S. DAVID MITCHELL
Department of Sociology
University of Colorado
Campus Box 327
Boulder, CO 80309-0327
Tel: (303) 492 -- 7681
Fax: (303) 492-8878
CURRENT POSITION
University of Colorado, Boulder, 2004 -- Present
Scholar in Residence, Dept. of Sociology
Teaching an upper level course, “Law and Society.” Conducting research on the impact of felon exclusion laws on ex-felons, their notions of citizenship, and re-entry for my dissertation.
EDUCATION
University of Pennsylvania
J.D., Law School, May 2002
Ph.D. Candidate, Sociology, 2000 -- Present
Dissertation Topic: On Lock Down Outside of Prison: The Impact of Legal Restrictions on Ex-Felons
Dissertation Committee: Tukufu Zuberi, Chair, Camille Charles, Mary Frances Berry
Language Exam, French, July 1998
Law and Social Control Field Exam, May 2003
Race and Ethnicity Field Exam, September 2004
M.A., Sociology, May 1999
Thesis: ‘Feeling at Home’: A Study of African-American Middle Class Patrons of a Philadelphia Coffeehouse
Research Interests: Race and Ethnicity, Intersections of Race and Law, Citizenship, Urban Sociology
Teaching Interests: Constitutional Law, Federal Courts, Advanced Torts, Constitutional Criminal Procedure, Law and Society,
Brown University
B.A. in Sociology, 1991
Senior Thesis: Differential Treatment of Sub-Groups in Society: A Study on the Existence of Bias in the Judicial System
HONORS AND ACTIVITIES
Recipient of the 2005 Alpha Kappa Delta Award for “Excellence in Teaching and Outstanding Service to the Students of Sociology”
University of Pennsylvania School of Arts and Sciences Graduate Fellowship,
Fontaine Fellow, 1997 -- 1999, 2001 -- 2002
American Inns of Court, Member, 2001 -- 2002
Jessup International Moot Court, Team Member, 2000 -- 2001; Board Member, 2001 -- 2002: Participated in the 2001 Moot Court Competition in Baltimore, MD. Selected and coached the team members and edited the briefs for the 2002 competition in Villanova, PA.
Hybrid Journal of Law and Social Change, Editor, 1999 -- 2002: Served as an editor of the University of Pennsylvania Interdisciplinary Law Journal.
Street Law, Instructor, 1999 -- 2001: Team-taught a weekly class on the Fourth Amendment at a Philadelphia High School.
Student Ethics and Responsibility Committee (Disciplinary Committee), Student Representative 1999 -- 2002
Black Law Students Association, Member, 1999 -- 2002; Chair, 2001 Sadie T.M. Alexander Dinner
Graduate Student Representative, Sociology Department, 1998 -- 1999.
Graduate Student Associations Council Representative, Sociology Department, 1997 -- 1998.
ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Teaching Assistant, Sociology of the Media and Popular Culture
Dr. Krystyna Warchol, Fall 1998, Dr. David Samper, 2002 -- 2003
Conducted a weekly discussion session of the assigned readings, and the lectures with fifty students. Graded papers, exams, and held student conferences. Wrote recommendations for students applying to academic programs.
Ethnographer, Father’s Project
Dr. Kathryn Edin, 1998 -- 2000
Interviewed and recruited non-custodial fathers in the Philadelphia, PA area as part of multi-site study on non-custodial fathers, and their relationship to the labor market and their families.
Collegiate School, New York, New York
Teacher, History Department, 1993 -- 1997
Taught the following courses: 1) Year-long United States History Survey course, commencing with the early Native South American civilizations to the present day; 2) South African elective; and 3) Riots, Rebellions, and Revolutions, a course which I created that was designed to compare and analyze the origins and consequences of Black protest in the United States and the Caribbean.
Director of Student Diversity, Administration, 1993 -- 1997, Coordinated the school wide diversity programming and planning. Created and implemented diversity programming for students in grades one through twelve. Served as the faculty advisor to the high school multiracial Student of Color organization. Coordinated the Big Brother/Little Brother programs. Served as the liaison between parents of color and the school.
Dean of Sophomore Class, Administration, 1994 -- 1997
Responsible since 1994 for creating a cohesive, supportive class and assisting them in having a productive sophomore year. Additional duties include the dispensing of disciplinary action when either social or academic infractions are committed; and, being their advocate with the faculty.
Community Service Coordinator, 1993 -- 1994, Responsible for organizing service opportunities for the students by visiting sites and inviting organizations to give presentations to the students and maintaining accurate records of the students volunteer hours as they proceeded to fulfill their one hundred service credit graduation requirement. Organize a volunteer team to participate in the annual New York Cares Day, sponsored by New York Cares.
Collegiate School Teaching Institute, New York New York
Instructor, Institute Faculty, Summer 1995, Summer 1996, Summer 1997
Conducted educational workshops and training of undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate students of color interested in teaching at independent schools.
LEGAL EMPLOYMENT
Honorable Andre M. Davis, U.S. District Court, D. Md.
Law Clerk, 2003 – 2004
Responsible for researching and drafting bench memoranda in preparation for hearings. Researching and preparing the initial draft of opinions following their disposition. Managing all aspects of approximately sixty cases on the civil case docket from the filing of the complaint to disposition.
Venable, Baetjer, Howard & Civilletti, LLP, Washington, D.C.
Summer Associate, Summer 2002
Assigned to the litigation department. Researched and drafted briefs and legal memoranda on such legal issues as trade dress infringement, environmental litigation, prisoner Section 1983 claims, abstention doctrine, private ownership and manufacturing of ammunition, and a pro bono project to establish a memorial honoring Frederick Douglass.
Community Legal Services, Philadelphia, PA
Extern in Public Housing Division, Summer 2002
Represented low-income clients in Philadelphia Municipal Court. Conducted client interviews and intake for public housing and Section 8 residents.
Schnader, Harrison, Segal & Lewis, LLP, Philadelphia, PA
Summer Associate, Summer 2002
Assigned to the litigation department. Researched and drafted briefs on such legal issues as the telecommunications act, tax responsibility for in-state corporations with out-of-state warehouses, and an assortment of pro bono projects.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Criminal Division Legal Intern, Summer 2000
Researched and drafted briefs and legal memoranda. Assisted AUSA's in preparation for hearings, and conferences with opposing counsel. Attended and participated in seminars regarding litigation, trial strategy, and trial preparation sponsored by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, New York, NY
Paralegal, 1991 -- 1993
Conducted document productions, and summarized and analyzed case files. Worked closely with attorneys in trial preparation -- organized trial exhibits, documents, depositions, and interrogatories. Attended strategy meetings and depositions. Conducted large-scale distribution of documents, proofread and redlined documents.
Sidney Baumgarten, Esq., New York, NY
Legal Intern, Winter 1990
Researched and drafted briefs, legal memoranda, and bankruptcy papers. Accompanied attorneys to court appearances and real estate closings
Publication
Mitchell, S. David. “The New Invisible Man: Felon Disenfranchisement Laws Harm Communities.” Bad Subjects, 71: Prisonvision (2004). http://bad.eserver.org/issues/2004/71/.
WORKING PAPERS
(2002) “Undermining African-American Citizenship: The Impact of Felony Exclusion Laws.”
(2000) “It Ain’t the Black Church: Race and Class in a Foreign Public Space.”
(1998) “The Erosion of Citizenship Rights for African-Americans,” Paper presented at the Eastern Sociological Society Meetings.
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Member, Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals Bar, 2004 -- Present
Member, Federal Bar of Maryland, 2004 -- Present
Member, Pennsylvania Bar, 2003 -- Present
Member, New Jersey Bar, 2003 -- Present
Member, American Bar Association, 1999 -- Present
CONFERENCES
Coach, 10th Annual Ronald E. McNair Symposium, Colorado
Attendee, American Society of Criminology Conference, 2001
Presenter, Eastern Sociological Society Annual Meeting, 1998, “The Erosion of African-American Citizenship.”
Presenter, T.E.A.C.H. Workshop, St. Louis, MO, 1997
Presenter, People of Color Job Fair, New York, NY, 1994 -- 1996
Attendee, People of Color Conference: A Vision for Building New Alliances, Baltimore, MD, 1996
Attendee, People of Color Conference: Lighting the Way to the Millennium: Our Selves...Our Children...Our Schools, Philadelphia, PA, 1995
Attendee, National Multicultural Institute, Washington, D.C., 1995
Attendee, People of Color Conference: Continuing to Build Environments in Independent Schools that
Addresses the Needs and Issues of Children and Adults of Color, Albuquerque, NM, 1994
Attendee, Stanley H. King Counseling Institute, Colorado Springs, CO, 1994
Attendee, Bard College Institute for Writing and Thinking -- Teaching “Double Consciousness”?: Self-Identity in a Multicultural Society, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY, 1993
Attendee, People of Color Conference: Seeing Beyond “Becoming advocates for creating multicultural educational Institutions,” Minneapolis, MN, 1993