Launched in 2016, Exonerees’ Tax Assistance Network helps exonerated individuals who have federal and state tax problems with pro bono legal counsel. The Network connects exonorees to accountants and lawyers, who provide pro bono assistance on numerous tax matters, including refund applications allowed under the Wrongful Conviction Tax Relief Act of 2015.
Ms. Miller worked on the pro bono project with Jon Eldan, founder and director of After Innocence, as well as law students at the College of William and Mary. The team was highlighted for its particularly innovative use of Thomson Reuters’ investigative tool, PeopleMap on Westlaw, to identify individuals who were wrongly incarcerated and over-taxed.
“Those who have been wrongfully convicted, exonerated and released from prison face extraordinary challenges as they work to reintegrate into society,” said Ms. Miller. “As they try to rebuild their lives, it is critically important that they receive our compassion, as well as access to effective pro bono legal services.”
Everyday Heroes award recipients receive a $10,000 charitable donation to a not-for-profit made by Thomson Reuters on their behalf. The chosen beneficiary of Reed Smith’s award is Jon Eldan’s After Innocence organization, which provides effective, efficient re-entry assistance for America’s wrongfully convicted, and advocates for smart policy reform on their behalf.
To learn more about the 2016 Everyday Heroes Award, watch a short video from Thomson Reuters.
About Reed Smith
Reed Smith is a global relationship law firm with more than 1,700 lawyers in 27 offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Founded in 1877, the firm represents leading international businesses, from Fortune 100 corporations to mid-market and emerging enterprises. Its lawyers provide litigation and other dispute-resolution services in multi-jurisdictional and other high-stakes matters; deliver regulatory counsel; and execute the full range of strategic domestic and cross-border transactions. Reed Smith is a preeminent advisor to industries including financial services, life sciences, health care, advertising, entertainment and media, shipping and transport, energy and natural resources, real estate, manufacturing and technology, and education. For more information, visit reedsmith.com.
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