Perlmutter Center for Legal Justice at Cardozo Law

The Perlmutter Center for Legal Justice at Cardozo Law trains students and lawyers in the proper use of scientific evidence, focusing on the misuse of “junk science” in contributing to wrongful convictions disproportionately derived from systemic racism, social inequity, and the proliferation of unregulated and misunderstood “junk science" that impact marginalized communities. In addition, the Center seeks justice for those individuals incarcerated with excessive sentences. As a multifaceted center established through a generous donation from the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Foundation, the center has two components. The first is a student field clinic called The Perlmutter Freedom Clinic at Cardozo Law, which focuses on cases in which the conviction was based on the misuse of scientific evidence and works to obtain clemency for individuals unjustly incarcerated. The second component, The Perlmutter Forensic Science Education Program, will feature an ambitious legal education program in scientific evidence designed for practicing attorneys. The Perlmutter Center for Legal Justice builds on the decades-long success of Cardozo’s Forensic Science College.