How do I advise my noncitizen client about the immigration consequences of a negotiated plea versus going to trial?  My immigration client wants to naturalize, but he has a criminal history.  Should he apply? What are the effects of a conviction on an asylum applicant? Participants in this course will learn the concepts necessary to evaluate the immigration consequences of a criminal conviction from the practical viewpoint of several different practice settings.  Topics covered include understanding your client’s immigration status, obtaining and evaluating the record of conviction, the criminal grounds of inadmissibility and deportability, the analytical approach used by courts to compare the Immigration and Nationality Act to the laws of the 50 states, criminal bars to immigration applications, and the advent of prosecutorial discretion. Participants will also learn about the ethical duties of criminal defense and immigration counsel when advising clients in this complex area of law.  Finally, the course will end with a series of practical exercises in which the analytical tools learned throughout the course are applied in both client counseling and litigation. This course is ideal for criminal attorneys who represent noncitizens, immigration practitioners with clients who have a criminal history, and pro bono attorneys who are interested in this exciting area of the law.  All experience levels are welcome.

Registration:
For more information and to register, please visit https://cliniclegal.org/calendar/immigration-consequences-criminal-convictions.