What is it like to represent a prisoner who is sentenced to death? Can I really be a successful volunteer attorney if I don’t have any criminal law experience? How can volunteer death penalty work benefit my career as a civil lawyer? What if my client is executed?
Many attorneys who are considering working on a death penalty case have questions like these. One of the best ways to find answers is to speak with other volunteer attorneys who have first-hand experience. The Death Penalty Representation Project has created an online collection of short audio clips from current and past volunteer attorneys describing their experiences and providing advice for new attorneys who are interested in representing a death-sentenced person. The recordings come from attorneys at all levels—associates to managing partners—with different backgrounds and primary legal practices.