addressing the harm caused by her UPL. We thank the L.A. County D.A.’s office for also seeking justice in a criminal court for her actions.” 

In one complaint, a man and his wife hired and paid Burrier over $14,000 to represent them in their immigration matter. The couple met with Burrier, who misrepresented herself as an experienced immigration attorney. Burrier advised them that they qualified for legal asylum. She also advised both clients that they were eligible for work permits.  

After Burrier filed their asylum relief applications, the clients were interviewed by U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS), who advised them that they were being placed in removal proceedings because they did not qualify for asylum relief and were in the U.S. illegally.  

State Bar investigators also investigated a complaint lodged against Burrier by two immigrant clients who along with their three minor children were detained at the U.S.-Mexico border in 2018 and placed in deportation proceedings. After the clients advised Burrier that their family had a USCIS court hearing scheduled, she told them she―or if she could not attend―another of the many attorneys at her firm, would represent them in court. For these services and asylum applications that Burrier said the family was eligible for, she charged $6,500. The family could not pay that amount in one payment, so per Burrier’s instructions, they paid a $600 down payment and $300 a month in cash.   

On the morning of the clients’ February 2020 USCIS hearing, Burrier texted them stating that she was unable to attend, and that Gordon Lee Olson, purportedly an attorney from her office, would attend the hearing in her place. Olson appeared at the hearing but did not communicate with the clients before or after the hearing.  

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a subsequent September 2020 court date for the family was rescheduled to March 2021. The clients, however, never received notice from USCIS. All court notices were mailed directly to Burrier. Burrier never advised her clients of the new hearing date. Because the client failed to appear, the immigration court entered a final order of deportation for the entire family. Olson purportedly filed an unsuccessful “Motion to Reopen” with the USCIS (he denied filing the motion to OCTC investigators). Once the clients confronted Burrier with evidence of her legal failures, she returned their client files and told them to find another attorney.  

Approximately 85 boxes of client files were collected on Thursday. For clients of Nubia Esmeralda Burrier seeking to secure their client files, please call the State Bar’s bilingual phone line at 213-765-1747. 

The State Bar has a unit dedicated to investigating and addressing the Unauthorized Practice of Law. People who have been targeted by someone who is not licensed to practice law can file an unauthorized practice of law complaint with the State Bar. There is no cost, and U.S. citizenship is not required; the State Bar will not ask complainants about their citizenship or immigration status. The online complaint form is available in English, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese.

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The State Bar of California's mission is to protect the public and includes the primary functions of licensing, regulation and discipline of attorneys; the advancement of the ethical and competent practice of law; and support of efforts for greater access to, and inclusion in, the legal system.