• J.D. required

• Demonstrated commitment to criminal defense, post-conviction, or civil rights work

• Strong research and writing skills

• Ability to work independently and manage a litigation docket   

Position Overview

The Frank J. Remington Center at the University of Wisconsin Law School invites applications for a two-year Post-Conviction Litigation Fellowship. The Fellow will develop and advance strategic litigation addressing two critical issues in Wisconsin criminal law: discretionary parole release and juvenile life without parole (JLWOP) sentencing.

**This position is fully remote; candidates need not be located in Wisconsin.

About the Remington Center

The Remington Center houses seven in-house clinics serving clients incarcerated in prisons throughout Wisconsin. Clinic students receive intensive clinical training while providing direct representation to incarcerated people. Several Remington Center clinics — including the Second Look Clinic, Criminal Defense & Youth Advocacy Clinic, and Legal Assistance to Incarcerated People — represent people serving decades-long sentences who are seeking post-conviction relief.

Fellowship Focus Areas

Discretionary Parole. Wisconsin's parole grant rate is among the lowest in the nation — under 9% in 2025, and just 4% in 2024. Nearly 1,600 people in Wisconsin prisons remain on parole-eligible sentences imposed before the state's 1999 shift to determinate sentencing.

Juvenile Life Without Parole. Wisconsin is one of a small minority of states that continues to permit JLWOP sentences, many of them imposed during the tough-on-crime era. Despite dramatic developments in neuroscience and constitutional law recognizing children's diminished culpability and capacity for rehabilitation, people serving JLWOP sentences in Wisconsin have never had their sentences reviewed in light of this changed understanding. The Wisconsin Supreme Court has not revisited the constitutionality of JLWOP since 2012. The Fellow will develop legal challenges to these sentences under federal and state law and pursue other available post-conviction remedies.

Juvenile Life Sentence Commutation. In April 2026, Governor Evers established a new commutation pathway specifically for people serving juvenile life sentences in Wisconsin. The Fellow may assist current and prospective clients in navigating this process, including developing templates and protocols to support this work for Remington Center clients.

Responsibilities

• Conduct legal research into constitutional and statutory challenges to JLWOP sentences and discretionary parole denials in Wisconsin

• Develop model pleadings for use in litigation

• Analyze parole and Department of Corrections data to identify appropriate test cases

• Collaborate with Remington Center faculty and clinic students on case strategy

This is a fixed-term position, and a one-year period of evaluation will be required. The fellowship appointment may be extended for an additional year, depending upon performance and department need.  This is a two-year, grant-funded position.

Salary minimum $75,000 ANNUAL (12 months). Salary commensurate with experience.