Quattrone Wrongful Convictions Appellate Clinic Applications Open | Due April 24

Applications are now being collected for the Quattrone Wrongful Convictions Clinic at Pepperdine Caruso School of Law.  Applications are due April 24, 2026. This clinic marks an important new chapter in Pepperdine Law’s commitment to justice.  This new clinic will enroll 6–8 students in a seminar-style course paired with active, supervised legal practice. Students will engage in appellate advocacy, such as drafting amicus briefs, supporting post-conviction appeals, and partnering on strategic legal initiatives aimed at securing justice for the innocent and wrongly convicted. The clinic has already filed amicus briefs with the California Supreme Court, the California Superior Court, and the Ninth Circuit.

Clinic participants will work with pro bono teams from leading law firms, defense counsel, and nonprofit organizations, including Gibson Dunn, Dykema, the Federal Public Defender’s Office, and Innocence Network affiliates. Through these partnerships, students gain unparalleled experience in wrongful conviction and innocence advocacy. This collaboration will expose students to high-level legal strategy and give them the opportunity to contribute to work with life-altering impact. This work is vital and the stakes are real. Students will help give voice to individuals whose lives have been derailed by injustice. The experience will be both rigorous and deeply meaningful.  The clinic is co-directed by dean Naomi Goodno and professor Kelly Delvac with the input of experienced attorneys involved in wrongful convictions and innocence advocacy. 

Rising 2L and 3L students may apply. It is also strongly recommended (but not required) to be currently enrolled in or have completed Criminal Procedure and Evidence. Those selected to be in the clinic  will have a foundational role, as this second cohort will help shape the future of the clinic and its lasting impact on the pursuit of justice.

To apply, students should email the following to Dean Goodno at naomi.goodno@pepperdine.edu, and Professor Delvac at kelly.delvac@pepperdine.edu 
 (1) A resume, and
 (2) A brief statement of interest in the clinic, including a list of relevant courses completed, including what will be taken concurrently in the spring.

Please contact Dean Goodno or Professor Delvac with any questions.

Do not miss this opportunity to help continue to launch a clinic whose work could change the world for a wrongly convicted person—and create a lasting legacy of justice at Pepperdine.