By Amanda BrownSince the Legal Service Corporation began its “Technology Initiatives Grant” (TIG) program in 2000, technology has taken a stronghold on Access to Justice, promising to be a key input for shrinking the Justice Gap. In the Age of AI, we see this even more acutely.Automating processes. Increasing efficiency. Scaling services. As a justice technologist, these
Pro Bono
From the Ground Up: Rethinking Civil Justice Reform
By Kelsea JeonI’m in what is likely my final year of school — ever. I’m a 3L at Stanford Law, and as the days of classes dwindle, I’m savoring every bit of knowledge. One class in particular, Social Justice Impact Litigation, has been a highlight. We’ve been grappling with doctrinal, strategic and ethical questions around social justice lawyering — from…
Legal Aid Today and Tomorrow: A Discussion with Chicago Bar Foundation’s Bob Glaves
By Andres FonsecaThe Legal Services Corporation is the primary funding source for most legal aid in the United States, but legal aid is supported both on a national and a local scale. An array of donors and volunteers support Chicago’s legal aid scene. After the Legal Services Corporation, the Chicago Bar Foundation is one of the…
Championing Rural Rights
By Liani BalasuriyaIn the summer of 2024, Caleb Atkins, now a 3L at the University of Tennessee College of Law, served as a Rural Summer Legal Corps fellow at the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands (LASMTC). The Rural Summer Legal Corps is a program between LSC and Equal Justice Works that…
A Pathway to Justice: AI and the Legal Aid Intake Problem
By Peter RileyLegal aid organizations have long managed to make the most out of limited resources in order to provide access to justice, a promise from our Constitution’s preamble and protected for the last 50 years by Legal Services Corporation (LSC). These dedicated professionals operate in a resource-strained environment that has seen only a $160 million…
Opening Doors: Expanding Access in the Legal Profession
By Armin SalekHow would you invest those funds if you received $1,000,000 to create a more inclusive legal profession?Suppose you are like the folks I have asked so far. In that case, you will likely mention early childhood education, high school law pathways, internships for aspiring lawyers, LSAT funding, or similar pre-law school interventions. I have…
AI for Legal Aid: A Step-by-Step Guide
By Kristen SondayStarting an AI project may seem like an overwhelming task, especially in such a fast-paced space with limited resources. However, the recent AI for Legal Aid Summit proved that it’s not only feasible, but can yield transformative results.At the Summit, we explored six innovative AI initiatives already driving real-world impact, from automating repetitive tasks…
LSC Grantee Spotlight: The Legal Aid Chicago Katten De Diego Legal Clinic
By Amy ChappleWe all went to law school to help people. And at our core, I’m sure we all consider ourselves “good” people. But, as legal professionals, do we actually end up helping people in the way we intended with the degree that we worked so hard to obtain? Do we serve the communities in which…
Innovation for Justice Launches New Nationwide Toolkit for UPL Reform and Domestic Violence…
Innovation for Justice Launches New Nationwide Toolkit for UPL Reform and Domestic Violence AdvocacyBy Cayley BalserOctober is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and a good month to highlight a project that focuses on connecting survivors of domestic violence with the necessary help and services they need. In the spring of 2023, Innovation for Justice (i4J) began a project…
LSC Spotlight on Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County: Legal Aid for Your Health
By Shelly SkinnerNeighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County (NLSLA) is a non-profit organization that provides free legal assistance to low-income people. NLSLA handles a wide range of civil matters, including domestic violence, housing, unemployment benefits, and expungement of criminal records. Additionally, NLSLA has provided legal services through medical-legal partnerships for over a decade.Medical-legal partnerships…