WDI Staff Attorney, Center on Wrongful Convictions

WDI Staff Attorney, Center on Wrongful Convictions
 
Job ID: 41222 Location: Chicago, Illinois
 
Department: Law Legal Clinic Salary/Grade: EXS/7
 
Job Summary: The Women’s Defense Initiative Advocate is a 2-year non-renewing position with the Center on Wrongful Convictions. The Advocate will be tasked with working on the Women’s Defense Initiative (WDI) of the Center and will be responsible for tracking and researching developing issues that are commonly present in women’s wrongful conviction cases. The Advocate will coordinate WDI efforts to identify, screen, and litigate post-conviction cases of women whose cases fall within the WDI’s mission. The Advocate will act as the WDI’s liaison with exonerated and other freed women, and assist, as necessary, with organizing public and legal education programming on behalf of the WDI. The Advocate reports to the Director and the Associate Director of the Women’s Defense Initiative.
 
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Specific Responsibilities: Case Review and Development

• Manage the case review process for the Women’s Defense Initiative, including screening, investigating, and assisting with case litigation. 
• Track demographic data for women who request counsel for the WDI to assess geographic and other needs.

 
Legal Research

• Perform comprehensive legal and quantitative research projects on issues related to the causes and remedies of wrongful convictions of women, including developments in forensic science, legal developments with regards to sentencing mitigation, and charging and sentencing laws that might disproportionately affect women.
• Synthesize findings into legal memoranda, reports, and other materials.

 
Data Collection and Research Development

• Collect data on cases where women were wrongfully convicted or wrongfully sentenced, to foster and support ongoing research on the factors that affect women in the criminal justice system.

 
Exoneree/Freed Women and Public Engagement

• Develop and maintain relationships with exonerated and freed women in the United States
• Support efforts to foster opportunities to connect wrongfully convicted or sentenced women with one another.
• Assist the Director and Associate Director in creating and presenting educational programs for attorneys and the public on issues related to post-conviction matters as they relate to women.

 
Miscellaneous

• Performs other duties as assigned.

  
The Northwestern campus sits on the traditional homelands of the people of the Council of Three Fires, the Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and Odawa as well as the Menominee, Miami and Ho-Chunk nations. We acknowledge and honor the original people of the land upon which Northwestern University stands, and the Native people who remain on this land today.
 
Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Click for information on EEO is the Law.