The Center for Death Penalty Litigation (CDPL) in Durham, North Carolina seeks to hire two new staff attorneys to support its mission.
CDPL is a non-profit law firm and advocacy organization that works to provide the highest quality representation to people facing execution, and to end the death penalty in North Carolina. CDPL’s commitment to representing indigent and disadvantaged defendants just as vigorously as corporate lawyers defend their highest-paying clients, and training other capital attorneys across the state to do the same, has saved the lives of many who faced execution. In addition to representing individual clients, CDPL spearheads litigation and public education campaigns that address systemic injustices and cast light on the arbitrariness and unfairness of our state’s capital punishment system. Over the past decade, CDPL has been a leading force in stopping executions in North Carolina.
Our team of attorneys, mitigation investigators, paralegals, and public education specialists works to identify strategic opportunities to change public opinion and reduce the use of the death penalty. Our office also has a strong commitment to racial equity, and works both internally and externally to combat systemic racism. In addition to handling individual cases, attorneys are encouraged to participate in cross-disciplinary projects that further our goals of ending the death penalty and promoting racial equity.
CDPL is seeking to hire one attorney with at least 5 years of trial experience interested in working on both trial and post-conviction cases and also supervising and mentoring other attorneys. CDPL is also seeking to hire an attorney with at least two years of relevant experience interested in working on post-conviction cases and, if desired, trial cases.
In addition to these qualifications, ideal candidates will have:
- A commitment to ending the death penalty and addressing systemic unfairness
- Strong oral and written communications skills
- An understanding of issues common in capital cases, including mental illness, poverty, racism, and substance abuse
- An interest in advocacy and public education, in addition to direct representation of clients
Applicants should send a cover letter by February 20, 2020, detailing interest, as well as a resume, the names of two professional references, and a writing sample of approximately 10 pages to Ms. Barrie Wallace at barrie@cdpl.org. For additional information, please contact Barrie Wallace at barrie@cdpl.org.
CDPL is committed to diversity and racial equity and is an equal opportunity employer. CDPL seeks to recruit attorneys with diverse experiences and backgrounds who are committed to furthering CDPL’s racial equity goals. Our racial equity mission statement can be found here.