Capital Case Fellowship, Class of 2024

The Atlantic Center is now recruiting for this year’s Capital Case Fellowship, Class of 2024. If you are an attorney, mitigation specialist or social worker interested in gaining hands-on training required for representing capital clients in the state of Pennsylvania, this program is for you! 

With funding from the American College of Trial Lawyers Foundation, this is an opportunity for up and coming death penalty defense practitioners to network, learn and collaborate with each other as well as other highly skilled Pennsylvania and national lawyers, mitigation specialists and investigators. Fellows will participate in one evening workshop in Philadelphia (with dinner!), the three day BYOC Conference and one follow up Zoom debrief with Atlantic Center Staff and BYOC Faculty. Fellows will leave this program having built skills and formed connections that can be applied to future capital defense work. They will also have access to case-specific, virtual technical support and consultation with ACCR Staff, mental health experts and other resources. 

The Details: Through our application process, we seek to recruit a diverse cohort of individuals who currently possess a commitment to indigent defense and a determination to learn the unique practice of capital representation, but who do not have a capital case currently. 

Some Background on the BYOC Program: The Bring Your Own Case (BYOC) training program is an annual event hosted in partnership with the Public Defender Association of Pennsylvania. The BYOC includes three days of presentations on critically important topics and group sessions with the opportunity to consult one-on-one with nationally recognized death penalty lawyers, mental health professionals and mitigation specialists. This training is designed for complete capital defense teams with a pending capital case. We are excited to welcome new faces into the fold and hope to expand the community of skilled capital defense team members. Fellows will be paired with a team at the conference where they will get to assist with case-specific brainstorming, themes and legal issues.

Schedule of Events:

Welcome Workshop

Atlantic Center Offices at 1315 Walnut Street, Philadelphia PA 19107

Thursday, November 14th 5:00-7:00 PM

*Travel expenses will be covered*

Bring Your Own Case Conference (3 days)

The Union League at Liberty Hill, Lafayette Hill Pennsylvania 

Thursday December 12th at 7:30 am - Saturday December 14th at 2:15 pm.

*The training, breakfast + lunch and 2-3 night stay (based on necessity) at the conference center hotel will be provided free of charge to all accepted fellows*

In addition to the opportunity to develop mentee relationships with nationally renowned death penalty lawyers and practitioners, you will receive approximately 20 801 CLE credits. 

The Application Process & Qualifications:

• Applicants should be lawyers barred in the state of Pennsylvania with a minimum of 2-5 years of experience or Mitigation Specialists or Investigators with a minimum of 1-5 years of experience. 

• You must demonstrate an understanding or appreciation of the issues our clients from diverse and traumatic backgrounds face.

• Prior experience in felony cases and indigent defense is preferred.

• As we are ever striving to increase the cultural competence of capital defense teams, applicants with diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. 

• Commitment to pursuing work in capital defense.

• Ability to maintain confidentiality of information provided.

To apply, please submit the application, your resume, as well as one professional reference to contact@atlanticcenter.org. Applicants will be considered on a rolling basis until all spots are filled. 

Click here to download the application.