Pepperdine Caruso School of Law Launches Quattrone Wrongful Convictions Appellate Clinic
MALIBU, California — Pepperdine Caruso School of Law is proud to announce the establishment of the Quattrone Wrongful Convictions Appellate Clinic, made possible by a generous gift from Frank Quattrone and Denise Foderaro in honor of Ken and Alice Starr. Housed within the Ken Starr Institute for Faith, Law, and Public Service, the Clinic provides Caruso Law students with hands-on experience in appellate advocacy on behalf of the wrongfully convicted.
“The Quattrone Wrongful Convictions Appellate Clinic honors Judge Ken Starr’s enduring legacy by equipping Caruso School of Law students with real-world experience in appellate advocacy,” said Pepperdine President Jim Gash. “We are incredibly grateful to Frank and Denise for enabling our students to pursue justice and exemplify servant leadership through advocacy.”
“When my freedom was threatened by a wrongful conviction for obstruction of justice, Ken immediately grasped the injustice and advised my attorneys how to prioritize our appellate issues for oral argument. A federal appellate panel overturned the conviction, removed the trial judge from further proceedings, and criticized the prosecutors for misconduct, and the charges were ultimately dismissed,” said Frank Quattrone. “The experience opened our eyes to the plight of thousands of innocent people in prison without resources to fight the system, and we vowed to do something about it.”
“When our legal ordeal ended, Denise and I were honored to become friends of Ken and Alice, and we are thrilled to create this Clinic in their honor. I will never forget Ken’s role in helping me clear my name and restore my reputation. We need to educate more appellate attorneys about the frequency and causes of wrongful convictions, how to secure freedom for innocent prisoners, and how to change laws, policies, and procedures to reduce future injustices. We have high hopes that the Clinic will fulfill this important mission.”
The Clinic will formally enroll its first student cohort in Spring 2026, but it has already begun its important work. With the help of its first Student Clinic Fellow, Victoria La Ferla, the Clinic filed an amicus brief with the California Supreme Court in the summer, challenging unaffordable bail practices, and another with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in the fall, focusing on the overreliance of civil procedure standards in habeas corpus exhaustion issues.
“The Quattrone Clinic offers students a rare and rigorous opportunity to engage in appellate advocacy with meaningful, real-world impact,” said Professor Naomi Goodno, clinic director. “By working on behalf of the wrongfully convicted, our students develop both their legal skills and their calling to pursue justice.”
Building on its early impact, the Clinic integrates students into real-world litigation teams through its partnerships with leading law firms. Its inaugural partner, Dykema, works closely with students and faculty on appellate and pro bono matters, advancing justice for the wrongfully convicted. The Clinic will also collaborate with Gibson Dunn on select projects as opportunities arise, further expanding students’ exposure to high-impact advocacy and national litigation experience.
“Dykema is honored to partner with the Quattrone Wrongful Convictions Appellate Clinic,” said James Azadian, Chair of Dykema’s nationwide Appellate and Critical Motions Practice, and Heidi Naasko, Member and Leader of Dykema’s Pro Bono Practice. “This partnership reflects our deep commitment to pro bono service and advancing justice for the wrongfully convicted, while providing students meaningful, hands-on experience that prepares them for lives of purpose, service, and leadership.”
The Clinic was featured and recognized at the Caruso School of Law Dinner on September 27, 2025, alongside the Hugh & Hazel Darling Religious Liberty Clinic, as part of a showcase of the Ken Starr Institute’s mission and impact.
Shortly after, on October 2–3, 2025, the Clinic hosted its inaugural conference, “The Science of Justice: Evidence, Error, and Exonerations,” which drew strong attendance and engagement from national innocence leaders, faculty, students, alumni, and practitioners for two days of discussion on wrongful convictions, false confessions, forensic reform, and artificial intelligence.
The event also featured the presentation of the Clinic’s first Courage Award, honoring Terrill Swift, an exoneree who spent 15 years in prison before being exonerated by DNA evidence. Swift’s faith and resilience deeply moved attendees and reflected Pepperdine’s mission of justice grounded in compassion.
Denise and Frank’s gift is given in memory of Ken Starr, former dean of the Caruso School of Law, whose legacy as an appellate advocate, legal scholar, and public servant continues to inspire generations of lawyers committed to justice.
Learn more about the Quattrone Wrongful Convictions Appellate Clinic here.
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About Ken Starr Institute for Faith, Law, and Public Service
The Ken Starr Institute for Faith, Law, and Public Service cultivates a community of scholars dedicated to the pursuit of justice, upholding the rule of law, and serving the nation and the world with integrity and compassion through the lens of faith. Inspired and energized by the life and legacy of legal scholar, public servant, and former Caruso School of Law dean, Ken Starr, the Ken Starr Institute enhances the components of the Pepperdine University mission for which Starr cared so deeply and reinforces the fundamental American values that contribute to the success of a flourishing society.
About Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law
The Pepperdine Caruso School of Law offers a top-ranked legal education with nationally recognized degree programs committed to the highest principles of professional, ethical, and societal responsibility. With an emphasis on experiential learning, mentorship, faculty accessibility, global justice, and professional formation, Pepperdine Caruso Law offers a juris doctor, two master’s degrees, five joint-degree programs, four LLM degrees, and five certificate programs. The School of Law houses 10 clinics and six institutes, including the globally recognized Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution. Follow the Caruso School of Law on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
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