Prior to coming to the law school in 1994, Jeffrey S. Gutman served as a trial attorney in the Federal Programs Branch, Civil Division, Department of Justice (DOJ). His work at the DOJ principally involved representing the federal government in constitutional and administrative challenges to federal statutes and regulations in federal courts throughout the country. Among the cases he litigated were challenges to the military base closing statute, firearms control legislation and regulations, legislation governing the receipt of honoraria by federal employees, the savings and loan reform statutes, and private meetings of government advisers.
Professor Gutman clerked for a federal district court judge in California after graduating from law school. He directs the Public Justice Advocacy Clinic, serves as the interim co-director of the Jacob Burns Community Legal Clinics, teaches Civil Procedure, and served as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs from 2000 to 2008. Professor Gutman is the editor in chief of the Federal Practice Manual for Legal Aid Attorneys, served on the Board of Governors of the District of Columbia Bar from 2011 to 2014, and mediates civil cases in the D.C. Court of Appeals and the D.C. Superior Court Multi-Door Dispute Resolution program. He recently represented four men exonerated of crimes by DNA evidence who spent decades in jail on civil claims against the District of Columbia government.
Jeffrey Gutman was quoted by NPR regarding the laws covering whether exonerated persons can collect compensation from the state for their incarceration.
Jeffrey S. Gutman was quoted by the New York Times regarding money paid to people on the National Registry of Exonerations, who have brought civil rights suits.