Staff Attorney

The Center for Death Penalty Litigation (CDPL) in Durham, North Carolina seeks to hire a new staff attorney to support its mission.

CDPL is a non-profit law firm and advocacy organization that works to provide the highest quality representation to people facing execution and to end the death penalty in North Carolina. A significant component of our work is exposing and challenging the racism inherent in the death penalty. In addition to representing clients in trials, appeals, and post-conviction matters, CDPL spearheads litigation, public education campaigns, and cross-disciplinary projects that further our goals of ending the death penalty and addressing systemic injustices. Our team of attorneys, mitigation investigators, paralegals, and support staff has been a key force in changing public opinion and stopping executions.

We also seek to build an organizational culture that promotes our anti-racist values. CDPL is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes qualified applicants of all races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, and abilities. We seek attorneys with diverse experiences and backgrounds. Our racial equity statement can be found at cdpl.org/about/racial-equity.

CDPL strives to cultivate an open, collegial, and collaborative working environment with an emphasis on learning and mentoring. While we are passionate about our work, we also believe in work-life balance, offering a 37.5-hour work week and flexible schedule. We also offer generous paid holidays and sick time, among other benefits.

CDPL is seeking to hire an attorney with at least one to three years of relevant experience to work on trial cases. A successful candidate may also, depending on interest and need, work on appellate and post-conviction cases. In addition to these qualifications, ideal candidates will have:

• • A commitment to ending the death penalty and addressing systemic unfairness
  • Strong oral and written communications skills
  • An understanding of issues common in capital cases, including mental illness, poverty, racism, and substance abuse
  • An interest in advocacy and public education, in addition to direct representation of clients
  • A license to practice law in North Carolina, or the ability to be admitted to the North Carolina Bar

While we are passionate about our work, we also believe in work-life balance, offering a 37.5-hour work week and flexible schedule. We also offer generous paid holidays and sick time, among other benefits.