Samantha Buckingham is the Director Emeritus of the Juvenile Justice Clinic at the Center for Juvenile Law and Policy (CJLP), a non-profit organization that fosters systemic reform of the Los Angeles juvenile and criminal justice systems through individual client representation, policy advocacy, education of law students, research, and community engagement. Samantha works to promote dignity and fairness for children and young adults whose lives have been embroiled in the child welfare, delinquency, and criminal court systems. Her teaching experience is vast, and she has led courses in advanced criminal litigation skills, juvenile delinquency law and procedure, and criminal procedure, along with an advanced seminar on race, class, and criminal justice.
Samantha also serves on the board of the Center for Educational Excellence in Alternative Settings (CEEAS), an organization dedicated to creating educational opportunities for young people during their incarceration and ensuring their smooth and successful transition back into the community after release. Well-recognized as an expert in juvenile justice, adolescent development, trauma, and best practices in indigent defense, Samantha has published several law review articles related to developmentally appropriate treatment of youth in the juvenile justice system, and she trains professionals nationwide, including judges and prosecutors. She has also submitted amicus briefs and written testimony to Congress, coordinated strategy for cases ascending to the U.S. Supreme Court on appeal, and served as an expert in numerous cases around the country, including as a Strickland expert opining on ineffective assistance of counsel. Samantha earned a BA from the University of Virginia and a JD from Stanford Law School.
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