Capital Litigation Project
In 2005, Sidley undertook a firmwide Capital Litigation Project, partnering with the Equal Justice Initiative in Alabama after an appeal from the Director of the ABA’s Death Penalty Representation Project. Sidley currently represents 20 prisoners on Alabama's death row in their state post-conviction proceedings.
In 2007, Sidley lawyers donated more than 26,000 hours to the project, and since 2005, Sidley has donated more than 55,000 hours to the representation of the death row prisoners. In addition, the firm has retained a cadre of expert consultants, including private investigators, DNA experts, police procedure experts and psychologists to help with the post-conviction proceedings. The project, spearheaded by partner
John Gallo, is managed by lawyer
Kelly Huggins.
Sidley’s ability to represent Alabama’s death row inmates effectively has been greatly aided by the firm’s partnership with the Equal Justice Initiative of Alabama, a nonprofit organization that provides ongoing guidance to Sidley’s lawyers on Alabama post-conviction practice and procedure. In addition, Sidley’s Capital Litigation teams include in-house lawyers from two of the firm’s largest clients. The relationship between Sidley’s lawyers and the clients’ in-house lawyers strengthens as they work together to represent clients who face the ultimate penalty.
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