EDUCATION-CENTERED PRACTICE
Phillips Black is founded upon a commitment to preparing future attorneys and specialists in the demanding area of capital defense and post-conviction advocacy. Education is at the heart of the practice. Mobilizing clinical opportunities is indispensable to effective representation in this labor-intensive field. Perennially, students contribute greatly while they gain experience assisting in the range of intensive activities that go into representing an individual facing or under a sentence of death.
INTERNSHIPS
Law students are a vital part of our practice. Those interested in volunteering with our practice, whether for a summer or a semester, should send a cover letter, resume, and writing sample to clinics@phillipsblack.org. Successful applicants will have a demonstrated commitment to social and criminal justice issues, strong research and writing skills, and a desire to provide the highest level of representation to those facing the severest penalties under law. Opportunities are available in New York, Philadelphia, St. Louis, and Oakland.
Fellowships
POST-CONVICTION LITIGATION FELLOWSHIP – FALL 2027
Phillips Black is a nationwide, nonprofit public interest law practice consisting of 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.
We welcome third-year law students and recent law graduates who are interested in working with us on a one- or two-year fellowship that is funded by an external source. Securement of a fellowship is a two-step process. Candidates will first apply to Phillips Black. If selected for the second step, we will hold an informational interview about specific opportunities with us and candidates will then apply for external sources of fellowship funding with our support and guidance as a sponsoring organization.
The fellowship project should align with our work, which focuses on high needs jurisdictions and cases concerning extreme punishments. Priority will be given to candidates eligible for admission in Arizona, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. In addition to collaborating closely with other Phillips Black staff, the Fellow will work with diverse case team members, including expert witnesses, directly impacted individuals and communities, currently and formerly incarcerated individuals, exonerees, family members, and other community partners.
The successful Fellow will have a demonstrated commitment to legal advocacy for vulnerable communities and/or challenging extreme criminal punishment, a strong and thoughtful commitment to defending all people who cannot afford counsel against the severest penalties under law, lived and/or professional experience with the criminal legal system, and exceptional research and writing skills.
Ideal candidates will have clinical or other professional experience in post-conviction. Creativity, independence of mind, curiosity, collegiality, and compassion are highly valued traits.
Fellowship salary is between $65,000-$75,000, location depends upon the fellowship project. Applicants should send a cover letter, resume, and three references to l.cabrera@phillipsblack.org. The cover letter should include information about potential sources of funding or fellowships for which the candidate intends to apply, including potential sources of funding from the applicant’s law school.
LAW SCHOOL PROGRAMMING
Phillips Black leads and facilitates post-conviction clinical programming throughout the country.
Phillips Black founded and leads a post-conviction clinical practicum at Washington University School of Law.
Phillips Black has established an intensive clinical placement relationship with the University of California, Berkeley’s Law School. Perennially, Berkeley Law places several students with our practice and in conjunction with the law school's death penalty clinic.
Phillips Black maintains an office and hosts clinical externships at the Saint Louis University (SLU) School of Law.
Phillips Black hosts J-term externships from Harvard Law School, where second-year students spend most of in January in office working intensively with Phillips Black and then continue their work through the spring term.
Phillips Black also partners with UC Law San Francisco, hosting students and fellows who are involved in our death penalty cases at every stage of litigation.
Phillips Black also collaborates with the University of Idaho College of Law by hosting externs, providing pro bono opportunities for students, and teaching various courses on the death penalty and post-conviction remedies.