Pathways to an Appellate Practice

Become a Panel Attorney

FDAP trains and oversees a panel of approximately 300 attorneys who are appointed by the Court of Appeal to represent indigent parties in criminal, delinquency, dependency, and civil commitment appeals. Most panel attorneys are solo practitioners or employed by small firms. Click the more button for information about applying to the panel.

Associate Staff Attorney Program

Associate Staff Attorneys work for two years in the FDAP office, immersed in indigent appellate practice. Associates have their own caseloads, writing appellate briefs in criminal, delinquency, dependency, and civil commitment appeals, and appearing for oral argument in the Court of Appeal. There is no better preparation for a career as an appellate practitioner, including a future as a panel attorney accepting appointed appeals. The position is designed for attorneys with little or no experience in indigent appellate practice.

To see if we are currently accepting applications for an associate position, please click on the more button and visit our Jobs at FDAP page.

Law Student Opportunities

For a semester or over the summer, law students clerk in the FDAP office, learning the ropes of appellate practice. Law clerks work on research and writing projects, draft portions of briefs, and assist in updating training materials. Law students’ time at FDAP may be for law school credit or pursuant to a work-study program. If you are interested in a law clerk position at FDAP, email info@fdap.org to inquire if we are currently accepting applications.