Talk by Criminal Defense Lawyers Stephen Brown '71 and Jim Figorski

Media contact: Noelle Lemoine, communications assistant; tele: 413-597-4277; email: [email protected]u

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass., January 9, 2018—Philadelphia criminal defense lawyers Jim Figorski and Stephen Brown ’71 will speak at Williams College on Thursday, Jan. 18, in a lecture titled “Getting Justice: A Case History of How to Right a Criminal Wrong One Person at a Time.” The event will take place at 7:30 p.m. in Griffin Hall, room 3. It is free and open to the public.

Brown and Figorski, both lawyers at Dechert LLC in Philadelphia, will discuss the themes of injustice and hope through the example of the Shaurn Thomas case. Thomas was freed in May 2017 after serving 24 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. Figorski began volunteering with the Philadelphia Innocence Project in 2009, and has represented Thomas on a pro bono basis since 2011. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Figorski was a member of the Philadelphia Police Force from 1981 – 2006. Thomas’s case was featured in the podcast Undisclosed and has been covered extensively in national media.

This event is sponsored by the Department of Political Science and Williams Reads, which aims to foster new connections among students, staff, faculty, and community members by exploring diversity through a common reading experience. This year’s common read is Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson.

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For building locations on the Williams campus, please consult the map outside the driveway entrance to the Security Office located in Hopkins Hall on Main Street (Rte. 2), next to the Thompson Memorial Chapel, or call the Office of Communications (413) 597-4277. The map can also be found on the web at www.williams.edu/map

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Published January 9, 2018