Pro Bono Honors Pledge Program - Suggested Placements
Criminal Law / Death Penalty / Criminal Justice
- American Civil Liberties Union Capital Punishment Project
- American Civil Liberties Union - Washington Legislative Office
- American University Washington College of Law Clinical Program
- Americans for Democratic Action (ADA)
- Appleseed
- Attorney General - Maryland
- The Constitution Project
- Families Against Mandatory Minimums
- Federal Public Defender for DC
- Federal Public Defender, Eastern District of Virginia
- Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
- NAACP Legal Defense & Education Fund, Inc.
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- National Center for Victims of Crime
- National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
- National Legal Aid & Defender Association
- National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana/Center for the Study of Drug Policy
- Public Defender - Prince George's County, MD
- United States Attorney's Office - MD
American Civil Liberties Union Capital Punishment Project
The Project offers the opportunity to gain familiarity with numerous policy issues surrounding the death penalty, such as innocence, race, and utilitarian and retributive concerns. Assignments include both traditional legal research as well as research using unconventional sources. An internship presents the challenge of writing persuasively about legal issues for a non-legal audience and the opportunity to participate in grassroots organizing.
Contact: Josh Noble, Project Administrator, 202-675-2319
http://www.aclu.org/capital/index.html
American Civil Liberties Union - Washington Legislative Office
The WLO is responsible for the federal lobbying program of the ACLU. It advocates before Congress and the executive branch on the full range of civil liberties issues including national security, free speech, privacy, racial justice, immigrants’ rights, reproductive freedom, religious liberty, LGBT rights, and criminal justice.
Contact: Assistant to the Chief Legislative and Policy Counsel, 202-544-1681
http://www.aclu.org/legislative/
American University Washington College of Law Clinical Program
Civil Practice, Community and Economic Development, Criminal Justice, D.C. Law Students in Court, Domestic Violence, Intellectual Property, International Human Rights, Federal Tax, Women and the Law. Students may only receive pro bono credit of they are not also receiving academic credit.
Contact: Gineen Glenn, Program Coordinator, 202-274-4142 or glenn@wcl.american.edu
http://www.wcl.american.edu/clinical/
Americans for Democratic Action (ADA)
ADA is the nation’s oldest, liberal, independent political organization. It focuses on economic, military, foreign, social, and environmental issues, and maintains a political action committee (ADA/PAC). It publishes a weekly legislative newsletter for liberal activists and a quarterly newsletter.
Contact: Valerie Dulk-Jacobs, 202-785-5980 or valeriedj@adaction.org
A non-profit network of 16 public interest justice centers in the U.S. and Mexico, Appleseed is dedicated to building a society in which opportunities are genuine, access to the law is universal and equal, and government advances the public interest. Appleseed uncovers and corrects injustices and barriers to opportunity through legal, legislative and market-based structural reform. Working with our huge pro bono network, we identify and examine social injustices, make specific recommendations, and advocate for effective solutions to deep-seated structural problems. Together, Appleseed and Appleseed Centers form a network for positive change, building a society that provides each individual access to justice and a genuine opportunity to lead a full and productive life.
Contact: Meredith Barnes Driscoll, Operations and Field Director, 202-347-7960 or mbarnes@appleseednetwork.org
http://www.appleseednetwork.org/
Contact: Desi Panageotou, 410-576-6352 or dpanageotou@oag.state.md.us
The Constitution Project is a bipartisan nonprofit organization that seeks consensus on controversial, legal and constitutional issues through a unique combination of scholarship and activism.
Contact: 202-580-6920 or info@constitutionproject.org
http://www.constitutionproject.org/default.asp
Families Against Mandatory Minimums
Families Against Mandatory Minimums (―FAMM‖) envisions a justice system where sentencing is individualized, humane and sufficient but not greater than necessary to impose just punishment, secure public safety, and support successful rehabilitation and reentry. FAMM was founded in 1991 to roll back the onslaught of mandatory minimum sentencing laws and promote fair and proportionate sentencing policies. Through lobbying, advocacy, litigation and media outreach, FAMM educates legislators and the public about the harm caused by mandatory minimum sentences. FAMM’s national membership includes prisoners and their families, attorneys, judges, criminal justice experts and concerned citizens.
Contact: Mary Price, 202-822-6700 or mprice@famm.org.
Federal Public Defender for DC
The Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of District of Columbia represents indigent defendants before the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Representation includes counsel and investigative, expert and other services necessary for an adequate defense.
Contact: Danielle Jahn, 202-208-7515 or dani_jahn@gd.org
Federal Public Defender, Eastern District of Virginia
Contact: Kenneth Troccoli, 703-600-0870 or kenneth_troccoli@fd.org
Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
The mission of the Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law is to protect and advance the rights of adults and children who have mental disabilities. The Center envisions an America where people who have mental illnesses or developmental disabilities exercise their own life choices and have access to the resources that enable them to participate fully in their communities.
Contact: Ira Burnim, 202-467-5730 ext.129
NAACP Legal Defense & Education Fund, Inc.
The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) was founded in 1940 under the leadership of Thurgood Marshall. Although LDF's primary purpose was to provide legal assistance to poor African Americans, its work over the years has brought greater justice to all Americans.
Contact: Leslie M. Proll, 202-682-1300
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) is the preeminent organization in the United States advancing the mission of the nation's criminal defense lawyers to ensure justice and due process for persons accused of crime or other misconduct. A professional bar association founded in 1958, NACDL's more than 12,500 direct members -- and 90 state, local, and international affiliate organizations with another 35,000 members -- include private criminal defense lawyers, public defenders, active U.S. military defense counsel, law professors and judges committed to preserving fairness within America's criminal justice system.
Contact: Malia Brink, 202-872-8600 ext. 224
http://www.nacdl.org/public.nsf/freeform/whoweare?opendocument
National Center for Victims of Crime
Since 1985, the National Center for Victims of Crime has worked with more than 10,000 grassroots organizations and criminal justice agencies to help victims of crime rebuild their lives. We are dedicated to serving individuals, families, and communities harmed by crime. Through collaboration with local, state, and federal partners, we provide direct services and resources; advocate for passage of laws and public policies that create resources and secure rights and protections for crime victims; deliver training and technical assistance to victim service organizations, counselors, attorneys, criminal justice agencies, and allied professionals; and foster cutting-edge thinking about the impact of crime and the ways in which each of us can help victims regain control of their lives.
Contact: Deanna Shoob, 202-467-8730 or dshoob@ncvc.org
http://ncvc.org/ncvc/Main.aspx
National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
Since its inception in 1976, NCADP has been the only fully staffed national organization exclusively devoted to abolishing capital punishment. NCADP provides information, advocates for public policy, and mobilizes and supports individuals and institutions that share our unconditional rejection of capital punishment.
Contact: Diann Rust-Tierney, 202-331-4090, drust-tierney@ncadp.org
National Legal Aid & Defender Association
Attorneys interested in doing public service work with civil legal aid or public defender programs can contact NLADA to obtain information on NLADA membership and programs of interest.
Contact: Jane Ribadeneyra, 202-452-0620 ext. 226
National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana/Center for the Study of Drug Policy
NORML's mission is to move public opinion sufficiently to achieve the repeal of marijuana prohibition so that the responsible use of cannabis by adults is no longer subject to penalty.
Contact: Allen St. Pierre, 202-483-5500 or allen@norml.org
Public Defender - Prince George's County, MD
Since 1972, The Office of the Public Defender has been providing counsel to those unable to afford an attorney. Trial Divisions are maintained in all Circuit, District and Juvenile Courts throughout the State.
Contact: Nicholas Rattal, Esq., 301-952-2102
http://www.co.pg.md.us/Government/JudicialBranch/publicdefender.asp
United States Attorney's Office - MD
Contact: Robert Hur, 301-344-4433 or robert.hur@usdoj.gov
