Lawrence Marshall Leaving Northwestern For Stanford

Justice:Denied magazine, Issue 27, Winter 2005, page 13

Law Professor Lawrence Marshall co-founder, and director of Northwestern University’s Center on Wrongful Convictions announced in January 2005 that he accepted a new position at Stanford University. On September 1, 2005, Marshall will become director of Stanford’s Clinical Law Program.

According to Stanford Law School Dean Larry Kramer, Marshall has the administration’s backing to develop a program that will enable law students to gain real-life experience by working on actual cases. Kramer said, “In terms of national reputation, Larry was at the top of the list. Our goal is to have him come in with his vision in building Stanford’s clinic. Northwestern has a fantastic program, and Larry is one of the reasons for that.” As one of the countries most well-endowed universities, Stanford’s commitment can be interpreted as good news for people who have been wronged in California.

Marshall commented, “Clinical education creates a unique bridge between the world of theory and the world of actual practice. (Most law students) never get exposure to the kinds of clients who desperately need representation.”

After co-founding Northwestern’s Center on Wrongful Convictions in 1998, Marshall played a key role in the freeing of five wrongfully convicted men from Illinois’ death row. The Center’s efforts also influenced the decision of former Governor George Ryan to pardon four condemned men on January 10, 2003, and then commutation the next day of the sentence of all 167 people on Illinois’ death row to life in prison without parole. 1

Marshall spent 21 years at Northwestern, first as a student, and then as a law professor. Journalism Professor David Protess, co-founder with Marshall of Northwestern’s Center on Wrongful Convictions, said about his leaving, “Whoever replaces him as the center's legal director will have a tough act to follow.”

On February 26th, Northwestern announced that Steven Drizin, an expert in false confessions, would the NCWC’s new legal director. (See page 17 for an article about a 2004 false confession study by Mr. Drizin and Richard Leo.) Justice:Denied will provide information about the Stanford program to be directed by Marshall when it becomes available.

1 See, Illinois Governor George Ryan Pardoned Four Innocent Men Condemned to Death On January 10, 2003, and the Next Day He Cleared Illinois’ Death Row,  Hans Sherrer, Justice:Denied, Vol. 2, Issue 9.
Source: NU prof leaving post for Stanford: Criminal justice advocate known for work to overturn Ill. wrongful convictions, by Helena Oh, The Daily Northwestern, January 21, 2005