Jakob Hollenbeck
Jakob graduated summa cum laude from the University of Oregon with degrees in political science and economics. His studies focused on mass incarceration and juvenile justice. An avid researcher, Jakob wrote and published original research on the origins of the 1980 California prison boom that disputed the field’s dominant explanations. Additionally, his honors thesis was the first academic article to expose the Oregon juvenile dependency system’s failure to
protect children from emotional abuse.
Jakob began his legal career as a legal assistant to and the organizer of the Habeas Strikeforce, a group of public defenders litigating habeas corpus claims on behalf of Oregonian prisoners due to the state’s COVID-19 response. The experience exposed him to the cruelty that
underpins the criminal legal system and inspired him to fight for a world that invests in people rather than punishing them. Jakob furthered this work as a juvenile dependency paralegal where he worked to protect children from abuse and neglect and connected families to
transformative services.
Prior to starting law school, Jakob lived in Portland, Oregon, where he saw the devastating effects of the city’s houselessness crisis on a daily basis. He spent the year building community with his unhoused neighbors, raising money for winter supplies, and advocating for his
unhoused friends’ interests at county and state hearings. His work has been featured in the New York Times, as well as many local media sources.
Jakob is excited to pursue his interests in prisoner rights, houseless advocacy, and juvenile justice at Georgetown Law. Outside of his studies, Jakob enjoys playing soccer, ping pong, and chess.