Staff Attorney - Innocence & Forensic Postconviction

University of Wisconsin Law School; Madison (WI); On-site; USD 72,000 - 88,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Wisconsin Law School seeks applicants for a Staff Attorney position in the Wisconsin Innocence Project (WIP). WIP is a nationally recognized innocence and postconviction clinic in which law students, under faculty supervision, provide legal representation to incarcerated individuals with credible claims of actual innocence and wrongful conviction.

WIP has been awarded grant funding to support a Criminal Justice Forensic Assistance Program that will strengthen the accuracy,

Qualifications

• Multiple years of experience in criminal legal practice.
• Strong research, writing, and analytic skills.
• Strong advocacy skills.
• Client-centered approach to legal representation and a demonstrated commitment to indigent defense.
• Valid driver's license and ability to drive and travel extensively throughout Wisconsin.
• Admission to the Wisconsin Bar or immediate eligibility to apply to the Wisconsin Bar.

Responsibilities

• Carry a full caseload of grant-eligible cases.
• Investigate post-conviction claims of innocence, including reviewing trial and appellate records, engaging with experts, interviewing witnesses, and requesting records.
• Conduct forensic case review and assess the reliability, validity, and significance of forensic evidence presented in criminal cases.
• Identify, develop, and litigate claims involving disputed, emerging, or unreliable forensic evidence.
• Work with forensic experts, laboratories, and other scientific professionals in the investigation and litigation of postconviction claims.
• Litigate post-conviction claims in state and federal court through written and oral advocacy, including evidentiary hearings and expert witness litigation.
• Supervise and mentor law students in all aspects of postconviction investigation and litigation, including case assessment, legal research, factual investigation, drafting, and client representation.
• Work with legal team to craft investigation and litigation strategies.
• Assist in developing training materials and educational programming related to forensic science and wrongful conviction issues;
• Teach or co-teach clinical courses or other classes;
• Ensure compliance with grant, reporting, and programmatic requirements.

Skills

Criminal law practice

Research and writing

Advocacy

Indigent defense

Wisconsin Bar admission

Education

J.D. Required

Job description

The University of Wisconsin Law School seeks applicants for a Staff Attorney position in the Wisconsin Innocence Project (WIP). WIP is a nationally recognized innocence and postconviction clinic in which law students, under faculty supervision, provide legal representation to incarcerated individuals with credible claims of actual innocence and wrongful conviction.

WIP has been awarded grant funding to support a Criminal Justice Forensic Assistance Program that will strengthen the accuracy,