Over the past few years, Amazon lawyers and legal professionals have spent hundreds of hours screening, evaluating, and litigating cases for the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project (MAIP). MAIP works to prevent and correct the conviction of innocent people in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. With one of the highest success rates in the country for exonerating those who have been wrongfully accused, MAIP gives hope to people who feel they are out of options. According to the organization, no other company or law firm has devoted more people, time, and resources to MAIP’s work than Amazon. For its contributions, the Amazon legal department was recognized with MAIP’s Defender of Innocence Award for their dedication and assistance during the nonprofit’s 13th Annual Awards Luncheon.
The work we do with MAIP reminds us of the importance of pro bono service, particularly in the communities in which we live and work. MAIP’s mission is vital, and we are proud to partner with them in this important work.
Roughly 120 Amazon attorneys across 14 countries have spent hundreds of hours screening, evaluating, and litigating cases for MAIP. The help of Amazon’s legal department has significantly eased MAIP’s workload, freeing up time and resources for the organization to review more wrongful conviction cases and reach more innocent people.
“One of our newest Leadership Principles is ‘Success and Scale Bring Broad Responsibility,’ and pro bono work is one of the ways we embody this principle for our customers and the world at large,” said Najib Saïl, senior legal counsel at Amazon France and head of the European pro bono taskforce. “Receiving the Defender of Innocence Award from MAIP is an honor and a testament to the efforts made by Amazon attorneys to serve those in our communities in need.”
The Amazon legal department is grateful to be recognized for the time and expertise they have committed to preventing and correcting wrongful convictions.
“Amazon’s attorneys and legal professionals recognize that we have unique skills that can help ensure that members of our communities have access to justice,” said Kathy Sheehan, VP of Business Conduct and Ethics and global co-head of pro bono at Amazon. “The work we do with MAIP reminds us of the importance of pro bono service, particularly in the communities in which we live and work. MAIP’s mission is vital, and we are proud to partner with them in this important work.”
Amazon's Pro Bono Program encourages and enables Amazon legal professionals worldwide to provide free legal services to underserved communities. Since 2014, Amazon legal teams have donated tens of thousands of hours of pro bono legal services to clients in need. Amazon partners with a variety of community organizations and law firms globally.
