Death Row Capital Appeals Attorney — Justice Advocate

California Appellate Project–San Francisco; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work schedule

Downtown SF office near transit

Job summary

The California Appellate Project–San Francisco invites applications for a Staff Attorney within the Unrepresented Condemned Inmate Project (UCIP). The attorney will oversee a caseload of unrepresented capital defendants and provide vigorous advocacy on direct appeals and habeas corpus proceedings.

The role requires strong litigation skills, clear communication with clients and court personnel, and willingness to travel to correctional facilities statewide.

Qualifications

• Admitted to the California Bar.
• Proven litigation skills with capital trial, appellate, or habeas corpus experience preferred.
• Superior legal analysis and writing skills.
• Understanding of death penalty jurisprudence and vigorous advocacy for indigent defendants.
• Able to manage multiple tasks under time constraints.

Responsibilities

• Oversee a caseload of unrepresented incarcerated capitally sentenced inmates.
• Coordinate with trial counsel, collect records, and draft Case Information Reports.
• Maintain regular contact with clients, families, and witnesses; arrange witness interviews as needed.
• Assist with administrative appeals and prison-related issues as required.
• Train and supervise students to meet RJA/second look needs and UCIP publications goals.
• Develop expertise in records collection and public/non-public information law (CPRA, FOIA, HIPAA).
• Prepare for and participate in CAP's New Case Trainings for clients.

Skills

Litigation

Capital cases

Legal writing

Client communication

Time management

Tools

Microsoft Office

WordPerfect

Westlaw

LexisNexis

Job description

The California Appellate Project–San Francisco invites applications for a Staff Attorney within the Unrepresented Condemned Inmate Project (UCIP). The attorney will oversee a caseload of unrepresented capital defendants and provide vigorous advocacy on direct appeals and habeas corpus proceedings.

The role requires strong litigation skills, clear communication with clients and court personnel, and willingness to travel to correctional facilities statewide.