OUR WORK

Phillips Black consists of independent practitioners collectively dedicated to providing the highest quality of legal representation to incarcerated individuals in the United States sentenced to the severest penalties under law. Phillips Black further contributes to the rule of law by consulting with capital counsel, conducting death penalty clinical training, and developing research on the administration of criminal justice.

Phillips Black is a nonprofit, public interest law practice. It provides a structure for independent practitioners to collaborate seamlessly, share costs, and collectivize scarce resources for carrying out work that otherwise would not be undertaken.

OUR MODEL

Conceptually, our nonprofit organization borrows from the traditions of the English bar wherein for centuries sets of independent barristers have collectivized in chambers based upon specialism and quality standards. Phillips Black applies this orientation to the demanding circumstances of indigent representation in complex cases, including post-conviction litigation challenging our legal system’s most severe sentences. The structure enables coordination of our practitioners’ caseloads to balance very limited funding streams and sources while distributing risk and responsibility to the individual principals. Fostering efficiencies and thwarting bloat dictate this framework.

The organization also advances its principals’ commitment to the attraction and training of new practitioners. The organization employs attorneys and investigators at the beginning of their careers, permitting their introduction to capital defense to take place under the auspices of Phillips Black’s principals and with the highest level of supervision and professional development. This is designed to prepare our personnel to become independent practitioners themselves.