Finley “No-Merit” Letters: The Erosion of Ethical Standards for Criminal Defense Lawyers

The Stoneleigh Foundation and Phillips Black co-hosted a webinar on how to build a better post-conviction defense process that safeguards the constitutional rights of individuals who are poor and incarcerated.

The event included a presentation of first-of-its-kind data and a discussion about how Finley “no-merit” letters, which impact exclusively poor and disproportionately Black clients, foster and sustain a culture of unethical lawyering. Speakers, including both attorneys and exonerees, discussed how to heal the damage caused by Finley, avoid future systemic ethical lapses, and develop evidence-based solutions to protect defendants’ rights.

SPEAKERS

Stephen Lazar
Paralegal & Exoneree 
Phillips Black

Jennifer Merrigan
Stoneleigh Fellow
Co-Founder & Principal Attorney
Phillips Black

Yahya Moore
Paralegal & Exoneree
Pennsylvania Innocence Project

Thomas Roberts
Staff Attorney
Phillips Black