IDS is excited to announce a new resource for counsel representing appointed clients. As you know, the Supreme Court held in Padilla v. Kentucky, 559 U.S. 356 (2010), that the effective assistance of counsel may require counsel to provide advice about the potential immigration consequences of the possible resolutions of the case. Even highly competent criminal defense counsel may not be able to meet the requirements of Padilla without assistance from trained immigration counsel. In order to assist counsel in meeting this requirement, IDS has contracted with two, experienced immigration attorneys; Helen Parsonage and Robert Lamb. Ms. Parsonage and Mr. Lamb will provide immigration consultations for counsel representing appointed clients.
We have added an Immigration Consequences page to our website, where you will find an explanation of the process, a link to an on-line form that you can use to request immigration advice, and a printable version of the form that you can use when interviewing your client or otherwise gathering the required information. http://www.ncids.org/ImmigrationConsult/Links.htm?c=Immigration%20Consultations. There may be an issue if you are using Chrome as your browser, which should be fixed, otherwise you can start using this resource now.
As explained on the Immigration Consequences page, do not delay in seeking immigration advice when your client may face immigration consequences.
If you are an APD, Susan Brooks previously sent an email regarding how you should use this service.