Informing Your Clients of the Collateral Consequences 2025

The unanticipated aftermath

A criminal case doesn’t always end with a fine, probation, or even prison time. For many clients, the most significant consequences come later—when they’re denied a job, lose their housing, or discover they can no longer access public benefits. And for noncitizens, the fallout can be even harsher. A misdemeanor shoplifting plea might seem like a reasonable way to avoid jail, but it could also trigger deportation proceedings or bar a client from becoming a U.S. citizen.

In the wake of sentencing

At Informing Your Clients of the Collateral Consequences, you’ll take a clear look at the legal and practical effects that can ripple out from criminal convictions. Learn how to prepare clients for the realities they’ll face long after their case is closed.

You’ll explore:

• The wide range of collateral consequences that follow criminal convictions
• How the requirements of Padilla v. Kentucky should inform your advice to clients
• The personal and professional risks of failing to advise clients properly
• How convictions affect employment, housing, licensing, benefits, family law matters, and rights to firearms
• Key differences in consequences depending on offense type, from OWIs to sex crimes
• How criminal charges and pleas can trigger detention, deportation, or barriers to naturalization for noncitizens

Ensure your clients comprehend the full weight of guilty pleas and criminal convictions with help from Informing Your Clients of the Collateral Consequences.