Compensation:$50,000- $80,000 Salary levels are guided by PJIs Collective Bargaining Agreement and based on years of relevant or direct experience.

Start Date:ASAP

Location:New Orleans, Louisiana. Frequent travel is required.

Deadline:Position is open until filled. Priority will be given to applications received before March 13, 2026.

About PJI

Promise of Justice Initiative (PJI) is a New Orleans-based organization that stands at the forefront of the fight for the liberation, freedom, and autonomy of Black people and all those targeted and touched by the criminal legal system and mass incarceration.

PJI moves life-changing work:

Because racism and mass incarceration are entrenched and pervasive foes, PJIs approach is multifaceted, including collective action, legislative advocacy, civil and criminal litigation, and reframing narrative discourse.

We challenge the notion that prisons keep us safe and that people with convictions should have no rights. We fight for freedom for people sentenced to die in prison. PJI blocks harmful legislation and pushes for dignity-advancing legislation. PJI partners on and co-strategizes social movement work with hundreds of currently incarcerated people. We advance the voices of survivors of violence and challenge the death penalty. Our work builds powerful authentic stories, pushes counter-narratives, and changes discourse.

The world that PJI pushes for is one where the legal system recognizes freedom and dignity as universal rights and that embodies an ethos of transformation, restoration, and safety.

Summary of the Position

PJIs legal department has a tremendous track record of securing landmark wins and releases from prison for people sentenced to die in prison. The investigator (both fact and mitigation) is a critical component to building civil and criminal legal claims and developing the meaningful lived experience of our clients to enhance PJIs criminal litigation work overall and to challenge the harmful discourse that drives policy in Louisiana.

Who We Are Looking For

This work is hard on every level. PJI optimistically and strategically fights for a better future and requires staff committed to one another and to people incarcerated or otherwise harmed by the criminal legal system.

PJI is committed to hiring smart, talented, skilled people who have directly experienced the issues we fight against.People who areformerly incarcerated, survivors of violence, working class, LGBTQ+, and people of color, particularly Black, are all strongly encouraged to apply.

Individuals who are Louisiana natives or who are otherwise from rural communities in the South are encouraged to apply.

You will be a great fit if you are a skilled rapport builder, creative, thorough, persistent, organized, and a solid team player. The investigator will assist with the full scope of our legal work. The primary responsibility of the investigator is to interview clients and witnesses and assist in document requests, collection, review, and management across the criminal and civil litigation teams. The investigator also builds the biopsychosocial history and experience of our clients. Most of the work is with the criminal litigation team.

This position is open to entry-level applicants; training will be provided if hired.

Responsibilities of the Position

• Locate and interview witnesses in the community
• Document all investigative actions in written memos and reports; write affidavits
• Gather records from courts, government agencies, attorneys, and other sources
• Meet with clients and witnesses to gather comprehensive personal histories, including family background, mental health, trauma, and other information.
• Conduct investigation with irregular hours under often challenging conditions
• Draft investigative plans in conjunction with supervisor attorneys
• Provide client, witness, and investigation support in hearings or depositions

Key Qualifications

• Minimum2 years of experience as a mitigation specialist or fact investigator.
• An understanding of issues bearing on criminal justice, social justice, racial justice, and wrongful convictions and, most importantly, the desire to learn more
• The willingness and ability, once trained, to knock on strangers doors unannounced and interview them about difficult topics
• Strong written and rapport-building skills
• Self-motivated, able to work independently and within teams
• The ability to communicate and work cooperatively with a wide range of people
• Superb organizational skills, including organizing and maintaining large case files
• Willingness and desire to travel for investigation.
• Commitment to upholding mitigation best practices as outlined in the ABA Guidelines for Mitigation Function of Defense Teams
• Valid drivers license and reliable car

Exceptional candidates will be:

• Familiar with or have ties to Louisiana
• Able to demonstrate a commitment to racial and social justice
• Fluent in:
  • Using case-organizing master documents
  • Records collection and digesting
  • Interviewing clients and social history witnesses
  • Multi-generational investigations
  • Identifying signs and symptoms of mental health and cognitive impairments
  • Working with various experts, including mental health experts
  • Creating mitigation tools, such as genograms, family trees, and chronologies
  • Conducting social history research
  • Developing mitigation evidence to challenge the States case
• Familiar with the DSM-5-TR and the AAIDD Manual

PJI is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees. All employment decisions at PJI are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, HIV Status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, past or present military service, history of incarceration, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. PJI will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. PJI encourages applicants of all ages, and does not discriminate based against formerly incarcerated individuals.