PARTNER PAUL HOFFMAN TO SERVE AS INNOCENCE MATTERS NEW BOARD CHAIR EFFECTIVE JANUARY 2015 TORRANCE, CA.

Innocence Matters announces the appointment of a new Board Chair. “We are thrilled that our year-long search for the ideal board chair has concluded with the selection of Paul Hoffman, an extraordinary advocate with a genuine passion for our work and the clients we serve,” said Deirdre O’Connor, Executive Director of Innocence Matters. “We are tremendously grateful to our senior advisor and retired civil rights lawyer Carol Watson for bringing Paul to our attention during the selection process.”

Paul is a partner in Schonbrun DeSimone Seplow Harris & Hoffman, LLP. His practice has been in the areas of constitutional and civil rights litigation, including First Amendment, discrimination and privacy litigation, and general business litigation, including copyright and trademark litigation. He also specializes in civil and criminal appeals.

Paul has served with many international human rights organizations, including the ACLU Foundation of Southern California, Los Angeles, where he served as Legal Director, and on Amnesty International’s International Executive Committee which oversees their operations throughout the world.He is a graduate of New York University School of Law.

He also has extensive doctrinal and clinical teaching experience and currently serves as an adjunct professor at the University of California, Irvine School of Law where he teaches Civil Rights Litigation and the International Human Rights Clinic. When not working, he enjoys travel with his wife Maggie Heim and time with his family.

Described by his colleagues as a born mentor, Innocence Matters is confident the breadth and depth of Paul’s expertise and professional network will greatly facilitate our growth. Paul shares our anticipation, “I am excited to be able to support the crucial and amazing work that Innocence Matters and Deirdre O'Connor have been doing to right some of the many injustices in our criminal justice system. It is becoming clearer by the day that many innocent people languish in our prisons and our society should not rest until they are all set free.”

Innocence Matters anticipates announcing two additional appointments to the board in 2015. Those interested in being considered for either position are encouraged to contact Deirdre O’Connor.