Staff Attorney

Washington Innocence Project provides free investigative and legal services to people with viable claims of actual innocence in Washington State. We work to identify, rectify, and prevent wrongful convictions through direct representation, support for freed and exonerated people, policy reform, education, and system change. WashIP is an independent nonprofit and a founding member of the Innocence Network.

The Staff Attorney maintains a small, active statewide caseload involving claims of actual innocence. The attorney develops cases from factual investigation and records review through DNA or other forensic testing, post-conviction litigation, evidentiary hearings, and appellate review. Staff attorneys work directly with incarcerated clients and collaborate with investigators, experts, paralegals, interns, volunteers, and pro bono counsel. The position offers substantial responsibility for complex matters that often have long factual and procedural histories.

WashIP is a small, collaborative organization. Team members have meaningful responsibility for their work and are expected to communicate clearly about progress, capacity, barriers, and deadlines. We value careful work, practical judgment, curiosity, dependable follow-through, and a willingness to ask questions and receive feedback. Our work requires us to examine assumptions in police reports, trial records, prior court decisions, and other official accounts rather than treating those accounts as settled.

• Provide high-quality, client-centered representation to people incarcerated throughout Washington.
• Develop factual and legal case theories by reviewing trial, appellate, investigative, and forensic records; identifying further investigation; and critically assessing prior government and defense narratives.
• Research, draft, file, and argue post-conviction motions, personal restraint petitions, appellate briefs, and other pleadings in Washington trial and appellate courts and, when appropriate, federal court.
• Prepare for and conduct evidentiary hearings, including witness interviews, witness preparation, examination, exhibit presentation, and evidentiary argument.
• Identify and work with investigators and experts concerning DNA, medicine, forensic science, digital evidence, and other technical subjects.
• Maintain regular, candid communication with clients about case goals, uncertainty, progress, adverse developments, and next steps.
• Set realistic case goals and intermediate benchmarks and sustain progress across matters at different stages of records collection, investigation, testing, and litigation.
• Use paralegal and support resources effectively by providing clear assignments, context, deadlines, and appropriate notice.
• Prepare appropriate matters for placement with pro bono partners and serve as lead or cocounsel while communicating clear roles and expectations.
• Evaluate new applications for assistance and contribute to case-selection decisions.
• Consider litigation and nonlitigation pathways to relief, including remedies outside conventional post-conviction motions.
• Contribute, as assigned, to grant reporting, amicus work, training, policy initiatives, public education, and other projects connected to WashIP’s litigation.

• Juris Doctor degree and active membership in the Washington State Bar Association, or eligibility for admission by motion within an agreed period.
• At least five years of experience practicing criminal law as a licensed attorney, including criminal defense, appellate, post-conviction, prosecution, or closely related litigation.
• Substantial legal research and writing experience and readiness to assume meaningful responsibility for complex matters.
• Experience communicating with incarcerated clients, people affected by the criminal legal system, or other clients facing trauma and institutional barriers.
• Ability to manage several long-term matters, meet litigation deadlines, and communicate promptly when capacity or obstacles threaten progress.
• Commitment to client-centered representation, public-interest law, equity, and criminal legal system reform.
• Ability to travel within Washington for client visits, investigation, hearings, and work with partners.

• Felony trial, appellate, or post-conviction litigation experience.
• Experience briefing and arguing contested criminal motions or appeals.
• Experience with factual investigation,…