Mexican Citizens Seeking Help from the Local Consulate Get Snared in a Legal Grudge Match

Comments (0) By Megan Feldman Thursday, Aug 13 2009

Mark Graham

Lawyer Robert Lyons claimed that he was owed a piece of a $2 million fee collected by a rival lawyer in a case stemming from the accidental death of a Mexican truck driver in Dallas. His lawsuit would lead to allegations of kickbacks and corruption at Dallas’ Mexican Consulate, charges denied by Mexican Consul General Enrique Hubbard Urrea.

Mark Graham

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Mexican Consulate

2777 Stemmons Freeway
Dallas, TX 75258

Category: Services

Region: West Dallas

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Chuck Herring, an Austin attorney and legal ethics expert, says the allegations that Guajardo was soliciting clients at the consulate while offering pro bono services, or that Alvarado's firm gave the consulate financial support (Loera's salary, for example) in exchange for cases, are troubling and could constitute issues of ethical violations or criminal barratry. Either way, he says, it raises questions when one firm seems to be getting all the referrals for certain types of cases. "Suspicions are naturally raised when an entity refers all of its potential clients to a single law firm," he says.

Meanwhile, as Maria Alicia Puente vs. Cleveland Wrecking Company finally wraps up, hundreds of people continue to trickle into the Mexican Consulate each day for help with passports, ID cards, cadaver transfers or legal questions. Inevitably, among those in line will be another bereaved family grieving the loss of a loved one in a fatal job site accident. As they make funeral arrangements and struggle to come to terms with tragedy, they'll most likely be referred to the offices of Pablo Alvarado, and the legal machinery will come to life again.