Joseph Trigilio

Professor Joseph Trigilio is a faculty member at Southwestern Law School, specializing in criminal law, habeas corpus, and post-conviction advocacy. He serves as the executive director of Loyola Law School’s Project for the Innocent (LPI), representing wrongfully-convicted inmates. His career includes roles in capital habeas corpus and post-conviction proceedings, emphasizing justice reform.

• B.A., magna cum laude, Political Science, St. Mary’s University, 2003
• J.D., magna cum laude, University of San Francisco School of Law, 2006

Trigilio’s research focuses on systemic flaws in the criminal justice system, particularly wrongful convictions and the death penalty. He teaches courses on Habeas Corpus Litigation and Wrongful Convictions, integrating practical legal advocacy with academic rigor.

His professional journey includes leadership roles at the Habeas Corpus Resource Center in San Francisco and as a Supervising Deputy Federal Public Defender in California’s Capital Habeas Unit. Prior to these, his exposure to the death penalty in San Antonio, Texas, shaped his career trajectory toward combating judicial injustice.