About WCA
About WCA
Overcoming Challenges Together
If you are on this page, you are likely facing significant challenges and fears. You’ve never been in trouble before and don’t know how to respond. Many people make matters worse by hiring the wrong lawyer or failing to work openly with the right one. You may fail to understand stakeholders or put yourself in the shoes of prosecutors or judges. I know this firsthand because I responded poorly as a defendant, exacerbating my struggles and making things worse.
When I was a defendant, I was vulnerable, lost, and easy to exploit. At 29 years old, I didn’t know anyone in trouble. I hired lawyers I couldn’t afford and paid a reputation management company $16K, believing they could remove or suppress my Department of Justice records. The irony is that all I wanted was a better outcome, but I made choices that got me further from that goal. Learn from my mistakes—work with experts who have documented their path. Speak to our clients and the lawyers we work with. Just because someone says they can help you, it does not mean they can. Do your due diligence.
Our new updated website reduces the focus on our timelines as they seem too self-promotional. Still, to help demonstrate we are authentic and not asking you to do what we have not done, you may find value in reviewing the White Collar Advice and Prison Professors Timelines.
The Origin of WCA
Michael went to prison for a nonviolent drug crime in 1987. While in prison, he earned degrees, wrote extensively about the criminal justice system, married and mentored countless individuals. When I shook his hand in the prison library, I saw a man who had found a way to live with dignity and purpose despite his circumstances. His disciplined and authentic approach to life in prison inspired me to change. His guidance on being deliberate, disciplined, and accountable became the foundation of my own transformation and the principles of White Collar Advice.
A Transformative Experience (and gratefully one of 1,000s)
When Dr. Nate Schott called me several years ago, he wanted to get the best possible outcome but was unsure how. He didn’t want to make matters worse and had already read “Lessons from Prison,” where I articulate how lying to the government and my lawyers exacerbated my struggles. He told me, “I want to do everything right, but this is new to me. I’ve never been in this situation before. I have good lawyers, but I know I need to do more to mitigate. Will your team help? I want to show this judge that I’m different from their version of events. I want to make my wife and four children proud. Will you help?”
Dr. Schott got a phenomenal outcome—33 months instead of the expected 63 months and home from prison in 10 months—because he invested the time to understand stakeholders. He did the work, owned his mistakes, and actively contributed to his community and rebuilt his career. He did more than say “I am sorry”—he laid out a plan to make his victims whole, nurtured his network, volunteered with Prison Professors Charitable Corporation—and, as important, he lived with dignity and set an example for his family. His success was not by accident. Dr. Schott’s story illustrates the impact of hard work and genuine change. If you would like to speak with Dr. Schott about our work, you can reach out to him.
First Prison Blog
Gratitude and Authenticity
Before I went to prison, I obsessed over everything I had lost. In federal prison, I realized many men had it worse and didn’t have the opportunities I took for granted. This perspective changed my life. I learned to appreciate my blessings rather than obsess over what I lost.
I also learned the importance of being authentic. I own my choices and do not pretend I didn’t go to prison. I don’t profess to be an expert on all things related to prison or crisis management. That’s why I have a team with different strengths and weaknesses. Some people who served a short sentence in one prison masquerade as experts. Vulnerable people may fall for the hustle. I am proud to acknowledge what I do not know and leverage my team to ensure you get closer to your desired outcomes: shorter sentences, earlier release from prison, more liberty after prison, and ensuring this experience does not amount to a life sentence.
Our Core Values
Our core values are rooted in Michael Santos’s 26-year experience through prison. We are authentic and never ask you to do what we have not done and documented. Our work is easily verifiable. We are honest and remind you we cannot change the past or guarantee a certain outcome. Our values emphasize proving worthy of the love and support of our family.
I am simply an ambassador sharing Michael’s message that helped transform my life in prison. We do the same thing with people who come into our community. We strive to teach and share strategies that may help you, but it requires work
Who We Can Help
We can assist you if you’re a professional charged with a crime, a business person facing white-collar allegations, an elected official under investigation for corruption, or anyone concerned about career impact due to a government investigation. If you’re the subject of any civil or criminal investigation, our services can be valuable to you.
Who We Can't Help
We can’t assist you if you maintain associations with individuals involved in criminal activities, or if you’re unfazed by the prospect of sentencing or prison. If you believe your legal team has all the answers, or you expect guaranteed outcomes, our services aren’t the right fit for you.
Hire a Topwca Attorney
At TopWCA, we are dedicated to helping you find the right lawyer or replacing your current one if needed. Many lawyers advise defendants to delay preparation, but as former FBI Agent Paul Bertrand said, “When we show up, we are in the bottom of the 8th inning,” meaning time is critical. Some lawyers discourage self-advocacy, but this conflicts with insights from judges and over 1,000 sentencing hearings. We launched TopWCA in July 2024 to connect clients with the best lawyers, aiming for 200 vetted attorneys within a year. If you need legal help, we’re here for you.
Prison Professors Charitable Corporation and Prison Professors Talent
While I lead our consumer division, Michael and Carole Santos lead Prison Professors Charitable Corporation (PPCC). PPCC partners with federal and state prison systems, directly impacting the lives of more than 1 million people annually. The mission is to help people prepare for employment and success upon release.
As recidivism rates show, many people leave correctional facilities less likely to function in society than when they began serving their sentences. PrisonProfessorsTalent.com helps solve this problem by giving people in prison an opportunity to document their growth and share it with family, government stakeholders, and potential employers. If you are facing a sentencing hearing or prison term, consider sharing your growth through PrisonProfessorsTalent. If you have the resources, consider sponsoring people in prison who are in desperate need of our books and other resources. By choosing to do so, you can find meaning through this experience, as I, my team, and people in our community do. Join us!
Preparing For Success After Prison Course Implemented In Federal Bureau of Prisons
We collaborate with various law enforcement agencies in our expanding advocacy efforts, including the Department of Justice and Bureau of Prisons. We offer our approved First Step Act course, Preparing for Success after Prison (PSAP), in over 50 state and federal facilities. Bill McGlashan and Mossimo Giannulli are among the numerous leaders who have collaborated with our team to develop impactful courses. We are thankful that the Bureau of Prisons and the Department of Justice have recognized and profiled our work. Bill and Mossimo are two of many leaders in our community who have worked with us to create a mastermind course that influences hundreds of thousands of people in prison. If you have interest in creating safer communities and volunteering through PPCC, please reach out!