Wisconsin Innocence Project Staff Attorney

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

Job Category

Academic Staff

Employment Type

Terminal (Fixed Term)

Job Profile

Clinical Instructor

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, reliability, and effectiveness of Wisconsin's criminal justice system through post-conviction forensic case review, analysis, and litigation. This grant will fund a Staff Attorney to provide direct legal services on grant-eligible cases.

• 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.

Department

University of Wisconsin Law School, Wisconsin Innocence Project (WIP)

Compensation

The minimum salary for this position is $80,000. Starting salary will depend on experience and qualifications.

This is a grant-funded, four-year position.

This position is initially for one year, but can be extended up to 3 years dependent upon satisfactory performance, available funding and department need. An evaluation period during the first 12 months is required. After the 3rd year, dependent upon available funding and department need, the position may become a renewable (ongoing) academic staff appointment.

Continuation of employment beyond the grant funding period of four years is not guaranteed and is contingent upon the availability of funding.

This position offers a comprehensive benefits package, including generous paid time off, competitively priced health/dental/vision/life insurance, tax-advantaged savings accounts, and participation in the nationally recognized Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) pension fund. Please review the summary of benefits for more information.

Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and sick leave; competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits. Please review the summary of benefits for more information.

Required 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

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience litigating postconviction matters, including claims of wrongful conviction and actual innocence.
• Experience handling cases involving forensic science issues, expert witnesses, or postconviction forensic testing.
• Demonstrated knowledge of forensic disciplines and forensic reliability issues, including DNA evidence, pattern-comparison disciplines, digital evidence, forensic pathology, false confessions, eyewitness identification, or other evidentiary issues that commonly arise in wrongful conviction litigation.
• Prior supervision of law students or other law school teaching experience.

Education

J.D. Required

Institutional Statement on Diversity

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.

Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment.

The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).

The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. UW-Madison will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department.