Does anyone have experience with Coco Ruggeri & Associates Law Firm?

[italianresearch]

Hi Everyone,

I am interviewing various lawyers for my 1948 case. I have spoken with several law firms and I really liked Coco Ruggeri and associates. The attorney, Adriana Ruggeri, is pretty unique as she is registered with the Colorado Bar association and therefore licensed to practice Italian Law in USA. Her website and everything else seems very legit. However, I haven't been able to find any reviews. I was wondering if anyone on this forum has used this firm and would be willing to share their experience?

https://cocoruggerilawassociated.com/Home

Thanks!

[GrazieCiao]

No. Suggest asking if they are in Rome (this is where the court they handles these cases is located) and who will be the lawyer in court. Some firms outsource the work. Not saying that's bad but can cause a host of other issues.

[lnjwilbur]

Hello italaianresearch,

Have you decided to go with Coco Ruggeri? I'm just beginning my research on the best way to get my Italian citizenship and this seems to be a good choice, but I only see VERY recent reviews on Google and not any elsewhere which seems a little odd...

[JTSD20]

I emailed them a long time ago when I was first interested in filing a 1948 case, and I never heard back from them. I went with Italian Citizenship Assistance instead and they have been great so far.

[RickATL]

I am currently working with Coco Ruggeri and Associates. I also strongly considered Italian Citizenship Assistance. My case is straightforward and based on my grandfather as ascendant. (The only issue is a minor discrepancy between his day of birth as accurately recorded on his Italian birth certificate versus later documents in the US. The firm does not think this will be a issue because it is clear in all other ways that it is the same person referred to on the documents).

I went with Coco Ruggeri versus ICA because while neither firm was cheap, I felt the quote I received from ICA bordered on excessively high for a straightforward case with no missing documents or unusual circumstances. (ICA came in at about 20%-25% higher).

But I'm still early in the process so we'll see if I made the right choice... So far, the staff at Coco Ruggeri have been pleasant and responsive. They keep materials in a secure Dropbox with a tracking sheet so I am able to periodically see where things stand.

I do have a perception that they were more attentive when I was paying the installments early on, with the work slowing since I paid all the fees. This could be my imagination and I don't want to make any definitive statement after only being engaged with a firm for about 3 months.

I will update this later when I have more substantive information to share about my experience.

[afecad]

I'm also using ICA and would highly recommend them. You can choose different packages, I went with the top tier package which was the most expensive but for my 1948 case, I have zero regrets.

I would have already had my case filed in Rome if it wasn't for the pandemic, which caused most of the domestic documentation delays and also there was a backlog for 6 months to retain them due to demand, expect 2024 to be the same if not worse due to the state of the nation.

[qualdom]

I'm also using ICA and would highly recommend them. You can choose different packages, I went with the top tier package which was the most expensive but for my 1948 case, I have zero regrets.

I would have already had my case filed in Rome if it wasn't for the pandemic, which caused most of the domestic documentation delays and also there was a backlog for 6 months to retain them due to demand, expect 2024 to be the same if not worse due to the state of the nation.

So has ICA confirmed that you will be filing in Catanzaro?

[afecad]

So has ICA confirmed that you will be filing in Catanzaro?

I asked them prior, they said if all documents are in place and translated and etc, they can filed before the 24th, that has passed so Catanzaro is obvious. They also have not mentioned additional costs associated with this new law because it was covered in Rome.

I'm still waiting for one document, my updated PA Birth Certificate, which I requested 2+ months ago from PA Vital Records, appears the backlog is really heavy.

The concern with this new process is stated below (not via ICA, but another site). Since ICA was very critical in updating documents and retaining as much evidence as possible, I'm hoping this will not be an issue.



In addition, there is the possibility that local district judges, not being familiar with Citizenship by Descent, might make different decisions than the ones made by the Court of Rome judges.

The latter are familiar with:

Mistakes in the ancestors’ names (misspellings)
Mistakes in Naturalization documents
The meaning of A.K.A. in official documents
Negative/positive certificates issued by Italian communes
U.S. states which do not require the names of the bride’s and groom’s parents
The U.S. tradition of choosing a middle name at Confirmation
The custom for women to take their husbands’ surnames after marriage
The need to reconstruct facts from a different perspective when vital records are missing
and so on.

[qualdom]

I'm still waiting for one document, my updated PA Birth Certificate, which I requested 2+ months ago from PA Vital Records, appears the backlog is really heavy.

Yes, I think that I read on their website that the processing time for a correction is about 40 weeks. I don't know what happened, in March 2021 they were processing corrections in 3 to 4 weeks.

I think that the massive spike in Italian citizenship applications must be a contributing factor.....probably the Real ID-compliant license deadline in 2023 is another factor.

[afecad]

Yes, I think that I read on their website that the processing time for a correction is about 40 weeks. I don't know what happened, in March 2021 they were processing corrections in 3 to 4 weeks.

I think that the massive spike in Italian citizenship applications must be a contributing factor.....probably the Real ID-compliant license deadline in 2023 is another factor.

Since you mentioned it I looked on the PA DOH website, adults age 18 and above modify a birth record is 35 weeks approximately. This aligns with the length it took to get my Grandfather’s and Mother’s birth records updated, they could not be done concurrently so just to get those updated and corrected have taken the bulk of the time.

Based on the above and when PA DOH received my request I’m probably looking at a return in 6 months, maybe Oct/Nov of this year?

Then ICA can proceed to Apostille all the documents and file the lawsuit, which looks like early 2023, so 2024 will probably be the judgment. Of course these dates are subject to change and with the recent news and political future brewing for the 2024 elections, I suspect an onslaught of people seeking an exit plan is on the horizon.

[Jodie385]

I will update this later when I have more substantive information to share about my experience.

Any update?

[LisaLaw]

I retained Ms. Ruggeri's firm in April, 2021 and my consulate appointment is in May, 2023. The firm has been fantastic to work with. They have been very responsive to any inquiries that I've made and have provided me with updates on a regular basis. All documents received are placed in a dropbox so that I can track what's going on. Ms. Ruggeri proactively identified problematic documents for amendment so that all would be in order for my upcoming consulate appointment. I'm very pleased with the professional and attentive service that I'm received and I frequently recommend this firm to friends of mine seeking recogition of their Italian citizenship through descent. Ms. Ruggeri and her staff have made the process stress free for me and I'm very grateful for their assistance.

Lisa Franchina

[MJFiori]

Thank you, Lisa Franchina, for your review of Coco Ruggeri. I am new to this site and found it searching for reviews on this firm. Your comments were helpful for me to make a decision to go with this firm. I had checked several other firms and found Coco Ruggeri to be the most responsive with straight forward and detailed information. This helped establish confidence and a friendly relationship at the start. Their fees are in line with what you would expect from a good firm. So far, so good! I will provide more information as the process moves along. But at this point I am pleased with my decision. Best wishes to all!

[COREYCAT]

Thank you, Lisa Franchina, for your review of Coco Ruggeri. I am new to this site and found it searching for reviews on this firm. Your comments were helpful for me to make a decision to go with this firm. I had checked several other firms and found Coco Ruggeri to be the most responsive with straight forward and detailed information. This helped establish confidence and a friendly relationship at the start. Their fees are in line with what you would expect from a good firm. So far, so good! I will provide more information as the process moves along. But at this point I am pleased with my decision. Best wishes to all!

Any updates? I'm considering using her

[richwaidmann]

We researched several firms, and selected Coco Ruggeri in 2021. We have found them very easy to work, very knowledgeable, and very responsive. They also provided us with a price estimate when we began working with them, and everything they quoted has been accurate. We have been very happy with them, and have recommended them to friends who are also looking to gain Italian citizenship.

Our citizenship trial is later this year, and we are hoping for positive results. I will be happy to report back on whether we were successful or not to this forum.