Quentin Lewis spent five years in solitary confinement after being accused of participating in a prison fight that killed another inmate. Obsessed with proving his innocence, he devoted years in isolation to learning the law. Now at 45, Lewis has become a go-to in-house counsel for prisoners at Wende Correctional Facility in New York.

Lewis was originally incarcerated at 16 for armed robbery and faced a minimum 12-year sentence. His conviction for manslaughter after the prison fight added 25 years to his sentence. The state law that took effect four years ago allows legal representation at prison disciplinary hearings, even from fellow inmates, as part of the HALT act that reformed solitary confinement use.

At Wende, Lewis handles roughly 30 disciplinary cases, estimating he's won 10 dismissals. He regularly cross-examines prison guards who oversee him, a risky move that has created tension with some staff. Legal advocacy groups and documentary filmmaker Matt Nadel have taken notice of his work, recognizing how inmates representing fellow prisoners could affect treatment at the facility. Lewis keeps stacks of law books in his cell and types legal documents on an electric typewriter, using Wite-Out to correct frequent typos caused by bullet-damaged fingers from a shootout during his arrest.