Allison Franz

Allison Franz ’21, a staff attorney at Justice 360, was recently honored with the Rising Star Award for her outstanding advocacy on behalf of individuals facing the harshest sentences under the law. The award was one of several presented at the 20th Annual Exemplary Public Service Awards ceremony in late February, 2025.

Franz began her work with Justice 360 as a Craig N. Yankwitt Capital Punishment Fellow in September 2021. In her current role, she represents death-sentenced clients in state and federal appellate proceedings, as well as juveniles facing severe sentences in pretrial, resentencing, and parole proceedings. Her work reflects Justice 360’s mission to promote fairness, accountability, and transparency in the criminal justice system.

A graduate of Cornell University (B.S. ’18) and Cornell Law School (J.D. ’21), Franz built her commitment to justice and reform through hands-on legal and advocacy experience. During law school, she was involved in the Legal Information Institute, the Cornell Prison Education Program, and the National Lawyers Guild. She also completed internships with Justice 360 and the Capital Habeas Unit for the Southern District of Ohio, experiences that shaped her passion for capital and post-conviction defense.

Franz has published and presented widely, including co-authoring “Controlling Condemned Bodies: Regulation and Dehumanization of Death Row Inmates,” in Regulating the Body, S. Lee and A. Sarat, eds (Stanford Univ. Press, forthcoming in 2024) with Professor John Blume; and presenting at the NAACP Capital Airlie Conference on “Challenging Methods of Execution and Navigating Secrecy Laws.”

Through her dedication and skill, Franz has already made a lasting impact in the field of capital defense—work that continues to reflect the values of Cornell Law School’s commitment to public service, human rights, and equal justice under law.

Read more about the Public Service Awards here.