Innovative Technology Uses in New and Existing Pro Bono Projects ___________________________________ Stephanie Villinski Illinois Legal Aid Online Mary Kaczorek Legal Services State Support Adam Friedl Pro Bono Net

Innovative Technology Uses in New & Existing Pro Bono Projects Stephanie Villinski, Legal Content Manager

About Illinois Legal Aid Online IllinoisLegalAid.org: Legal information & self-help for IL residents AyudaLegalIL.org: Legal information & self-help for Spanish speakers in Illinois IllinoisLegalAdvocate.org: Training & practice support for legal-aid advocates IllinoisProBono.org: Volunteer opportunities & training for pro bono legal professionals

Improve on Virtual Brick & Mortar

Leverage What You Have More opportunities at this organization Helpful legal guides Webcasts of past trainings

Together Is Better Planning Prototype People

Resources for Outreach Even if you build it, they might not come Set aside staff time Additional bug finder Over 1,050 exposed to system since October 2013

Stay on Course Change Needs Accommodation Legal Aid Big Firm Pro bono Midsize/ Small Firm Change Needs Accommodation

Takeaways Define scope & sustainability Identify the “right” problems Impartial voice Ongoing documentation

Mary Kaczorek Legal Services State Support

State Support A project of the Minnesota Legal Services Coalition Prevent duplication of effort between regional legal aid offices Poverty law trainings LawHelpMN.org & ProJusticeMN.org Large technology projects, e.g. online intake, document assembly, e-filing

Statewide online legal advice system Building on regional online advice pilot project in Northwest Minnesota Low-income clients ask questions via the online system Volunteer attorneys provide the clients with legal advice Based on successful statewide Tennessee model, www.OnlineTNJustice.org

A Note on Replication Benefits of Replication Less expensive Not duplicative Already tested Easier sell – can use founding program’s data and experiences to help gather support Founding program may serve as a resource for you Challenges of Replication Less choice Modifying existing technology can be difficult

Selling points Another access point to get connected with legal services Another referral source for legal services providers Earlier intervention Convenient Geographic Reach Easy to administer  Proven Received state funding through Minnesota’s Legal Services Advisory Committee Grant term July 2013 – June 2014

Milestone 1: Project Scoping and Non-Technical Planning State Support will engage in the following scoping and non-technical planning activities: identify project stakeholders; make policy and approach decisions (such as income limits, scope of information to be collected during screening, etc.); explore and address ethical issues (including the applicability of Rule 6.5 and other conflicts considerations); explore and address malpractice issues; draft interview questions; develop volunteer attorney outreach plan and materials; promote availability of tool to prospective volunteer attorneys; and develop client outreach plan and materials. Milestone 2: Technical Planning State Support will engage in the following technical planning activities: hardware purchase (servers) and software setup; software customization (including technical implementation of MN-specific screening questions, rebranding to be MN-specific, and changing referral links); and site roll-out. Anticipated Timeline for Milestones 1 and 2: July 2013 through December 2013

Lesson #1: Timelines Simultaneous vs. sequential to-do items e.g. how “draft interview questions” coordinates with “explore and address ethical issues” Waiting time Internal & external Special considerations when working with volunteers Special considerations when working with lawyers Special considerations when working with technology Timing outreach Estimated v. actual timing Pessimism > Optimism

Lesson #2: Stakeholders Benefits Different perspectives Builds support for project in advocate community Improves outreach Helps prevent duplication between programs Challenges Conflicts between different stakeholder perspectives Conflicts between stakeholders perspectives & your goals/agenda Outline scope and role of stakeholders in advance Advisory or decision-making? Identify what items are already decided & what items are up for discussion

Lesson #3: Saying Yes Consider Good Questions What’s on the table Scope of project Practicality of implementation Consequences Good Questions What is the perspective/reason behind the proposal? What weight should I give that perspective in the scope of my project? Why am I saying yes to this? Are these reasons worth the difficulty of implementation? How many changes/adaptations am I already making? How will this affect my timeline? Is this getting too complicated? Will saying yes open the door to additional proposals that might conflict with other parts of the project or snowball beyond this project’s scope?

Lessons: Questions? Timelines Stakeholders Saying Yes Mary Kaczorek, Legal Services State Support mkaczorek@mnlegalservices.org

Adam Friedl

If you Build it…

Ok, it actually doesn’t work like that at all A successful marriage of tech and pro bono/legal services programs requires: Careful thinking about the goals of tech use A common vision and understanding amongst stakeholders Enthusiastic promotion through multiple channels

New York Family Court Remote Volunteer Attorney Project Brief, limited scope consultations provided through videoconference Pilot started on Staten Island and expanded “upstate” Overcome mismatch between location of available lawyers and location of clients in need

“Are you some Kind of Lumberjack Lawyer?”

Consumer Debt Clinics and Document Assembly Walk-in clinics where pro se defendants receive brief counseling and help preparing papers Large client demand, but services are time- consuming Help clients prepare complex, but relatively routine, papers properly

Resources for Consumers

The “DEN” (Debt and Eviction Navigator) Homebound elderly folks have limited access to legal services Do receive regular visits from social workers Allow non-lawyers to screen for Housing and Consumer Debt issues with an app – the DEN

Online, interactive triage tool for non-lawyers

The takeaways When in doubt, the simpler option is usually better. Plan with your partners, and then plan some more. Also, make sure you plan. Spread the word far and wide. Social media is great, but it’s one of many tools.

Thank you!