Opinion ID: 220190
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Counsel's Ineffective Preparation of Asylum Claim

Text: We hold that, under the circumstances, Avagyan first had reason to suspect Spence's and Martinez's deficient performance with respect to her asylum petition when the BIA denied her appeal in February 2005. See Rodriguez-Lariz, 282 F.3d at 1225 (holding that petitioners were on notice of counsel's deficient representation when they received denial of a motion for reconsideration, prepared by counsel). Avagyan's appeal to the BIA focused exclusively on the merits of her asylum petition, and its denial would have put a reasonable person in Avagyan's position on notice that something was wrong with Spence's and Martinez's preparation for the removal hearing. [8] Accordingly, we measure Avagyan's diligence from that date. Apparently, after February 2005, Avagyan took no affirmative steps to investigate whether Spence and Martinez adequately prepared her asylum claim. See Singh, 491 F.3d at 1097. Further, despite the fact that she had already retained Gevorg, who she thought was an attorney, Avagyan does not claim that she discussed the BIA's denial of her appeal with him and perhaps had been informed that Spence and Martinez had performed adequately, or that there was nothing to be done to remedy their deficiencies, or that Gevorg would correct the error. Cf. Mejia-Hernandez, 633 F.3d at 824-25 (holding that petitioner was diligent when, after his motion was denied for lack of a filing fee, he discussed the issue with counsel, who promised to remedy the BIA's mistake); Rodriguez-Lariz, 282 F.3d at 1225 (holding that petitioners did not lack diligence when, after receiving a denial of their appeal to the BIA, they relied on counsel's advice that filing a motion to reopen would be in their best interests). Therefore, we hold that the BIA did not abuse its discretion when it concluded that Avagyan did not act with due diligence with respect to her claim that Spence and Martinez provided ineffective assistance of counsel in preparing her asylum petition. Avagyan's motion to reopen was untimely with respect to that claim.