If your client is concerned about the impact of an online mugshot, they aren't the only one. The downside of living in today's world is that anyone who has access to a mouse and a computer is able to look up somebody's criminal record. Addressing anyone's criminal record status has been a primary question on job applications and has shown to be a great barrier when it comes to finding work and even dating. As experts in public records and negative content removal, NetReputation will tell you how you can help clients dealing with negative online content and answer all of your questions!

The American Bar Association published an ethics opinion in 2023 that clarifies the proper methods for handling advance fees, including when to treat them as earned.

A listening session sponsored by the Federal Bureau of Prisons provided an opportunity for NACDL to share its concerns with Bureau staff members on multiple topics of interest.

This month Susan Elizabeth Reese reviews The Lifer and the Lawyer: A Story of Punishment, Penitence, and Privilege by George Critchlow with Michael Anderson.

Extend to Language Access

ABA Formal Opinion 500 makes clear that Model Professional Rules of Conduct 1.1, 1.4, and 5.3 apply to language access. The opinion instructs that lawyers (1) must make assessments as to when an interpreter or translator is needed; (2) cannot make the client responsible for procuring the service; and (3) bear the responsibility for making sure that the client understands the lawyer’s advice.

This month Elizabeth Kelley reviews Trying Times: A Lawyer’s 50-Year Struggle Fighting for Rights in a World of Wrongs by Terry Gilbert with Carlo Wolff.

Defense lawyers and their clients will face challenges as courts begin to reopen after the coronavirus pandemic.

and Faulty Translations During Court Proceedings

There is a growing demand for courtroom interpretation and a shortage of qualified interpreters. Making sure that an individual’s defense does not get lost in translation requires understanding the regulatory framework in which courtroom interpretation occurs, anticipating common problems that arise from the presence of foreign language witnesses and evidence, and developing a record when a judge adopts a questionable procedure. Defense attorney Gabriel Reyes provides some practical considerations for trial counsel.

This month Tucker Carrington reviews Guilty People by Abbe Smith.

Many lawyers have represented clients who believe they want to go to trial and testify in their own defense. How do lawyers advise clients regarding this critical decision whether to testify? How should counsel integrate the client’s decision to testify (or not) throughout the remainder of the trial?

The client or witness who does not speak English can be scared, distrustful, or hostile. Criminal defense attorneys face the challenge of finding the right interpreter to communicate effectively with their clients or witnesses. The process is rife with potential pitfalls due to cultural differences and language barriers.

15 red flags for identifying potentially difficult client John Wesley Hall, Edited by Elizabeth Kelley