In this interview, 2014 MacArthur Fellow Jonathan Rapping talks about his career as a lawyer and legal defense advocate, and why he founded the organization, Giddeon’s Promise. Rapping explains that public defenders are often burdened with too many cases and too few resources, resulting in over-incarceration or wrongful convictions. Since 2007, Giddeon’s Promise has grown to more than 35 offices across 15 mostly Southern states where the model of mentorship and professional networking is safeguarding the right to quality legal representation. This resource is part of the MacArthur Fellows Program Collection.