Access to Justice

Reforming law school: Start with the end in mind

Last month, I wrote here about some potential changes to legal training in the United States, based on my own experience and conversations within and outside both the industry and country. The response was overwhelmingly positive from those who understood that I am trying to improve our profession for lawyers and clients alike.

Jul 13, 2018 7:05 AM CDT

California Supreme Court rules indigent litigants are entitled to free court reporters

People of modest means involved in civil cases are entitled to a court reporter if one is not already provided, the California Supreme Court ruled July 5.

Jul 6, 2018 4:15 PM CDT

Focus on client outcomes, says new report on legal aid data

A new report released Wednesday calls for civil legal aid to rethink how it uses data and tracks impact.

Jun 20, 2018 6:00 AM CDT

Prosecutors should create innovation offices to improve justice and public safety

Barring a successful write-in candidate, Satana Deberry will be Durham, North Carolina’s next prosecutor. Previously a defense attorney, she is a part of a reform-focused cohort from both major parties. These district attorneys are not running on the usual “tough on crime” platform. Instead, they see the role of prosecutor as more than merely securing a conviction.

Jun 18, 2018 7:00 AM CDT

Tech is not the only answer to legal aid issues, justice center director Joyce Raby says (podcast)

Since the late 1990s, Joyce Raby has spent a career bringing technology to legal aid. While a booster and believer in technology's potential to improve America's legal system, her experience is tempering.

"We've been saying for a very long time that technology was going to be the saving grace for the justice ecosystem," she says. "I don't think it is."

Jun 13, 2018 7:00 AM CDT

Illinois disciplinary agency seeks comment on letting lawyers use for-profit referral services

Update: An Illinois Supreme Court administrative agency is taking comments on the concept that lawyers be allowed to participate in for-profit referral services.

The Illinois Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission survey cites a state appeals-court finding that fee sharing with a local bar association was a "positive force" in improving access to justice.

Jun 5, 2018 7:00 AM CDT

ABA submits testimony urging LSC funding be restored to at least 2010 levels

The Legal Services Corp.'s funding should be restored "at least" to inflation-adjusted 2010 levels, ABA President Hilarie Bass said in testimony submitted to a U.S. Senate subcommittee Wednesday.

“The federal government has a definite role in promoting equal justice and justice for all,” her written testimony says. “The federal role in promoting equal civil justice is funding the Legal Services Corporation.”

May 23, 2018 5:29 PM CDT

Want to improve AI for law? Let’s talk about public data and collaboration

When data scientists want to know if their artificial intelligence software can recognize handwritten digits, they have to test it. For most, this means taking a dataset of black-and-white handwritten symbols and running it through the software.

May 22, 2018 7:00 AM CDT

Improving access to justice via technology

“Access to justice” is an interesting phrase. It suggests a right to justice, one that is generally accepted as a fundamental part of American culture and which is recognized in our Constitution’s Bill of Rights. But, in today’s world, access to justice is too often only theoretical.

May 17, 2018 7:15 AM CDT

The path forward for the legal technician model

On Easter Sunday, my husband woke me at 4 a.m. because his eyes were red and his vision clouded. Although it was painful, it was not an emergency-room situation, so we waited until the urgent care center opened. There, he was seen by a physician’s assistant who was more than capable of diagnosing his condition and providing a remedy—all without a doctor present.

May 11, 2018 8:30 AM CDT

Legal tech has a diversity problem, new report says

New research confirms what many had suspected: women and minority founders are underrepresented in legal technology.

May 9, 2018 7:00 AM CDT

Global Legal Hackathon announces winners

The Global Legal Hackathon announced its winners Saturday night in New York City.

Apr 24, 2018 7:30 AM CDT

Fees and fines threaten judicial independence

For more than a decade, state court systems have been chronically underfunded. The ABA’s Task Force on the Preservation of the Justice System has called it “one of the most critical issues facing the legal profession.” But rather than support courts and the justice system through general tax revenue, states are increasingly relying on criminal fees and fines charged to defendants.

Apr 19, 2018 7:00 AM CDT

Legal technicians belong in courtrooms

One of the constant criticisms of the Washington limited license legal technician is that there only around 30 licensed technicians so far—even though the program is still in its infancy. A second challenge is that, currently, the LLLT cannot represent a client in court.

Apr 13, 2018 7:00 AM CDT

Focus of ABA Day 2018 will be on LSC funding and preserving student loan forgiveness program

Securing the financial ability of lawyers to meet the legal needs of the public will be the focus of ABA Day in Washington, D.C., as the association advocates for increased funding for the Legal Services Corp. and the preservation of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

Apr 11, 2018 6:30 AM CDT