POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT

RESEARCH AND WRITING ATTORNEY, FEDERAL CAPITAL HABEAS PROJECT

The Federal Capital Habeas Project, a program of the Federal Public Defender System, seeks an attorney to assist lawyers representing inmates in capital § 2255 proceedings. The Project was started in 2006 to provide litigation and other support to lawyers for the growing number of prisoners on federal death row. Its aim is to ensure that all individuals sentenced to death in federal court who have completed their direct appeals receive representation consistent with the highest standards of the legal profession during post-conviction and clemency proceedings.

The new attorney will work as a research and writing specialist. The new attorney will work losely with Director Ruth Friedman, Resource Counsel Miriam Gohara, and the project's law clerk, John Nidiry. Responsibilities will include monitoring recent relevant legal developments in both federal death penalty and habeas corpus jurisprudence; researching case-specific issues for prisoners on federal death row; developing model pleadings and other materials for widespread dissemination; and developing training and related educational resources for federal habeas teams. Project staff may also serve as co-counsel in a limited number of § 2255 cases with Federal Defender Organization (FDO) staff attorneys or panel lawyers appointed pursuant to the Criminal Justice Act (CJA).

The ideal candidate will have a strong demonstrated interest in public interest law, ideally criminal defense or appeals; strong legal research skills; a demonstrated ability to understand and manage complex factual and legal issues as well as organize voluminous case records; and excellent communication and writing skills. Some travel will be necessary. While the Project Director is located in the Federal Public Defender for the District of Maryland, the Research and Writing Attorney will be based with Resource Counsel in the Federal Public Defender for the District of Connecticut's New Haven office. The candidate must also be a graduate of an accredited law school. Appointment to the position requires bar admission before the highest court of a state.

Salary will be commensurate with experience. To be considered, please submit (1) a resume and (2) cover letter; (3) a writing sample; and (4) the names of three references t Miriam Gohara, Federal Defender, District of Connecticut, 265 Church St., Suite 702, New Haven, CT 06510.

Applications will be accepted until position is filled.

Applications from women and minority candidates are especially welcome.