Open Rank Clinical Professor of Law, Center on Wrongful Convictions

Northwestern University; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 125,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Disability insurance

Life insurance

Parental leave

Tuition benefits

Retirement savings options

Wellness programs

Job summary

Northwestern Pritzker School of Law invites applications for a full-time clinical faculty position with the Center on Wrongful Convictions, housed in the Bluhm Legal Clinic. The role supports wrongful incarceration advocacy, post-conviction litigation, and clinical education.

Start date July 2027; rank as Clinical Professor of Law, Associate, or Assistant based on experience. The Center has exonerated many individuals nationwide and engages in direct representation, advocacy, and scholarship.

Qualifications

• J.D. degree from ABA-accredited law school.
• At least five years of post-conviction litigation or advocacy experience; seven years preferred.
• Passion for teaching with clinical teaching experience preferred.
• Admission to the Illinois Bar or willingness to obtain within one year of hiring.

Responsibilities

• Co-teaching a weekly clinical course on wrongful convictions and developing case work that offers students meaningful practice-oriented learning experiences.
• Closely supervising and mentoring law students enrolled in the course, including conducting weekly case supervision meetings.
• Representing clients with criminal convictions pro bono in post-conviction matters, including litigation, executive clemency, advocacy through extra-judicial processes, public advocacy, and media.
• Developing and sustaining relationships with local and national organizations, other Northwestern law clinics, and outside co-counsel to provide or enhance legal services.
• Traveling as required for business reasons, including court appearances, prison visits, investigations, meetings with clients, and conferences.

Skills

Research skills

Writing skills

Editing

Oral presentation

Legal analysis

Strategic thinking

Litigation

Collaboration

Education

J.D. degree from ABA-accredited law school

Job description

Northwestern Pritzker School of Law

Bluhm Legal Clinic

Open-Rank Clinical Professor of Law

Center on Wrongful Convictions

Northwestern Pritzker School of Law invites applications for a full-time clinical faculty position to join the Center on Wrongful Convictions, a clinical program housed within the Bluhm Legal Clinic. The expected start date for this position is July 2027. The faculty appointment may be as a Clinical Professor of Law, Associate Clinical Professor of Law, or Assistant Clinical Professor of Law, at a level commensurate with experience and qualifications. We seek talented applicants who are passionate about wrongful incarceration, extreme sentencing, decarceration work, and litigating criminal matters, who have distinguished academic and practice experience, and who are committed to providing a clinical legal education.

Founded in 1999, the Center on Wrongful Convictions (CWC) represents individuals across the country who have been convicted of crimes they did not commit and individuals who have been sentenced to terms of incarceration disproportionate to their culpability. To date, the Center has exonerated more than fifty innocent people from states around the country, and it has successfully advocated for early release from unfair sentences for many others. Our work includes direct representation in both court and clemency proceedings, public-facing advocacy, and, as appropriate, policy reform and the production of scholarship.

Candidates will be considered for appointment to the faculty of the Bluhm Legal Clinic of Northwestern Pritzker School of Law at a level commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Role and Responsibilities

• Co-teaching a weekly clinical course on wrongful convictions and developing case work that offers students meaningful practice-oriented learning experiences;
• Closely supervising and mentoring law students enrolled in the course, including conducting weekly case supervision meetings;
• Representing clients with criminal convictions pro bono in post-conviction matters, including but not limited to: litigation, executive clemency, advocacy through extra-judicial processes, public advocacy, and, where appropriate, media;
• Developing and sustaining relationships with relevant local and national organizations, other Northwestern law school clinics, and outside co-counsel to provide or enhance legal services to clients;
• Traveling as required for business reasons, including but not limited to court appearances, prison and jail visits; investigations, meetings with clients, and conferences;
• Contributing to the discourse around wrongful and mass incarceration by organizing and participating in conferences and meetings addressing key criminal legal issues and practice areas, and/or generating scholarship or other topical written contributions;
• Engaging in Bluhm Legal Clinic and Law School meetings, events and committee work;
• Promoting the work of the CWC to the Law School and to the community; and
• When appropriate, working with the Law School's development and marketing teams for Center stewardship and promotion.

Experience and Qualifications

• J.D. degree from an ABA-accredited law school;
• At least five years of post-conviction litigation or advocacy experience required; at least seven years of relevant experience preferred;
• Passion for teaching-with clinical law teaching experience preferred-and enthusiasm for collaborating in academic service within the Bluhm Legal Clinic, the Law School and/or the greater University;
• Exceptional, demonstrated skills in research, writing, editing, oral presentation, legal analysis, and strategic thinking;
• Demonstrated skills in litigating independently and jointly;
• Comfort providing client-centered advocacy to incarcerated people;
• Self-motivated, diligent, and able to juggle multiple tasks while meeting strict deadlines;
• Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively and lead projects with law students, lawyers, other staff members, and outside organizations;
• Strong desire to work in the public interest space and a willingness to use the law creatively and strategically to seek justice for clients;
• Ability to collaborate, a commitment to creating a working environment that is welcoming, and a willingness to honor the varied experiences and perspectives of CWC and Bluhm Clinic staff, students, and clients; and
• Admission to the Illinois Bar, or willingness to obtain admission within one year of hiring.

LOCATION: Chicago, Illinois

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

This is an open rank search. The expected base pay based on rank is as follows:

Clinical Assistant Professor: $125,000 - $140,000

Clinical Associate Professor: $135,000 - $150,000

Clinical Professor: $145,000 - $165,000

This base pay range is for a twelve-month academic appointment and is subject to negotiation.

Northwestern University has provided a pay range representing its good faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for the position. The pay offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors including (but not limited to) the experience and qualifications of the selected candidate including years since terminal degree, training, and field or discipline; departmental budget availability; internal comparators; and external market pay for comparable jobs.

Benefits

At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful and competitive benefits. The available benefits package for this position will include health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance; paid medical/sick and parental leave; tuition benefits for the employee and dependents; pre-tax and flex spending accounts for commuting and dependent care; generous retirement savings options; and wellness programs. For a comprehensive overview of available benefits, including eligibility details, visit us at Northwestern Benefits to learn more.

• health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance
• paid medical/sick and parental leave
• tuition benefits for the employee and dependents
• pre-tax and flex spending accounts for commuting and dependent care
• generous retirement savings options
• wellness programs

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.