RESEARCH FELLOW, LAW & POLICY, University Research (22500575780929)

The Center’s Evidence Equity Project seeks to eliminate racist evidentiary policies and practices, and to promote fairness and justice in courtrooms across the country. We believe that courts routinely admit unreliable and irrelevant evidence that can lead to racist outcomes, while excluding evidence that proves the existence of racism and can mitigate racist outcomes (“antiracist evidence”). We also believe that people are routinely denied access to antiracist evidence because it is not widely available, it is prohibitively expensive, or their own attorneys overlook the need for such evidence.

The mission of the Evidence Equity Project is to (1) examine, through data and narratives, the ways that evidentiary policies and practices create or normalize racial inequity; (2)  formulate and advance antiracist evidentiary policies and practices; (3) create and train a pool of experts who can present antiracist evidence and provide those experts for low/no cost in a small number of high-impact antiracist cases each year; and (4) promote the use of antiracist evidence in the courts through articles, reports, and other public communications (op eds, etc).

The Center seeks to hire a Law and Policy Fellow who will support the Evidence Equity Project. Duties of this role include, but are not limited to, the following:

Assisting with the development of strategic plans to execute the Evidence Equity Project;

Contributing to the research, development, distribution, and analysis of a survey of attorneys regarding their knowledge of/experiences with antiracist evidence;

Researching and recruiting scholars to participate in our expert program;

Hosting informational meetings and training sessions with scholars interested in our expert program;

Researching and developing materials for scholars in our expert program;

Developing and managing an application process for litigants seeking access to our pool of experts;

Researching and producing public education materials and delivering presentations regarding the Evidence Equity Project;

Contributing research and analysis to any Policy Office projects (convenings, scholarship, reports, or model legislation) that are related to the Evidence Equity Project;

Supervising student interns and research assistants.

-J.D., Master’s, or PhD

-1-3 years of experience

-Demonstrated commitment to antiracism and interest in antiracist policymaking;

-Attention to detail;

-Ability to collaborate with scholars from a variety of disciplines;

-Ability to track and adhere to multiple deadlines;

-Willingness to think creatively about how to achieve both the short and long term goals of a project.

Qualifications Preferred:

-Litigation experience;

-Familiarity with social science research methods;

-Project management experience.

Candidates interested in pursuing this opportunity should sent a cover letter and CV/resume directly to the Center of Antiracist Research at antiracistcenter@bu.edu .

Please note all newly hired staff and faculty will need to be in compliance with Boston University’s COVID-19 Vaccination and Booster Requirement within 30 days of date of hire. You must upload your vaccine documentation or request a medical or religious exemption (instructions ). For further information on the University’s response to COVID-19, please visit the COVID-19 Resources site. 

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, or because of marital, parental, or veteran status. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.