Quattrone Wrongful Convictions Appellate Clinic

The Quattrone Wrongful Convictions Appellate Clinic is a premier initiative of the Ken Starr Institute for Faith, Law, and Public Service at Pepperdine Caruso School of Law. Made possible through a generous gift from Frank Quattrone and Denise Foderaro, the Clinic fills a distinctive, national role as the only law school clinic in the country specializing in post-conviction amicus advocacy for actual innocence claims.

Under the leadership of Director Kelly Delvac and Executive Director Professor Naomi Goodno, the Clinic provides Caruso Law students with unparalleled, hands-on experience in high-caliber constitutional advocacy across all levels of state and federal courts.

Our Distinctive Work & Impact

While most innocence programs focus strictly on localized post-conviction representation, the Quattrone Clinic addresses systemic, nationwide legal issues affecting actual innocence claims. By bringing cutting-edge appellate issues directly to our students, the Clinic gives them the opportunity to shape the legal frameworks that impact actual innocence claims nationwide. 

The Clinic is actively engaged in matters before California trial courts, the California Supreme Court, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. The clinic is also currently evaluating Supreme Court cases to identify opportunities to influence the law at a national level.

Recent & Current Litigation

• California Post-Conviction Evidentiary Standards (State Capital Case): In our inaugural semester, students partnered with Gibson Dunn to draft an amicus brief under newly reformed state penal codes. The brief outlines how recent legislative amendments lower the burden of proof required to vacate a conviction built on false evidence, while integrating developmental psychology to contextualize why false statements from adolescent witnesses warrant special consideration during post-conviction review.
• Forensic Timeline & Procedural Bars (State Capital Case): Approached directly by Skadden Arps to manage an amicus strategy, the Clinic is drafting a brief to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Working alongside appellate experts from Dykema, students are providing a legal blueprint challenging hyper-technical procedural bars, urging the court to reject strict barriers in favor of a holistic, cumulative actual innocence standard when underlying forensic timelines and medical consensus completely collapse.
• Early Milestones: Our foundational work includes filing a California Supreme Court amicus brief (partnering with Loyola’s Project for the Innocent) addressing how unaffordable money bail increases wrongful conviction risks by pressuring innocent individuals to plead guilty, and a Ninth Circuit amicus brief (partnering with the Federal Public Defender’s Office) challenging the improper application of civil procedure standards to habeas corpus exhaustion issues.

Expanding into Direct Representation

Building on our foundational work, the Clinic is actively expanding its scope. We are currently evaluating selective opportunities for direct representation, allowing students to manage critical phases of ongoing, long-term actual innocence cases and experience the complexities of individual client advocacy.

Strategic Partnerships

Our strategic relationships elevate the Clinic from a local academic program to a trusted national collaborator. We channel real-world litigation directly to our students by working simultaneously with elite global law firms, federal defenders, and regional networks. Our core partners include:

Law Firms: Gibson Dunn, Skadden Arps, and Dykema.
Innocence & Defense Networks: The Los Angeles Innocence Project, Loyola Project for the Innocent, The Innocence Center, the Habeas Corpus Resource Center, and the Federal Public Defender’s Office for the Central District of California.

Note: The Clinic has a pending application to formally join the national Innocence Network to further expand our collaborative reach.

The Student Experience

The Quattrone Clinic bridges elite practical casework with a rigorous educational foundation. 

Students in the clinic engage directly in:

Conducting sophisticated legal research and drafting amicus briefs alongside seasoned corporate and public interest attorneys.
Developing intake, screening, and case review protocols.
Reviewing and vetting hundreds of individual requests for assistance.
“The Quattrone Clinic offers students a rare and rigorous opportunity to engage in appellate advocacy with meaningful, real-world impact. By working on behalf of the wrongfully convicted, our students develop both their legal skills and their calling to pursue justice.” — Professor Naomi Goodno, Executive Director

Every individual who contacts the clinic receives an individualized, compassionate response—ensuring that even when we cannot take a case, every applicant is treated with the utmost care, dignity, and professionalism.

Enrollment Notice: The Fall 2026 cohort is currently full. Applications for the Spring 2027 semester will open in Fall 2026. Please check back soon for updated application details and deadlines. 

Events & Advocacy

As part of its systemic mission, the Clinic hosts an annual conference in recognition of Wrongful Conviction Day, bringing together advocates, exonerees, and legal scholars to discuss the evolution of post-conviction justice.

A core highlight of the annual conference is the presentation of the Courage Award, which honors extraordinary leadership and exceptional commitment to advancing the cause of justice and innocence.

For details, dates, and registration info regarding our upcoming fall conference, please visit the Ken Starr Institute Conferences website.