The California Supreme Court has appointed Nisha K. Shah as the interim executive director of the California Habeas Corpus Resource Center (HCRC), effective February 16. Shah, who currently serves as deputy director of litigation at HCRC, will take over from Michael Hersek. Hersek is stepping down after nine years in the role.
Shah expressed her gratitude for the appointment, stating: “To be able to serve the HCRC’s clients and staff in this role is an extraordinary honor. It is especially meaningful to me—a daughter of immigrants and a child of the Imperial Valley—to be the first person of color to lead the office. I am grateful to the Court for this appointment, and to my family, friends, and colleagues for their endless support. I am so proud of the creative, thoughtful, and client-centered litigation this office has done under Michael Hersek’s leadership, and I am committed to carrying that legacy forward.”
Since 2019, Shah has been in key roles at HCRC, including her current position as deputy director of litigation. Before joining HCRC, she clerked for Judge Joel E. August (Ret.) at Hawaii's Maui Second Circuit Court from 2005 to 2006. Shah holds a Juris Doctor degree from UC Berkeley School of Law (2005) and was a lecturer-in-residence teaching criminal law ethics from 2022 to 2024.
Under Government Code 68664, it is the responsibility of the California Supreme Court to appoint the executive director of HCRC. The role involves ensuring "all matters in which the center provides representation are completed as expeditiously as possible consistent with effective representation."
Based in San Francisco, HCRC represents indigent individuals sentenced to death in California. Its mission includes providing direct representation and recruiting and training counsel for timely legal representation in death penalty habeas corpus proceedings.