Imran Syed, ’11, is a clinical assistant professor of law and the co-director of the Michigan Innocence Clinic at Michigan Law. He also teaches a seminar on forensic science and conducts labs for first-year criminal law courses.
Litigated and won the case of an innocent man who spent nearly 38 years in prison after being wrongfully convicted of murder, November 2020.
Argued and won People v. Swilley—a pro bono case involving a child who was wrongfully convicted of murder—in the Michigan Supreme Court
Argued and won People v. Johnson/Scott—the joint case of two innocent men wrongfully convicted of murder—in the Michigan Supreme Court, July 2018.
Featured Scholarship
Review of Junk Science and the American Criminal Legal System by M. Chris Fabricant
"From Singularity to Signal: Innocence Clinics and the Integrity of the Legal System"
- Litigation
"Criminal Procedure v. Scientific Progress: The Challenging Path to Post-Conviction Relief in Cases That Arise During Periods of Shifts in Science"
- Criminal Law
"'Shifted Science' Revisited: Percolation Delays and the Persistence of Wrongful Convictions Based on Outdated Science"
- Criminal Law
Conducted a training on Rules and Procedures for Litigating New Evidence Claims, as Part of the Michigan Appellate Defender Fall Training Series.
Presented, “Forensic Science- The Revolution Continues,” Plenary speech at Conference of the Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan.
Presented, “Forensic Science and Wrongful Convictions,” Conference of the Criminal Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan.
Presented, “Procedures and Processes of the Michigan Innocence Clinic,” Annual Conference of the NALS Association of Legal Professionals.
Spoke in favor of Proposed Amendments to Michigan Court Rules Concerning Post-Conviction Motions at Michigan Supreme Court Public Hearing.
Presented, “Recognizing and Litigating Shifts in Forensic Science,” Criminal Law Section of the Washtenaw County Bar Association.
Keynote address on “Progress and Exonerations in Ten Years of the Michigan Innocence Clinic,” Lenawee County Bar Association Annual Gala.
Panelist, Symposium Commemorating the Michigan Innocence Clinic’s Tenth Anniversary.
Awarded Department of Justice grant to support Michigan Innocence Clinic’s litigation of wrongful conviction cases involving forensic science.
