Steven Wright
Clinical Associate Professor
Education
B.S. Duke University
M.E.M., Duke University
M.A., Johns Hopkins University
M.F.A., University of Wisconsin-Madison
J.D., Washington University in St. Louis
Biography
Steven Wright teaches both law and creative writing. He joined the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2014.
TEACHING IN CREATIVE WRITING
Professor Wright is a lecturer in the creative writing program. His debut novel, the Coyotes of Carthage (Ecco, 2020) received strong praise from USA Today, Publisher's Weekly, Salon, and the Washington Post, which called the novel, “riveting…. Those who pick up the book get a view of how the sausage of today’s politics gets made…. And [Wright] does so with a ticktock pace and knockout prose.” USA Today included Wright on its list of 100 Black Novelist you should read. The novel was also shortlisted for the Ernest Gaines Award for Literary Excellence, which recognizes achievement by African-American fiction writers.
For the New York Review of Books, he's written essays about race, criminal justice, and election law. He's also published essays in Crimereads.
Professor Wright has taught intermediate creative writing, introduction to creative writing, freshman composition, and a Fantasy and Science-Fiction Workshop. He's also taught creative writing at Johns Hopkins University, Madison College, and the Iowa Summer Writer's Festival. He earned his MFA from the University of Wisconsin, where he won The August Derleth Prize, which recognizes excellence in creative writing. He also won The Jerome Stern Teaching Award, which recognizes outstanding teaching by an MFA student.
TEACHING AT THE LAW SCHOOL
Professor Wright is a clinical associate professor and co-director of the Wisconsin Innocence Project. The Wisconsin Innocence Project seeks to exonerate the innocent and to train the next generation of legal leaders. Professor Wright has also taught first-year criminal law and appellate advocacy.
During his time with the Wisconsin Innocence Project, Professor Wright has participated in several exonerations including the exoneration of Daniel Scheidell and Sam Hadaway. He's also won cases in the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and the Wisconsin Court of Appeals. Professor Wright is a former member of the Wisconsin Judicial Council. From 2018-2019, he served as the chair of the appellate rules committee, which studies and recommends changes to the Wisconsin Rules of Appellate Procedure.
Before joining the University of Wisconsin faculty, Professor Wright was a trial attorney in the Voting Section of the United States Department of Justice. He litigated cases to enforce the Voting Rights Act, the Civil Rights Acts, National Voter Registration Act, and the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act. He also clerked for the Honorable Lavenski Smith, United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.
He appeared on C-Span's Washington Journal, where he shared his experience supervising federal election monitors. His innocence cases have appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the Journal Times. He's provided expert commentary on Wake Up Wisconsin, SiriusXM Urbanview, Channel 3000, and Wisconsin Public Radio.
Scholarship & Publications
Law Repository
Activities
Steve Wright was elected to a three-year term on the University Academic Planning Council, a committee of the faculty at the UW–Madison.
Heinz Klug is chairing the search-and-screen committee to find a new UW Law dean. Other committee members include: Michelle Behnke, Roman Gierok, Erica Halverson, Alexandra Huneeus, Richard Monette, Yaron Nili, Kim Peterson, Howard Schweber, Mitra Sharafi, Susannah Tahk, Janice Toliver, Kathryn VandenBosch, Steven Wright, and Jason Yackee.
News & Media
Tuesday, Mar 23, 2021Steven Wright: House bill does little to protect our local elections
The HillThursday, Feb 18, 2021Steven Wright's 'The Coyotes of Carthage' depicts realities of race, money and politics
UW Madison NewsMonday, Dec 7, 2020Steven Wright's 'Coyotes of Carthage' recognized by Ernest Gaines literary award committee
The AdvocateWednesday, Oct 7, 2020Steve Wright discusses the real-world inspiration for his novel, 'Coyotes of Carthage'
The Modern Law LibraryFriday, Aug 21, 2020Steve Wright makes '100 Black Novelists You Should Read' list
Time MagazineTuesday, Aug 11, 2020Steven Wright discusses his career in the law and his new political thriller, "The Coyotes of Carthage"
Wisconsin Law in ActionThursday, Aug 6, 2020Steve Wright, Bryant Park share perspectives on racial equity
Wisconsin LawyerFriday, Jul 24, 2020Steven Wright's 'Coyotes of Carthage' makes Best of Summer 2020 reading list
WUWMWednesday, Jun 24, 2020A gripping first novel from Wisconsin Innocence Project's Steve Wright
Madison MagazineSunday, Apr 19, 2020Steven Wright's 'Coyotes of Carthage' pulls back the curtain on how democracy works
The Washington PostFriday, Oct 25, 2019Steve Wright and Carrie Sperling among 250 petitioning governor for Brendan Dassey's release
People MagazineMonday, Aug 26, 2019Steven Wright: How Wisconsin responds to errors in the criminal justice system
Wisconsin Public RadioWednesday, Jul 10, 2019Steven Wright's book, "The Coyotes of Carthage," is out next April
Harper CollinsWednesday, Jan 2, 2019No one tested an innocent man's competency to plead; Steven Wright comments
WTKR NewsTuesday, Aug 14, 2018Wisconsin Innocence Project wins appeal for man caught in serial killer's wake; Steven Wright comments
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Teaching Areas
- Appellate Advocacy
- Criminal Law
- Criminal Procedure
- Legal Research and Analysis
- Practice Skills
Recently Taught Courses
