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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. To learn more, please visit www.innocenceproject.org . 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. This position reports directly to the Director of Policy and works closely with the entire Policy team. We are interested in every qualified candidate who is eligible to work in the United States. However, we are not able to sponsor visas and we are not an e-verify employer. The duties of this position require approximately 40 hours of work per week to be performed virtually/in-office. This position requires the ability to travel roughly 5% of the time. We currently have a hybrid in-office model, with all employees in the office three days per week and the remainder of the week remotely. Wednesday is our organization’s “anchor day” where all staff works in the office. The number of required in-office days is subject to change.  THE IDEAL CANDIDATE The Innocence Project seeks a strategic, collaborative, and mission-driven attorney with exceptional legal research, policy analysis, and writing skills, and a demonstrated commitment to criminal legal reform. The ideal candidate excels at translating complex legal issues into clear, persuasive language for a wide range of audiences in the policy setting, thrives in cross