Policy Counsel
About The Innocence Project
The Innocence Project works to free the innocent, prevent wrongful convictions, and create fair, compassionate, and equitable systems of justice for everyone. Our work is guided by science and grounded in anti-racism. Since our inception, the Innocence Project has used DNA and other scientific advancements to prove wrongful conviction. To date, we have helped to free or exonerate more than 250 people who, collectively, spent more than 3,600 years behind bars. Our efforts have led to the passage of more than 200 transformative state laws and federal reforms. Today, the Innocence Project continues to fight for freedom, drive structural change, and advance the innocence movement.
About The Position
The Policy Department advances the Innocence Project's reform agenda by promoting state and federal policies that strengthen the fairness and reliability of the criminal legal system and aim to reduce the risk of wrongful convictions. The team leads advocacy campaigns across key issues, including state-level legal reforms and work on national efforts to improve the scientific foundation and equitable use of forensic and investigative methods. Under the leadership of the Director of Policy, the department sets reform strategy, manages campaigns and external partners, and drives progress toward ambitious policy goals while maintaining an inclusive and values-driven approach to criminal legal reform.
The Policy Counsel will play a significant role in advancing the Policy Department's policy efforts by collaborating in the development of Policy Department strategies, researching and analyzing legislation, managing in-depth legal research, including 50-state comparisons of key criminal justice statutes, analyzing recent case law and court rules, drafting and reviewing legislation in collaboration with the State Policy Advocates and other Department staff, monitoring and analyzing federal policy proposals, executive orders, and proposed rules and directives, leading and managing the high court rules strategy, collaborating across departments, including Strategic Litigation and Post-conviction Litigation, assisting in the development of advocacy materials, and translating complex legal issues for relevant policy messages that are accurate and understandable across multiple audiences.
The goal of this position is to accelerate the Policy Department's impact in achieving transformative policy change. The Policy Counsel must be skilled at legal and policy research, collaborative, an excellent writer, detail-oriented, and highly organized. The Policy Counsel must be self-directed, have sound judgement, be able to operate independently, and have a high degree of knowledge of legal issues impacting wrongful convictions.
Essential Job Functions
Law and Policy Research: Track, monitor and analyze, proposed laws, regulations, and emerging legal developments at the federal, state, local levels related to criminal legal legislation, particularly those that affect revealing, correcting, or preventing wrongful convictions. Support state-based policy campaigns with research and analysis, including: State-by-state comparisons of specific criminal justice laws and policies; Analysis of legislation relating to IP's policy reforms, including legislative histories & fiscal notes; and Analysis of court decisions and case law that affect our policy reform agenda.
Develop policy materials, such as fact sheets, for use by network partners, respond to requests for information and materials, and provide relevant training for network members in settings such as webinars, the policy symposium, and the network conference.
Perform in-depth legal research and draft policy and advocacy materials, including multi-state landscapes, position papers, reports, memos, white papers, op-eds, and formal comments on proposed rulemakings.
Draft and amend legislation and proposed regulations and court rules in collaboration with state policy advocates and other staff.
Track, monitor, and report on developing areas of case law, active litigation, and court rule amendments in substantive issue areas related to the Innocence Project's state policy agenda.
Manage the Policy Department's library of materials and continuously update with new content; conduct periodic audits of library materials; advise the Department and Director on significant developments impacting the Department's legislative issue areas.
Assume a leading and strategic role in new Department initiatives as assigned by the Director of Policy.
Respond to inquiries by Post-conviction Litigation or Strategic Litigation staff attorneys to provide legislative history research and draft legal memoranda; collaborate with Data Science & Research projects; interface with all programmatic departments.
Draft and submit comments to state court rule proposals, amendments, and executive orders. Advise the Policy Department on emerging legal, legislative, technological, and other developments in innocence issues areas. Develop strategy, lead implementation and provide resources for the Innocence Project's court rule reform agenda; draft and submit state court rule proposals, comments, and amendments; Synthesize and organize complex information into clear and well-written briefing materials for members of the Policy Program.
Aid policy team with the preparation of testimony, briefings, webinars and other external engagements. Develop external relationships with national criminal legal reform organizations.
Cross-Department Collaboration: Partner with internal departments—such as Strategic Litigation, Post-conviction Litigation, and Data Science and Research—to identify emerging issues and opportunities, align policy strategies, and monitor litigation developments.
Review, summarize and educate Policy and other IP staff on relevant legislative and other policy developments.
Lead hiring and supervision of legal interns, externs, and fellows.
External Events
Assist, as necessary, with organizing various policy-based working groups with external partners.
Attend conferences, symposia, and other meetings to develop professional relationships that support the mission.
Serve as a legal policy resource to Innocence Network partners.
Attend legislative sessions and hearings in collaboration with state policy advocates.
Represent the IP on conference panels, webinars, podcasts and other media.
Requirements
Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school is required.
Current member, in good standing, of the New York bar or eligibility for admission to the New York bar via motion pursuant to Section 520.10 of the Rules of the Court of Appeals for the Admission of Attorneys and Counselors at Law within 6 months of start date is required.
Must have at least 3 years public policy experience either within government or with an issue-advocacy organization.
Possess a high degree of knowledge on court rule-making authority and process; familiar with best practices and strategies for court rule advocacy.
Must have experience conducting policy and legal research, including ability to use LexisNexis and/or WestLaw.
Ability to travel roughly 5% of the time.
Must be legally authorized to work in the U.S.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience authoring articles, position statements, or white papers on criminal law reform and/or public policy.
Experience translating complex information and developing materials for policy initiatives or campaigns.
Experience facilitating and assisting with large-scale legal projects.
Active participation in coalitions or large groups, proven ability to synthesize group goals and collaborate work.
Key Competencies + Values
Excellent written and oral communication skills: write clearly and concisely, distill complex legal or technical concepts into understandable, persuasive, and accessible language for non-legal audiences, the public, and policymakers; deliver public testimony and policy briefings in a manner that engages multiple audiences.
Possess outstanding legal analysis and problem-solving skills, keen attention to detail and the ability to navigate ambiguous policy questions where there may be little precedent and tight deadlines.
Contextualize complex concepts, conduct thorough research and identify key information relevant to policy priorities.
Candidates must be curious, flexible, creative, and comfortable working in fast-paced or changing environments with strong organizational and planning skills, superb attention to detail, and the ability to navigate competing priorities and meet strict deadlines.
Demonstrated relationship builder who can cultivate trust with external stakeholders, coalition partners, and government or legislative staff; internally, must be a highly collaborative team player who can work effectively across diverse, multidisciplinary teams and successfully manage differences of opinion.
Motivated self-starter who can proactively identify needs, take charge of tasks, and independently drive work forward while maintaining a positive attitude.
Exceptional logical reasoning skills with the ability to break down complex concepts into digestible and identifiable components.
Enthusiasm for the work of the Innocence Project and for social justice, including a demonstrated commitment to public interest.
Shared commitment to the IP's values of accountability, collaboration, empathy + compassion, equity, person-centeredness, quality focus, and self-awareness.
Benefits
COMPENSATION