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Board of Supervisors unanimously accepts $250,000 in pro bono legal services for DA's review units
Summary
The board approved retroactive acceptance of in-kind legal services from the University of San Francisco School of Law's Racial Justice Clinic to support the District Attorney's sentencing review and wrongful conviction work; supervisors pressed the DA's office for clarity on staffing and document access.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Sept. 6 unanimously adopted a resolution authorizing the district attorney's office to accept and expend an in-kind gift of pro bono legal services valued at $250,000 from the University of San Francisco School of Law's Racial Justice Clinic, funded by the Vital Projects Fund and Elizabeth Zitrin. The board's action retroactively covers services through November 2022.
Supervisors said they supported the funding but pressed the District Attorney's Office for assurances that the office's sentencing review unit and Innocence Commission would continue to have staffing, a designated liaison, and access to documents and email records necessary to do their work. Supervisor Dean Preston asked whether the sentencing review unit still exists and whether a new liaison had been appointed after an earlier staff change.
Tara Anderson, director of policy for the District Attorney's Office, told the board the sentencing review work will continue and said she would follow up with supervisors about the office's specific point of contact for the Innocence Commission. Anderson said she had not been made aware of any formal policy change restricting the commission's access to documents and email, but acknowledged practical access problems can occur through permissions systems such as SharePoint and promised to inquire with staff and report back to the board.
Anderson confirmed the office welcomes continued outside support for the sentencing review and wrongful-conviction work and said the office was seeking ongoing assistance beyond November, though she characterized today's resolution as a gift resolution and said continued funding would require further action. The resolution directs acceptance of the in-kind services and authorizes the Office of the District Attorney to receive and expend the donated services for the stated term.
The resolution, introduced by the Board and taken up as Item 18, was adopted by roll call with 11 ayes. No amendments were offered on the floor.
The board record shows the gift was provided to support the district attorney's sentencing review unit and the office's wrongful conviction / innocence work; supervisors asked for a written follow-up identifying the commission liaison and confirming document access for commission members.
