Information for Students
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.
Enroll in the Clinic
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.
Through the clinic, I've gained acute skills in communication, investigative strategy, and the nitty gritty of legal work. Doing this work has provided me with not only technical legal skills, but also the opportunity to engage with the human side of the law intimately.
Upcoming Events
February 28, 2025, at 1pm
XONR8®, the Cal Western student group that supports the clinic, will be hosting Christopher Dunn, an exoneree from Missouri, who will be talking about his experience with injustice
in the legal system. Follow XONR8® on Instagram for more updates on group meetings and other events open to CWSL students.
Stay tuned for the next Bootcamp!
IJC hosted our first-ever Case Prescreening Bootcamp on January 24, where CWSL student
volunteers reviewed applications for legal assistance and began gathering documents
and information for further review. We plan to host 1-2 more bootcamp events in the
Spring 2025 semester. Join us next time to enjoy some free food and the chance to
learn more about IJC's work while completing pro bono hours.