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probono.net | Proprietary & Confidential | Not for Distribution Increasing Access to Justice Through Technology-Enabled Collaboration and Volunteer Participation Community Information Corps Seminar November 6, 2009

● National nonprofit ● Founded in 1998, incubated at the Open Society Institute ● Mission: − Increase access to justice for the poor ● How?  Innovative use of technology to: − Facilitate collaboration in the nonprofit legal sector − Increase pro bono participation Pro Bono Net

immigration issues eviction domestic violence public benefits job discrimination disability rights disaster relief access to health care Pro Bono Net

UpstateNYer (Wikimedia Commons)

Civil legal aid ● Nonprofit legal assistance programs for people who can’t afford it ● Federally-funded by the Legal Services Corporation ● Eligibility generally relates to 125% of poverty level – approx. $27,563 for a family of four ● Restrictions on handling certain matters

1 lawyer per 525 people in general population 1 legal aid lawyer per 6,861 people living in poverty 80% of low income people with legal problems are not being served The Justice Gap

Access solutions Where can technology capacities improve the “spine” of service delivery? ● Improve accessibility of legal services  Serve people that never reach the doors the doors of legal aid.  Improve access to accurate information for social workers, educators, non-legal advocates  Increase the effectiveness of intake and hotlines ● Improve quality of legal services:  Increase effectiveness of advocates  Improve efficiency of delivery system  Increase and support pro bono attorneys

Pro Bono Net’s platforms ● LawHelp.org ● probono.net

Adopted in 28 states Participation by 200+ nonprofit legal programs National support + local coordination Helps people find solutions and assistance Pro Bono Net

I lost my job. Can I keep my health insurance for my family? How do I get a restraining order against my abuser? ¿Tengo que ser un ciudadano americano para recibir beneficios de FEMA? Know Your Rights Resources

Detailed referral information for 600+ nonprofit legal aid programs

Diagnostic tools, templates and interactive forms to help people exercise their rights Personalized documents created from the answers. Pro Bono Net

Advocacy GroupsLibraries Social Service Agencies Legal Aid ProgramsCourts Law Schools Reaching 28 states and 70% of US poverty population 250,000 visitors a month

Tech collaboration leads to other forms Pooled investments mean programs do more with less Shared platform = local innovations can be scaled Pro Bono Net

Pro Bono Net’s platforms ● LawHelp.org ● probono.net

Common concerns about pro bono ● “I didn’t know what kind of help you needed” ● Lack of time -- not enough hours in the day ● Out of my area of practice ● Lack of support for doing pro bono work ● How can technology help enable and better support pro bono work?

National network of volunteer attorneys and practitioners Organized in 30+ geographic and substantive areas Practice resources maintained by leading public interest legal organizations Pro Bono Net

probono.net/asylum ● 3,000 members ● Library of 300+ key practice resources ● Time-saving resources ● Support for skill development ● Networking tools Collaboratively managed by leading asylum programs Pro Bono Net

ImmigrationAdvocatesNetwork.org Pro Bono Net

50,000 probono.net members Technology and practice resources are pooled and collaboratively managed by PBN partners Shared platform = local innovations can be scaled National support + local coordination

Access solutions Where can technology capacities improve the “spine” of service delivery? ● Improve accessibility of legal services  Serve people that never reach the doors the doors of legal aid.  Improve access to accurate information for social workers, educators, non-legal advocates  Increase the effectiveness of intake and hotlines ● Improve quality of legal services:  Increase effectiveness of advocates  Improve efficiency of delivery system  Increase and support pro bono attorneys

Roles for CI students ● Bringing new knowledge / research to bear on practice ● Identify / assess / design pilot initiatives ● Prospective partners or beneficiaries ● Practical engagement opportunities ● A research agenda? ● Growing and diverse field of practitioners

Thank you! Liz Keith LawHelp Program Manager | (415)