The Exoneration Project
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
The Exoneration Project firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Exoneration Project
- Legal name
- The Exoneration Project
- Website
- https://exonerationproject.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Exoneration Project industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wrongful Conviction Legal Services
- NAICS
- Human Rights Organizations (813311)
- SIC
- Services-Legal Services (8111)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Transitional Justice, Accountability & Reparations (BPADAGAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Litigation Support & Civil Investigations (Witness/Asset/Skip Tracing) (BPAKAEAE)
Keywords
Where The Exoneration Project is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
The Exoneration Project business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Non-profit Legal Services: The Exoneration Project is a non-profit organization that provides free legal services to fight for the wrongfully convicted. Revenue appears to come from donations, grants, and pro bono partnerships rather than client fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Other | Free legal services for wrongfully convicted individuals |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
The Exoneration Project product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Exoneration Project is a nonprofit legal organization that provides free legal services to individuals who have been wrongfully convicted of crimes. Its core work includes free legal representation in post-conviction proceedings, forensic testing and expert witness coordination, and investigative services to prove actual innocence in court. The organization operates as a free legal clinic affiliated with the University of Chicago Law School and handles cases across the United States.
Product overview
The Exoneration Project is a legal nonprofit organization offering free legal services to fight for wrongfully convicted individuals. The organization operates as a free legal clinic at the University of Chicago Law School and provides a unified set of services centered on legal representation, forensic investigation, and post-conviction litigation. Core offerings include case intake and application processing for innocence claims, free forensic testing and expert witness services, full legal representation in court proceedings, and exoneree re-entry support. The organization also operates a specialized East Coast Practice with offices in New York City and Washington, D.C., and publishes a quarterly newsletter.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Legal Representation Services Free legal representation for wrongfully convicted individuals, including post-conviction litigation, appeals, and innocence claims in courts.
- Forensic Testing and Investigation Services Provides free forensic testing, expert witnesses, and investigative services to prove client innocence in court proceedings.
- Case Intake and Application Process Application process for individuals claiming actual innocence to request legal representation, with an estimated 2-year review timeline.
- East Coast Practice Specialized representation for clients convicted on the East Coast, with offices in New York City and Washington, D.C.
- Exoneree Re-entry Support Services to support exonerees re-entering society, including assistance with housing, employment recommendations, and ongoing advocacy.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 200 clients exonerated since 2007
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use The Exoneration Project
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
The Exoneration Project technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
The Exoneration Project partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- University of Chicago Law SchoolcoreThe Exoneration Project operates as a free legal clinic at the University of Chicago Law School, involving law students in case work and providing hands-on legal training while serving clients.
- Loevy & LoevycoreCivil rights law firm that collaborates with EP. Many EP attorneys are partners at Loevy & Loevy, working jointly on wrongful conviction cases.
- Exoneration Justice Clinic at Notre Dame Law SchoolcoreInnocence organization partnership for co-counsel on cases, with EP attorney Elliot Slosar serving as Adjunct Professor and founding member of the Notre Dame Law School Exoneration Justice Clinic.
- Pennsylvania Innocence ProjectmajorCo-counsel partner on Pennsylvania cases including Harold Staten and C.J. Rice exonerations.
- Kentucky Innocence ProjectmajorCo-counsel partner on Kentucky cases including John Brandon Lamotte exoneration.
- Illinois Innocence ProjectmajorCo-counsel partner on Illinois wrongful conviction cases including Danny Davis exoneration.
- Innocence Project of FloridamajorCo-counsel partner on Florida wrongful conviction cases including Stephanie Spurgeon case.
- Northwestern University School of Law Center on Wrongful ConvictionsmajorHistorical partner for wrongful conviction cases, with EP attorney Josh Tepfer having served as Project Director of the Center on Wrongful Convictions of Youth.
- Innocence NetworkmajorNational network of innocence organizations providing resources and referrals for wrongful conviction cases.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Exoneration Project competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Innocence Project of Florida: Provides free post-conviction legal services to wrongfully convicted Floridians. Direct co-counsel peer of The Exoneration Project (e.g., Stephanie Spurgeon case), serving the same client segment with similar intake and litigation workflows.
- Innocence Project: The Innocence Project (founded 1992 at Cardozo Law School) is the largest and most established U.S. innocence organization, providing post-conviction legal representation to wrongfully convicted individuals — directly comparable to The Exoneration Project's core service. They compete for cases, donor dollars, and law-student clinicians.
- Kentucky Innocence Project: State-level innocence organization providing post-conviction representation and co-counsel partnerships (e.g., John Brandon Lamotte case with The Exoneration Project). Comparable in mission and case mix, including several attorneys (e.g., Amy Robinson Staples) who moved between the two.
- Center on Wrongful Convictions (Northwestern University): Northwestern's Center on Wrongful Convictions investigates and litigates wrongful conviction cases in Illinois and beyond, and has historical co-counsel ties with The Exoneration Project. Both are Chicago-based innocence organizations with law school clinic structures and overlapping attorney networks (e.g., Josh Tepfer previously directed its Youth division).
- Illinois Innocence Project: State-focused innocence organization providing post-conviction representation to wrongfully convicted individuals in Illinois. Co-counsels cases with The Exoneration Project (e.g., Danny Davis exoneration) and shares overlapping investigator/staff talent.
- California Innocence Project: One of the largest state-based innocence organizations, providing post-conviction legal representation to wrongfully convicted individuals in California. Directly comparable in mission, services, and law-school-clinic affiliation model (California Western School of Law).
- Pennsylvania Innocence Project: Provides free legal services to wrongfully convicted individuals in Pennsylvania, including co-counsel cases with The Exoneration Project (Harold Staten and C.J. Rice exonerations). Identical service model — application-based intake, post-conviction representation, and re-entry support.
- Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project: Regional innocence organization serving Maryland, Virginia, Washington D.C., and surrounding states, providing free post-conviction legal representation. Overlaps with The Exoneration Project's newly expanded East Coast Practice footprint.
Others
- Innocence Network: National membership organization of innocence organizations (including The Exoneration Project) that coordinates referrals, shared resources, and policy advocacy across the field. Acts as an ecosystem convener rather than a direct service peer.
- Loevy & Loevy: Civil rights law firm whose partners simultaneously serve as Exoneration Project attorneys (Josh Tepfer, Russell Ainsworth, Debra Loevy, David Owens, Elliot Slosar, Tess Kleinhaus). Not a peer in innocence services but the closest structural partner, providing litigation capacity and §1983 post-exoneration civil rights work.
Market position
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks1 record
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Exoneration Project social profiles
Digital presenceThe Exoneration Project financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Exoneration Project leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles19 records
The Exoneration Project funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Exoneration Project M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Exoneration Project
What does The Exoneration Project do?
The Exoneration Project is a nonprofit legal organization that provides free legal services to individuals who have been wrongfully convicted of crimes. Its core work includes free legal representation in post-conviction proceedings, forensic testing and expert witness coordination, and investigative services to prove actual innocence in court. The organization operates as a free legal clinic affiliated with the University of Chicago Law School and handles cases across the United States.
Is The Exoneration Project a public or private company?
The Exoneration Project is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Exoneration Project founded?
The Exoneration Project was founded in 2007. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Exoneration Project based?
The Exoneration Project is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Exoneration Project make money?
One revenue line is on record: non-profit Legal Services.
Who are The Exoneration Project's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Innocence Project of Florida, Innocence Project, Kentucky Innocence Project, Center on Wrongful Convictions (Northwestern University), Illinois Innocence Project, California Innocence Project, Pennsylvania Innocence Project and Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project. Others are Innocence Network and Loevy & Loevy.
Does The Exoneration Project have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Exoneration Project.
What industry is The Exoneration Project in?
The Exoneration Project's product category is Wrongful Conviction Legal Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADAGAL, Transitional Justice, Accountability & Reparations, with a secondary code of BPAKAEAE, Litigation Support & Civil Investigations (Witness/Asset/Skip Tracing). Its NAICS code is 813311 and its SIC code is 8111.