(from left) Seth P. Waxman, John W.F. Chesley, Jennifer Ware-Phillips, Dan Medici, Sister Helen Prejean, Don Knight, Brian M. White, and Emily Olson-Gault.
The ABA Death Penalty Representation Project marked its 40th anniversary at its 2026 Volunteer Recognition & Awards Event on Sept. 17 in Washington, D.C. Since its founding in 1986, the project has worked to improve the quality and availability of legal representation for persons facing death sentences.
“As we mark our 40th anniversary, we are proud to honor the law firms and lawyers who take on these extraordinarily complex, high-stakes pro bono cases,” said Emily Olson-Gault, chief counsel and director and of the ABA Death Penalty Representation Project. “There is no federal constitutional right to counsel beyond the early stages of a capital appeal, but it is at this critical stage where new information so often comes to light, such as violations of a person’s rights at trial. For 40 years, the project has helped the pro bono community step in to fill that gap, identify these cases and provide effective pro bono representation.”
The 2026 Volunteer Recognition & Awards Event honored law firms and individual attorneys whose pro bono work has shown exceptional commitment to excellence in capital defense. The Exceptional Service Award, presented to firms nominated by their peers for outstanding service to death row prisoners, was awarded to Arnold & Porter, Gibson Dunn and White & Case.
The project also presented the John Paul Stevens Guiding Hand of Counsel Award, which recognizes the extraordinary efforts of individual attorneys and full-time capital defenders. First presented to Justice Stevens in 2011, this year's award was given to Don Knight and Brian M. White. The event was hosted at Crowell & Moring.
“The right to counsel is not merely abstract as a constitutional promise,” ABA President Barbara J. Howard said in recorded remarks. “It becomes real because lawyers are willing to show up, take difficult cases, challenge injustice and remain at their clients’ side even when the outcome is uncertain.”
Seth Waxman, former solicitor general of the United States, provided keynote remarks and spoke about the project’s history. Waxman is one of the project’s founders. Sister Helen Prejean, author of “Dead Man Walking,” joined him in presenting the awards.
“Since its creation, the project has connected more than 500 capital cases with pro bono counsel,” said Keith J. Harrison, Crowell & Moring partner and chair of the Project Steering Committee. “These are tough cases at the intersection of criminal law and civil litigation, and they require tremendous commitment from lawyers and their firms. We commend the firms who have volunteered to take on these cases over many years, and we congratulate our winners of the Exceptional Service Award and John Paul Stevens Guiding Hand of Counsel Award for their remarkable service,”
The ABA Death Penalty Representation Project works to ensure that everyone facing a death sentence has qualified counsel by locating and supporting law firms that take on pro bono cases and advocating for due process. It also works with local stakeholders to effect reform of death penalty systems.
“As we mark our 40th anniversary, we are proud to honor the law firms and lawyers who take on these extraordinarily complex, high-stakes pro bono cases,” said Emily Olson-Gault, chief counsel and director and of the ABA Death Penalty Representation Project. “There is no federal constitutional right to counsel beyond the early stages of a capital appeal, but it is at this critical stage where new information so often comes to light, such as violations of a person’s rights at trial. For 40 years, the project has helped the pro bono community step in to fill that gap, identify these cases and provide effective pro bono representation.”
The 2026 Volunteer Recognition & Awards Event honored law firms and individual attorneys whose pro bono work has shown exceptional commitment to excellence in capital defense. The Exceptional Service Award, presented to firms nominated by their peers for outstanding service to death row prisoners, was awarded to Arnold & Porter, Gibson Dunn and White & Case.
The project also presented the John Paul Stevens Guiding Hand of Counsel Award, which recognizes the extraordinary efforts of individual attorneys and full-time capital defenders. First presented to Justice Stevens in 2011, this year's award was given to Don Knight and Brian M. White. The event was hosted at Crowell & Moring.
“The right to counsel is not merely abstract as a constitutional promise,” ABA President Barbara J. Howard said in recorded remarks. “It becomes real because lawyers are willing to show up, take difficult cases, challenge injustice and remain at their clients’ side even when the outcome is uncertain.”
Seth Waxman, former solicitor general of the United States, provided keynote remarks and spoke about the project’s history. Waxman is one of the project’s founders. Sister Helen Prejean, author of “Dead Man Walking,” joined him in presenting the awards.
“Since its creation, the project has connected more than 500 capital cases with pro bono counsel,” said Keith J. Harrison, Crowell & Moring partner and chair of the Project Steering Committee. “These are tough cases at the intersection of criminal law and civil litigation, and they require tremendous commitment from lawyers and their firms. We commend the firms who have volunteered to take on these cases over many years, and we congratulate our winners of the Exceptional Service Award and John Paul Stevens Guiding Hand of Counsel Award for their remarkable service,”
The ABA Death Penalty Representation Project works to ensure that everyone facing a death sentence has qualified counsel by locating and supporting law firms that take on pro bono cases and advocating for due process. It also works with local stakeholders to effect reform of death penalty systems.
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