Staff Attorney (UCIP Team)

About the role

The Unrepresented Condemned Inmate Project (UCIP) Staff Attorney will oversee a caseload of unrepresented incarcerated capitally sentenced people and provide vigorous advocacy on their behalf. CAP is a nonprofit legal resource center funded by the Judicial Council of California to implement the constitutional right to counsel for indigent death row inmates challenging their convictions and sentences on direct appeal and through habeas corpus proceedings.

Responsibilities

• Oversee a caseload of unrepresented incarcerated capitally sentenced people whose cases require ongoing record collection work, communications with clients (and client advocacy in certain instances), and vigilant attention to applicable changes in the law.
• For new clients, conduct intake and initial record collection, work with trial counsel, collect the trial file, and draft Case Information Reports.
• For all clients, including Morgan petitioners, become familiar with the facts of each case and any briefing; evaluate cases for Racial Justice Act review and the applicability of second look sentencing; and review transcripts or supervise law student interns who do so.
• Maintain regular, ongoing contact with clients, client families, and other witnesses; gather records and life history documents; and locate witnesses and collect, or supervise the collection of, their records.
• Assist incarcerated clients with administrative appeals and other prison issues as needed.
• Train and supervise law and paralegal students to meet RJA and second look legislation needs, record collection and life history investigation goals, and UCIP publications goals.
• Serve as the UCIP's and the office's research attorney on legal questions concerning document gathering and records collection; develop expertise in the law governing public and non-public information (e.g., CPRA, FOIA, and HIPAA).
• Prepare for and participate in CAP's New Case Trainings for clients on the caseload as counsel is appointed.
• Conduct interdisciplinary research and continuing education (historical, cultural, psychological, medical, and legal) through reading and attending training events.
• Assist with urgent, time-sensitive projects that arise for the UCIP or the CAP office.
• Travel to correctional facilities around the state to meet with clients.

Minimum Qualifications

• Admission to the California Bar.
• Proven litigation skills, with at least two years of law practice and substantial experience in capital trial, appellate, and/or habeas corpus representation preferred.
• Superior legal analysis and writing skills.
• Understanding of death penalty jurisprudence and demonstrated commitment to vigorous advocacy on behalf of indigent defendants.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), WordPerfect, and legal research databases (e.g., Westlaw, Lexis).
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple litigation tasks and perform essential duties in the face of time constraints and interruptions.
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills, including the ability to develop and maintain good working relationships with outside counsel, clients, clients' families, witnesses, expert consultants, court personnel, prison personnel, and CAP colleagues – in person, by email, and by telephone.
• Proven organizational and project management skills, including planning, negotiating, effective problem-solving, and conflict resolution.
• Ability to travel to correctional facilities statewide and to obtain clearance to visit a prison.

Working Conditions

CAP's office is in downtown San Francisco, close to public transportation. The position requires some time in the office, and a hybrid schedule is available.

Pay

Salary Range: Staff Attorney: $90,000 – $105,000, depending on experience