About the Clinic
In the Second Look Clinic, students represent people incarcerated in Wisconsin state prisons who are serving excessive sentences. Students work closely with their incarcerated clients to develop persuasive arguments about why clients should be released from prison.
Students may seek clients' release from prison through a variety of procedural mechanisms, including release to extended supervision for people serving Truth-in-Sentencing life sentences, sentence adjustment (early release based on progress toward rehabilitation or “in the interests of justice”), sentence modification (early release based on new information not known at the time of sentencing) and parole advocacy.
Students will develop their skills in interviewing, client counseling, fact investigation, legal research, and oral and written advocacy. In addition to direct representation of clients, students will consider relevant policy questions on issues concerning mass incarceration, racial justice and systemic change.
Information for Students
The Second Look Clinic is a one-semester clinic that is offered in both Fall and Spring. Clinic students will participate in weekly supervision meetings as well as twice-weekly seminars. The Second Look Clinic is now accepting applications for the Spring 2024 semester. To apply, please send your CV and a short statement of interest to Kate Finley.
Information for the Public
The Second Look Clinic accepts applications from incarcerated people seeking assistance with sentence adjustments, parole advocacy, sentence modification, and petition for release under Wis. Stat. 302.114. To apply for assistance, please fill out the following application and email it to Chelsea Gill or fill in the hard copy Remington Center application available in the law library at Wisconsin state correctional facilities, and send to the address listed below.
Contact Information
Second Look Clinic
Frank J. Remington Center
975 Bascom Mall
UW-Madison Law School
Madison, WI 53706
608-262-1002
Photo by Bryce Richter / UW-Madison
