10 Tips for Working With an Immigration Attorney
If you have a criminal defense client who is not a United States citizen, there may be many complex immigration implications throughout their case. It is important to consult with an experienced immigration lawyer who can help to ensure your client’s rights are fully protected when it comes to their immigration status. The following are ten brief tips for collaborating with an immigration attorney on your criminal case:
- Know your professional obligations for clients who are noncitizens — It is important to understand your requirements when it comes to representing noncitizens in criminal matters, including but not limited to advising clients of any possible immigration consequences.
- Collect information from your client — It is important to gather information from your client regarding immigration status and history, criminal background, how immigration can affect family, work, and more.
- Ensure the immigration attorney has criminal law experience — Immigration relates to criminal law in a specific way and not every immigration attorney has experience working with defense attorneys on criminal cases.
- Call the attorney early-on in the process — The earlier you involve an immigration attorney in the case, the more you can be sure of any possible immigration consequences for your client.
- Have necessary immigration and criminal information ready for the immigration attorney — It always saves time and cost to have information prepared ahead of meeting with an immigration lawyer so you do not have to go back and gather more information and have another meeting.
- Carefully evaluate the possible immigration consequences of every individual charge — In many cases, your clients may be charged with multiple crimes or counts. Make sure you discuss each one with the immigration attorney as different crimes may have different consequences.
- Discuss implications of different plea bargains and sentences — Convictions may have immigration implications, but so can alternative pleas and programs, suspended sentences, and other nontraditional sentences.
- Get the immigration information in writing — In many cases, the prosecutor may want to see immigration analysis in writing as part of the consideration for a plea bargain or sentence recommendation.
- Refer your client to the immigration attorney if necessary — If removal or deportation proceedings seem probable, your client will need representation by an immigration lawyer throughout that process.
- Consider developing a relationship with a specific immigration lawyer — Having an ongoing reputation can save your clients costs and you can trust the analysis of the attorney you know well.
Call Our New Jersey Crimmigration Law Office for More Information
At the law office of Ronald P. Mondello, Esq. Attorney at Law, we help with immigration-related issues in criminal cases. If you have a noncitizen criminal client, call our office to learn about our services today.
