Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project
Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal organization founded in 2000 that provides free pro bono investigative and post-conviction legal services to wrongfully convicted individuals in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia, and drives legislative reform on eyewitness ID, DNA testing, and exoneree compensation.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project does
The Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project (MAIP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal organization founded in 2000 and headquartered at 1413 K Street NW in Washington, DC. It provides free pro bono legal and investigative services to individuals who claim factual innocence and were convicted in the District of Columbia, Maryland, or Virginia. Services include case intake and screening, field investigation, coordination of forensic (including DNA) testing, post-conviction litigation in state and federal courts, and policy advocacy aimed at preventing future wrongful convictions and supporting exoneree reentry. MAIP operates a Screener Portal on its website (exonerate.org) for intake and uses a direct-to-consumer model in which incarcerated individuals or their representatives submit applications by mail or online; referrals are also generated through the Innocence Network, prison networks, legal aid organizations, and word-of-mouth.
MAIP does not rely on proprietary technology. Its work product is legal services, supported by a small professional staff of attorneys, investigators, a screening manager, a data specialist, paralegals, and client services specialists, supplemented by a deep pro bono partnership network that includes major US law firms (Skadden, Hogan Lovells, Davis Polk, Latham & Watkins, Cooley, Venable, Baker Botts, WilmerHale, Troutman Pepper, Brown Goldstein & Levy), academic clinics (Georgetown University Prisons and Justice Initiative, University of Baltimore Innocence Project Clinic), and Conviction Integrity Units in the Baltimore City State's Attorney Office and the Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney Office. The organization has helped secure 45 exonerations, reversing 917+ combined years of wrongful incarceration, and has contributed to passage of 20 laws in its three-state footprint addressing eyewitness identification, interrogation recording, DNA testing access, criminal file transparency, and exoneree compensation.
MAIP's revenue is funded entirely through charitable contributions: individual donations (including monthly giving and planned giving/stock gifts), tiered corporate partnerships (Bronze $25,000 to Platinum $100,000), foundation and institutional grants (including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Skadden Foundation), and annual fundraising events headlined by the Evening of Light gala. All legal services are provided free of charge to qualifying clients. The organization is governed by an independent Board of Directors and led by Executive Director Shawn Armbrust, who has held the role since 2005 and serves on the board of the Innocence Network.
Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project
- Legal name
- Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project
- Website
- https://exonerate.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal organization founded in 2000 that provides free pro bono investigative and post-conviction legal services to wrongfully convicted individuals in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia, and drives legislative reform on eyewitness ID, DNA testing, and exoneree compensation.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Legal Aid Services
- SIC
- Services-Legal Services (8111)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Criminal Defense (BPAHAAAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Reentry, Rehabilitation & Reintegration Programs (Education, Vocational, Case Management) (BPAKANAH), Prosecution & District/State Attorney Services (BPAIAFAB), Litigation Support & Civil Investigations (Witness/Asset/Skip Tracing) (BPAKAEAE)
Keywords
Where Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: MAIP receives donations from individual supporters at various levels through their website, monthly donor program, and annual fundraising events. Donors receive various benefits based on giving level including merchandise, event access, and recognition.
- Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partnerships with law firms and corporations at tiered levels (Bronze $25,000 to Platinum $100,000) provide significant funding. Benefits include social media recognition, event sponsorship, thought leadership opportunities, and case secondments.
- Planned Giving and Stock Gifts: MAIP accepts planned giving (bequests in wills) and gifts of stock as alternative donation methods for supporters seeking tax-advantaged giving options.
- Foundation and Institutional Grants: Support from foundations including The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Skadden Foundation, and others provides operational funding for the organization's mission.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels9 records
Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project product offering
Product offeringCore offering
MAIP provides free pro bono investigative and legal services to wrongfully convicted individuals incarcerated in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. The organization reviews incoming claims, screens cases for evidence of innocence (including DNA), conducts field investigations, coordinates forensic testing, and litigates post-conviction innocence petitions through partner law firms. MAIP also advances systemic reform through legislative advocacy and supports exonerees with reintegration after release.
Product overview
The Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project (MAIP) is a nonprofit legal organization that provides free investigative and legal services to wrongfully convicted individuals in Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. The organization does not offer a technology product or software platform; instead, it delivers direct legal services including case intake and screening, field investigation, litigation support, and policy advocacy. Services include reviewing cases of innocent incarcerated people, pursuing exoneration through DNA testing or new evidence, and working to prevent wrongful convictions through legislative reform. The organization also operates a Screener Portal for case submission and manages donor programs and corporate partnerships.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Case Review and Screening Service
- Investigative and Forensic Evidence Services
- Post-Conviction Litigation Representation
- Exoneree Reentry Support
- Policy and Legislative Advocacy
Quantifiable outcome
- 45 men exonerated or freed since 2000
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney Conviction Integrity UnitcorePartnership announced February 2025 to create Fairfax County's first-ever Conviction Integrity Unit. Individuals who believe they were wrongfully convicted of felonies in Fairfax County can submit cases for review.
- Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLPcoreMajor law firm partner providing pro bono legal representation. Co-counsel on Clarence Jones case with Buckley LLP. Long-time supporter and sponsor of Evening of Light gala.
- Hogan Lovells US LLPcoreMajor law firm partner and sponsor. Board member Allison Holt-Ryan is a partner at Hogan Lovells.
- Davis Polk & Wardwell LLPcorePlatinum sponsor of 2026 Evening of Light gala. Major corporate partner providing pro bono legal support.
- Latham & Watkins LLPcoreLaw firm partner providing pro bono legal representation. Co-counsel with MAIP on Curtis Morris case. Board member William McConagha is a partner at Latham.
- Cooley LLPcoreLaw firm partner providing pro bono legal representation. Worked on Kenneth Bond-El case with attorneys Dee Bansal, Erich Veitenheimer, Beth Shrieves, and Natalie Pike.
- Venable LLPcoreLaw firm partner with dedicated litigation team for MAIP cases. Worked on Rick Boyd case with partner Seth Rosenthal. Board member Troy Burner is from Justice Policy Institute.
- Baker Botts LLPcoreLaw firm partner providing pro bono representation on MAIP cases. Worked on Rodney Brown case alongside Second Look Project.
- University of Baltimore Innocence Project CliniccoreJoint collaboration between University of Baltimore School of Law and Maryland Office of Public Defender. Co-investigates cases with MAIP and presents to CIU partnership.
- Georgetown University Prisons and Justice InitiativecoreAcademic partner providing case support and student involvement. Professor Marc Howard brought Kenneth Bond-El case to MAIP attention.
- Baltimore City State's Attorney Conviction Integrity UnitcoreOngoing partnership for joint case review. CIU-MAIP-UBIPC partnership has resulted in 12+ exonerations since 2015.
- Virginia Department of Forensic ScienceminorMAIP serves as contact point for over 800 individuals whose DNA was being tested as part of Virginia's Old Case Testing Project.
- WilmerHalecoreMajor law firm sponsor of Evening of Light gala and supporter of MAIP mission.
- Troutman Pepper Locke LLPcoreLaw firm partner and sponsor. Board member Madeline Moore is a partner at Troutman Pepper.
- Brown, Goldstein & Levy LLPcoreLaw firm partner and board member Neel Lalchandani serves as Board Chair. Major supporter and sponsor.
- The Innocence ProjectcoreFounding organization of the Innocence Movement (1992) at Cardozo School of Law. MAIP works with Innocence Project on national policy and individual cases.
- Innocence NetworkcoreNetwork connecting 59+ innocence organizations across the country. MAIP has been a member since its founding. Executive Director Shawn Armbrust has been a board member since 2007.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- California Innocence Project: One of the largest US innocence organizations, based at Cal Western School of Law. Performs the same core function (case review, investigation, litigation, policy) at greater scale and in California. Most direct functional peer to MAIP nationally.
- University of Baltimore Innocence Project Clinic (UBIPC): Joint MAIP partner organization housed at University of Baltimore School of Law. Co-investigates cases and co-presents to CIU partnership, with prior Director Michele Nethercott now of counsel at MAIP. Identical regional scope and operational model.
- Center on Wrongful Convictions (Northwestern): Academic innocence project at Northwestern Law where MAIP's Executive Director previously worked as case coordinator. Performs identical post-conviction exoneration work with similar legal/investigative capabilities and DNA focus, making it a directly comparable peer in mission and method.
- Georgia Innocence Project: Regional innocence organization serving Georgia. Comparable scope and service model to MAIP — case screening, investigative work, post-conviction litigation, and policy advocacy within a single-state jurisdiction.
- New England Innocence Project: Multi-state regional innocence project serving Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Closest geographic scale and operating model peer to MAIP's multi-jurisdiction DC/MD/VA remit.
- Midwestern Innocence Project: Regional innocence organization serving Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Arkansas, and South Dakota. Same operational model (intake, investigation, litigation, policy reform), differentiated only by Midwestern geography. Directly comparable in scale and capability to MAIP.
- Northern Arizona Innocence Project: Smaller regional innocence organization performing similar case screening and post-conviction work. Demonstrates the replicable smaller-footprint model MAIP exemplifies, useful as a comparable for trajectory benchmarking.
- Duke Wrongful Convictions Clinic: Academic innocence clinic at Duke Law School performing similar case investigation and post-conviction litigation. Operates at smaller scale than MAIP but with directly comparable client work.
Broad incumbents
- The Innocence Project: Founder of the modern innocence movement (1992, Cardozo School of Law) and the national thought leader. MAIP is explicitly a partner/sister organization that works with The Innocence Project on national policy and individual cases. The Innocence Project operates at national/international scale while MAIP is regionally focused.
Others
- Innocence Network: Umbrella network connecting 59+ innocence organizations nationwide. MAIP has been a member since its founding and ED Shawn Armbrust has served on its board since 2007. Comparable in mission but operates as a coordinating body rather than a direct client-services provider.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project social profiles
Digital presenceMid-Atlantic Innocence Project financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles17 records
Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Mid-Atlantic Innocence 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 Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project
What does Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project do?
MAIP provides free pro bono investigative and legal services to wrongfully convicted individuals incarcerated in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. The organization reviews incoming claims, screens cases for evidence of innocence (including DNA), conducts field investigations, coordinates forensic testing, and litigates post-conviction innocence petitions through partner law firms. MAIP also advances systemic reform through legislative advocacy and supports exonerees with reintegration after release.
Is Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project a public or private company?
Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project founded?
Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project was founded in 2000. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project based?
Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Partnerships, planned Giving and Stock Gifts and foundation and Institutional Grants.
Who are Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are California Innocence Project, University of Baltimore Innocence Project Clinic (UBIPC), Center on Wrongful Convictions (Northwestern), Georgia Innocence Project, New England Innocence Project, Midwestern Innocence Project, Northern Arizona Innocence Project and Duke Wrongful Convictions Clinic. The Innocence Project is listed as a broad incumbent. Innocence Network is listed as an others.
Does Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project have an API?
No public API is recorded for Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project.
What industry is Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project in?
Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project's product category is Legal Aid Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAAAN, Criminal Defense, with a secondary code of BPAKANAH, Reentry, Rehabilitation & Reintegration Programs (Education, Vocational, Case Management). Its SIC code is 8111.