Working at CAP–SF

Thank you for your interest in working at CAP!

We are a small nonprofit organization—a dedicated group of attorneys, case workers, law students, and other legal-services professionals. We assist appointed counsel in their representation of the people on California's death row in both appellate and habeas corpus proceedings. CAP also works directly with those on death row who await the appointment of counsel.

Our responsibilities include all aspects of capital postconviction work, such as: analyzing case records, researching and preparing briefs and other legal documents, client relations, case investigation, obtaining relevant records, preparing training and resource materials, digesting recent case decisions, developing litigation strategies, and anything else that may be of assistance to postconviction counsel.

Equal-Opportunity Employer

The California Appellate Project, an equal opportunity employer, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, age, or any other criteria protected under federal, state or local law.

In our continuing effort to attain greater diversity within our organization and to improve the quality of services we provide to a diverse client base, we actively encourage applications from members of groups that are under-represented in the legal profession.

We particularly value experience working with people of backgrounds similar to those of our clients and their communities. Nearly all of the men and women on California’s death row are from deprived backgrounds, and the majority are people of color. We therefore encourage applicants for all positions to convey how their life experience, training, and work history have prepared them to understand and work well with our clients and their communities.

CAP’s Legal Internship Program

CAP welcomes law student volunteers throughout the year. Under the supervision of experienced postconviction attorneys, students help provide assistance to counsel who are appointed to represent indigent persons incarcerated on California's death row. Current openings are listed below under "Open Intern and Staff Positions."

Students are an integral, well-respected part of the CAP team. They do real work on real cases on behalf of real clients, and their contributions are highly valued. Here are some examples of the work CAP interns perform:

• Research client’s life chronology, social history, and genealogy.
• Analyze case files to identify potential additional witnesses and records.
• Review trial testimony, witness statements, and police reports for discrepancies.
• Research and assess the validity of expert testimony presented at trial.
• Analyze penalty-phase mitigation evidence to identify avenues for further investigation.
• Identify legal issues for counsel to develop in postconviction proceedings.
• Evaluate crime scene evidence.
• Prepare resource materials to train and guide appointed counsel.

During the school term, students work on a part-time basis. In the summer, students work full time for at least 10 weeks, usually starting after Memorial Day. The summer program also includes a week of intensive training in capital postconviction defense.

CAP internships are unpaid. We welcome students who can volunteer, receive school credit, or work under the sponsorship of a public interest grant in order to support their work in our organization.

Internship applications are encouraged and accepted at any time.

To apply, click the link under "Open Positions" below. If there are no internships listed there, or if you experience problems or have questions regarding legal internships, please contact internships@capsf.org.

Open Intern and Staff Positions

Positions for which we are currently recruiting, if any, are listed below.

To apply for a position, please click the link provided in the job description.

We request a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and the names and telephone numbers of two references familiar with your skills. Please be sure to indicate the position in which you are interested and when you would be available to start.