What Are the MBA Innocence and Conviction Integrity Initiatives?

Updated

The Massachusetts Bar Association (MBA) runs two related efforts under this heading: an Innocence Initiative that connects volunteers with wrongful-conviction work, and resources for prosecutorial Conviction Integrity Programs. MassBar.org describes the initiative page as a hub with "helpful resources for those interested in volunteering with the MBA's Innocence Initiative, resources for prosecutorial Conviction Integrity Programs and a 'Timeline of Progress.'" If you are an attorney, law student, or legal professional in Massachusetts looking to volunteer or to understand how conviction review is organized in the state, this page is the starting point.

What the Initiatives Cover

The page groups three kinds of material:

  • Volunteer resources for the Innocence Initiative — guidance for members who want to work on innocence-related matters.
  • Resources for prosecutorial Conviction Integrity Programs — reference material aimed at conviction integrity units, which review claims of wrongful conviction from the prosecution side.
  • A "Timeline of Progress" — a historical view of developments in this area.

The MBA frames the broader effort around fairness in the criminal justice system. A related MBA fund, the Chief Justice Ralph Gants Fund for Racial Equity and Access to Justice, supports "initiatives to advance access to justice, racial equity and criminal justice reform in the legal system," which is the same general territory as conviction review work.

How to Get Involved

The MBA describes the initiative page as the entry point for volunteers. Based on the site's structure, the practical path is:

  1. Review the initiative webpage — the MBA directs interested parties there for volunteer resources and the Timeline of Progress.
  2. Check MBA volunteer opportunities — the MBA offers several ways to volunteer on community service programs, naming Dial-A-Lawyer, Mock Trial, and others. Innocence Initiative work sits alongside these as a member volunteer option.
  3. Use member tools to stay connected — MBA members can collaborate through My Bar Access, the association's online networking tool, which is a reasonable place to find or coordinate with others on this kind of work.

Note that the source material does not specify eligibility requirements, training schedules, or case-acceptance criteria for the Innocence Initiative. Those details would need to come from the initiative page itself or from MBA staff.

Who This Is For

Audience Relevant part of the initiative
Attorneys wanting pro bono innocence work Innocence Initiative volunteer resources
Prosecutors or conviction integrity staff Conviction Integrity Program resources
Researchers, students, or the public Timeline of Progress
MBA members generally Volunteer programs and My Bar Access

Related Member Benefits Worth Knowing

If you are considering volunteering, several MBA benefits support that work at no cost to members, according to the site:

  • Decisis — a legal research database, described as free and unlimited for MBA members.
  • Smokeball Bill — trust and billing software, free for MBA members (the site lists the value at $588 per user per year).
  • eJournal — the MBA's weekly newsletter, which carries event and member news.

These are member benefits rather than part of the initiatives themselves, but they are the tools most likely to be useful if you take on innocence or conviction review work through the MBA.

What the Source Does Not Cover

The available MassBar.org content does not state application deadlines, required experience, CLE credit for participation, or how individual cases are assigned. For those specifics, go directly to the MBA Innocence and Conviction Integrity Initiatives webpage or contact the MBA.