Earl Kirkland

Earl Kirkland is an experienced legal professional currently serving as an Assistant Federal Defender at the Federal Defenders of New York Inc. since May 2023. Prior to this role, Earl held positions as an Associate at Anderson Kill and Finkelstein, Blankinship, Frei-Pearson & Garber, LLP. Earl also gained significant experience as a John Payton Appellate and Supreme Court Advocacy Fellow and Education Fellow at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. Additionally, Earl completed judicial clerkships at the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. Earl began the legal career with internships at the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office and the United States Department of Justice, Community Relations Service. Earl earned a Doctor of Law (JD) from Cornell Law School and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English, with a focus on Crime and Justice, from the University of Michigan.