Jeffrey S. Gutman

Jeffrey S. Gutman is a Professor of Clinical Law and Director of the Public Justice Advocacy Clinic at the George Washington University Law School. He has been at the law school since 1994, teaching Civil Procedure for over twenty years and directing the Public Justice Advocacy Clinic. Previously, he served as a trial attorney in the Federal Programs Branch, Civil Division, Department of Justice (DOJ), representing the federal government in constitutional and administrative challenges.

Professor Gutman's academic and professional background includes:

• BA from Stanford University
• JD from Harvard University
• Associate Dean for Academic Affairs from 2000 to 2008
• Editor in chief of the Federal Practice Manual for Legal Aid Attorneys
• Board member of the District of Columbia Bar
• Special contributor to the National Registry of Exonerations
• Board member of the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project

Professor Gutman's research focuses primarily on wrongful conviction compensation, an area he entered after representing four men exonerated by DNA evidence who had spent decades in jail. His work examines state statutory and civil compensation mechanisms for the wrongfully convicted, with particular attention to how different states approach this issue. The Public Justice Advocacy Clinic, which he directs, engages in impact civil rights litigation, public benefits advocacy, representation of low-wage workers in employment law matters, and Freedom of Information Act litigation.

His recent scholarship demonstrates a systematic analysis of compensation laws across multiple states, examining the effectiveness and shortcomings of various approaches to compensating the wrongfully convicted. This work contributes significantly to the field of criminal justice reform and provides valuable empirical data for policymakers considering reforms to wrongful conviction compensation statutes.

Professor Gutman is also active in the legal community as a mediator in civil cases through the DC Court of Appeals and the DC Superior Court Multi-Door Dispute Resolution program, bringing practical legal experience to complement his academic work.

His contributions to the field include:

• Extensive empirical research on state compensation laws for the wrongfully convicted
• Analysis of the relationship between pardons and compensation
• Examination of state-by-state variations in wrongful conviction compensation
• Advocacy through the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project
• Special contributions to the National Registry of Exonerations