Michael J. Wishnie

Michael J. Wishnie is the William O. Douglas Clinical Professor of Law at Yale Law School and serves as Counselor to the Dean during the fall term. His expertise spans immigration law, labor and employment law, veterans law, civil rights, habeas corpus, government transparency, and voting rights. He teaches in three clinics: Worker & Immigrant Rights Advocacy, Veterans Legal Services, and Rule of Law. Wishnie’s scholarship includes groundbreaking works on crisis lawyering, veterans’ legal challenges, and immigration policy proportionality. He holds a J.D. (1993) and B.A. (1987) from Yale University.

• Education: J.D., Yale Law School (1993); B.A., Yale University (1987)
• Prior Experience: Taught at NYU School of Law (1998–2006); Skadden Fellow at ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project; Legal Aid Society (Brooklyn); Judicial clerkships with Judge H. Lee Sarokin and Justice Harry A. Blackmun.

His research interests focus on systemic legal advocacy for marginalized groups, including low-wage workers, immigrants, veterans, and voters. Notable works include Call Air Traffic Control! Confronting Crisis as Lawyers and Teachers (2021) and ‘A Boy Gets Into Trouble’: Service Members, Civil Rights, and Veterans’ Law Exceptionalism (2017). Wishnie’s clinics have achieved landmark victories, such as challenging VA benefits delays and securing bond hearings for detained immigrants.

Recent advocacy highlights include:

• Litigation against ICE’s detention policies
• Class-action suits for veterans exposed to Camp Lejeune toxins
• Challenging discriminatory discharge practices against veterans with PTSD
• Advocacy for LGBTQ+ veterans’ pardons and voting rights

His work emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to legal challenges, blending litigation, policy reform, and community education. Wishnie’s clinics collaborate with NGOs like the NAACP and veterans’ groups to advance systemic change.