About Us
FDAP History & Mission
The First District Appellate Project (FDAP) is a non-profit law office created in 1985 through a partnership with the California Court of Appeal – First Appellate District, the Bar Association of San Francisco, and the Administrative Office of the Courts. In the decades that followed, FDAP has grown to a staff of over 20 and a panel of approximately 260 attorneys.
The mission of the First District Appellate Project is to provide vigorous representation for those who cannot afford counsel in criminal, juvenile, and civil commitment appeals; to train and support appellate attorneys; and to advance the law in pursuit of a fair and compassionate justice system.
FDAP carries out that mission by recruiting and training panel attorneys, matching panel attorneys to cases ensuring the client is represented by an attorney with the skills and expertise appropriate for the case, providing training and resource materials to the panel attorneys, and providing panel attorneys with direct assistance in their cases. FDAP staff attorneys also provide direct representation to clients in some cases.
FDAP’s office is in Oakland, California.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
At FDAP, our core values include diversity, equity, and inclusion.
We seek equal participation and the elimination of bias in the legal profession and justice system, and we are working toward increased diversity of the FDAP panel and staff.
Staff & Board of Directors
Jobs at FDAP
We have no vacancies at this time.
We do keep applications on file, so feel free to send a cover letter, résumé, and—for attorney positions—legal writing samples to jobs@fdap.org.
Interested in becoming an appellate attorney? Visit our Pathways to an Appellate Practice section for details on
- becoming a panel attorney;
- FDAP’s Associate Staff Attorney Program; and
- law student opportunities.