While I do wish that less of our lawmaking happened in the court system, certainly removing public defenders from the system will practically decrease the public’s influence in how laws are enforced, which would be disastrous

Appellate public defense offers opportunities to reshape the law on a structural level. And experience is critical for achieving wins with big impacts like Blake and Gregory, Link said, pointing out that it took many years before WAP was able to achieve such results.

“The one thing appeals can do is, and this is true to a very lesser degree in trial court, but appellate courts have the ability to shape the law,” Link said. “They have the ability to say this is what the law actually means, and this is what the law actually allows, in a way that's just not possible anywhere else.”