Attorney Volunteer Form

I hereby acknowledge that, by participating in the Pennsylvania Innocence Project (PIP), I have an obligation to protect the confidentiality of communications between the PIP and inmates who seek its assistance, as well as information obtained on behalf of an inmate seeking representation. I understand that trust and full exchange of information among myself, the inmate, and his or her lawyer, is critical to the effort of the PIP to assist the inmate; in some cases such confidential and privileged information may determine whether an innocent inmate is freed from prison.

I understand that when I obtain any information regarding an inmate’s case being screened, evaluated, investigated, or litigated, I owe a duty of confidentiality and loyalty to that inmate. Accordingly, I agree not to divulge such information to anyone outside the PIP. I further understand that any information I share with people working for the PIP will be held in confidence by them and that I also am obliged to protect the confidentiality of information about other inmates that I learn indirectly through my work with the PIP.

I understand that, through my work with the PIP, I may have access to attorney work product in the form of manuals and manuscripts discussing strategies for pursuing innocence claims. I agree not to divulge the content of such material to representatives of any city, state, or federal law enforcement or prosecutorial agency.

I understand that should I have any question about my obligation to keep material confidential I should seek clarification with PIP. I understand that my obligations of confidentiality and loyalty to the clients that I assist through counsel while I work with and for the PIP continue indefinitely once established, regardless of my employment status. Should any work involving a case of the PIP be performed on my personal computer, all said work shall be converted and saved to hard copy on a flash drive or CD and it shall be turned over to the PIP upon the cessation of my affiliation with the PIP. Thereafter, the work shall be permanently erased from the computer’s hard drive and all other disks to which any such work was saved, shall be destroyed or erased.

I acknowledge that I received a copy of the Pennsylvania Innocence Project’s Ethics & Professional Responsibility Guidelines.