Lauren Staley is a Staff Attorney at the Ohio Innocence Project, where she litigates postconviction claims on behalf of OIP clients, assists in teaching, supervises clinic students, and supports research efforts. She received her bachelor's degree in history from Xavier University and is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati College of Law.

Before joining OIP, Lauren worked for several years as trial counsel for the Office of the Hamilton County Public Defender in Cincinnati, Ohio, representing those charged with misdemeanor and felony crimes. She also has extensive appellate experience, having served as a staff attorney for the
First District Court of Appeals in Cincinnati and as a judicial attorney to Ohio Supreme Court Justice R. Patrick DeWine.

Lauren was appointed to the Ohio Public Defender Commission in 2024, and she currently serves as a Board Leader for the Cincinnati-based nonprofit Ignite Peace.