Career opportunities

The HCRC currently is recruiting for the positions listed below. Please note: if you have applied for a position but have not yet received a response from the HCRC, your application is still under consideration. Applicants for previous recruitments are welcome to reapply.

• HCRC Staff Attorney: Details and instructions for submitting applications are provided in the HCRC Staff Attorney announcement. Applicants must complete both an application and a supplemental questionnaire, which is included in the announcement. This position is open until filled.



• HCRC Paralegal: Details and instructions for submitting applications are provided in the HCRC Paralegal announcement. Applicants must complete both an application and a supplemental questionnaire, which is included in the announcement. This position is open until filled.



• HCRC Case Assistant: Details and instructions for submitting applications are provided in the HCRC Case Assistant announcement. Applicants must complete both an application and a supplemental questionnaire, which is included in the announcement. This position is open until filled.

Legal internships and externships

HCRC provides exciting opportunities for law students interested in post-conviction capital defense litigation. We provide both internships (during the summer) and externships (during the school year). Students are assigned to spend most of their time working on one or two cases. They are integrated into existing case teams, which consist of lawyers, paralegals, and investigators. Students assist case teams on a variety of projects, including legal and non-legal research as well as factual development and analysis of legal claims. Legal research projects pertain to various capital defense issues. Non-legal research can pertain to almost any other subject matter relevant to a capital case, such as forensics or psychology. Factual development and analysis involve gathering case-related facts, as well as synthesizing and organizing case materials to form a coherent legal picture.

Summer internships

HCRC offers both paid and unpaid summer positions. Students with access to funding (such as public interest fellowships) are encouraged to utilize it, as doing so permits us to hire additional students. We request that students state whether they have access to funding and whether they wish to be considered for a paid or unpaid position or for both.

We typically hire two to six students for the summer. Students work full-time (40 hours per week). Our program typically begins in the last week of May and continues for 10 weeks until the beginning of August.

HCRC's summer program includes a training program co-presented by the HCRC, the California Appellate Project (CAP), and the Office of the State Public Defender (OSPD). The program is designed to educate students about substantive and procedural aspects of capital litigation and to provide them with the theoretical background and practical skills needed to provide meaningful assistance during their summer placements. Topics include a comprehensive overview of pre- and post-judgment capital litigation procedures in California; introductions to mitigation and mental health evidence; the development of clients’ social histories; and discussion of principles and strategies for working with documentary evidence and witnesses. Instructors include legal staff members from HCRC, CAP, OSPD, as well as private attorneys with capital experience. The training program is attended by summer interns, volunteers, investigators, and mitigation specialists working with HCRC, CAP, OSPD, and appointed capital attorneys. Additionally, summer interns may attend a tour of San Quentin state prison.

Externships

Externships are unpaid positions during the school year. For students interested in obtaining clinical credits from their law school, HCRC will work with the student and the school in an effort to meet the school’s requirements. Start and end dates for the externship are flexible, as are the number of hours and days worked per week.

Qualifications

HCRC accepts both first- and second-year law students, and no particular prior coursework is required. All interested students are encouraged to apply. However, preferred applicants are typically those with a demonstrated interest in capital defense, post-conviction work, indigent criminal defense, psychology and mental health issues, and public interest work.

Application process

Applications for both externships and summer internships should include a cover letter, resume, references, and short writing sample. Applicants for summer internships should remember to state in their cover letter whether they have access to funding and whether they wish to be considered for a paid position, unpaid position, or both. Externship applicants should specify for which semester(s) they are applying.

Students are encouraged to apply via email to interns@hcrc.ca.gov. If necessary, applications may be submitted by fax or mail to:

Deadlines

Summer internships: Summer internship applications may be submitted as early as November. Applications must be received by January 15 in order to ensure consideration for the ensuing summer. Applications are welcomed after that date, but please understand that the positions may be filled. Interviews are generally conducted in January and February. Offers are made in January, February, and March.

Externships: Externship applications are accepted and considered at any time.

For more information

Please submit questions via e-mail to interns@hcrc.ca.gov.

Volunteer opportunities

HCRC offers volunteer opportunities throughout the year based on the needs of the agency. To be considered for a volunteer position, please submit an HCRC Volunteer Application, and include a copy of your resume.

Capital habeas appointments

The HCRC recruits and trains attorneys to expand the pool of private counsel qualified to accept appointments in death penalty habeas corpus proceedings and serves as a resource to appointed counsel, thereby reducing the number of unrepresented indigents on California's death row. Please refer to the capital habeas appointments information page for complete information.