California Western Innocence and Justice Clinic
The California Western Innocence and Justice Clinic (IJC) (formerly known as California Innocence Project) provides high-caliber representation to individuals who are wrongfully convicted with a goal of securing their release from prison. Through this representation, IJC trains the next generation of attorneys, giving them hands-on experience so they learn to be zealous advocates. IJC uses innocence cases as a lens to illuminate the myriad problems within our criminal legal system, with the hope that we can work towards a system that is more just.
California Western Innocence and Justice Clinic Relaunch
Professor Amy Kimpel joined California Western School of Law in July 2024 as the new Executive Director of the California Western Innocence and Justice Clinic. Professor Kimpel will build upon the strong foundations of the clinic, continuing its work to free the innocent while preparing students for careers in criminal law and beyond.
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Opportunities for CWSL Students
Enroll
The Innocence & Justice Clinic is a year-long clinic, with new students starting every Fall and continuing to work with the Clinic in the following Spring semester. Students receive a total of 8 credits (4 units of academic credit for the fall term, 4 units of academic credit for the spring term). Students will screen, investigate, and litigate post-conviction innocence claims, working alongside experienced post-conviction attorneys to seek the release of wrongfully convicted individuals in California. The clinic will include a seminar that meets for 3 hours a week that orients students and equips them to work on innocence cases.
The Clinic is currently accepting applications for students for the 2025-2026 academic year. Interested students can apply through The Career and Professional Development Office (CPDO) using 12Twenty. Applications are due on February 6, 2025, and interviews will be held February 18-21. If you have questions about the clinic, please contact Prof. Amy Kimpel at JavaScript Required.
Volunteer
The Innocence and Justice Clinic is also looking for volunteers for a case screening boot camp scheduled for January 24, 2025 from 1pm-4pm to help us screen applications for legal services. If you’re interested, please rsvp here. This is a great opportunity to get a taste of what it’s like to work with the Clinic!
Intern
The Clinic is seeking 2-4 paid interns to work on screening cases and developing cases in its pipeline. The goal is to develop cases that will be part of the IJC case load for the 2025-2026 academic year. The work will consist of organizing application materials, reviewing applications and trial transcripts, ordering court records, and drafting informal post-conviction discovery requests and case memoranda. We are looking for interns who can devote 5 hours a week from February 1 to April 15. Work will occur in person at IJC clinic suite and will occur between the hours of 8:30am and 5pm. Priority given to 2L students who are interested in participating in the clinic during the 2025-2026 school year and to students who are federal work study eligible. To apply, send resume, brief cover letter, and writing sample to Prof. Amy Kimpel at JavaScript Required. All documents should be attached as pdf files.
Making an impact
Since its inception, IJC has been involved in changing laws and policies in California related to preserving evidence, litigating innocence cases, and compensating exonerees.
Freeing the Innocent
Apply for Legal ServicesClients of the California Western Innocence and Justice Clinic (formerly known as
California Innocence Project) have spent 570 years in prison due to wrongful convictions.
While they cannot get those years back, they are now embarking on a future with freedom.
To apply for legal assistance, fill out this application and return it to us by mail.
IJC has a waitlist and it can take months or even years to review each request for
legal assistance. We appreciate your patience.
XONR8® Join the Movement
Purpose
The purpose of XONR8® is to create interest and awareness about wrongful convictions in the legal community. Wrongful convictions happen in every community across the world. The California Western Innocence and Justice Clinic is based at California Western School of Law, thus it has the ability to gather students, professors, and lawyers to teach and learn about the causes of wrongful convictions. XONR8® does this through the use of speakers, class sessions taught by practicing attorneys, and field trips to various places involved in the criminal justice process.
Events
XONR8® officers organize and arrange several events throughout the year. Examples of typical events might be a screening of a film focused on wrongful convictions followed by a discussion, an educational seminar, or a debate on the death penalty where attendees hear from individuals involved in the death penalty process. XONR8® also organizes networking events for students, lawyers, and other individuals who are interested in criminal justice reform and wrongful convictions.
Support the California Western Innocence and Justice Clinic
Give NowYour contributions aid in our mission to provide high-caliber representation to individuals who are wrongfully convicted with a goal of securing their release from prison while training the next generation of attorneys to be zealous advocates.
California Western Innocence and Justice Clinic
Want to know more about the incredible work at IJC, how you can help fund the clinic’s work, or discover how you can join IJC once you are a student at California Western?
San Diego, CA 92101