New York Law School Post-Conviction Innocence Clinic

The Post-Conviction Innocence Project (PCIP) at the New York Law School represents clients in post-conviction matters under the direct supervision of a faculty member. The NY law allows convicted defendants to move to vacate their convictions based upon newly discovered evidence, which creates a probability that had such evidence been received at trial, the verdict would have been more favorable to the defendant. The PCIP handles a limited number of such cases carefully selected from among the many requests from convicted prisoners asserting their innocence and requesting assistance and the numerous referrals from a variety of outside groups and public defender offices. PCIP students will work in teams to handle the post-conviction cases. Students engage in fact investigations geared toward filing post-conviction motions by tracking down court records and transcripts, locating and conferring with prior counsel, conducting prison interviews of clients, and locating and interviewing witnesses. Students develop legal arguments and draft affidavits and memoranda of law in support of the motions.