Category Archives: Bar Associations

Is The ABA Really Willing for the Headline to be “Bar to Public: Drop Dead?”

Posted on February 6, 2016 by richardzorza

The American Lawyer is reporting (limited free link here) very significant opposition within the ABA to the work of the ABA Commission on the Future of Legal Services.  As the article explains: [The Commission’s Resolution 105 merely] asks the ABA … Continue reading →

Posted in ABA, Access to Counsel, Access to Justice Generally, Bar Associations, Legal Ethics, Non-Lawyer Practice | 3 Comments

Important Paper On Impact of Technology On Need For Lawyers May Answer One Question, But Ask Bigger Ones

Posted on January 8, 2016 by richardzorza

A recent New York Times article reports on a just drafted study on the potential impact on legal employment markets of the spread of technology. As explained in the Times: . . . [T]here are many human activities that cannot … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Attorney-Client, Bar Associations, Document Assembly, Metrics, Non-Lawyer Practice, Research and Evalation, Rules Reform, Simplification, Technology | Comments Off on Important Paper On Impact of Technology On Need For Lawyers May Answer One Question, But Ask Bigger Ones

Five Transformative Bar Reform Ideas To Get to 100% to Justice — Paper Abstract

Posted on January 5, 2016 by richardzorza

A few months ago, the Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics invited me to submit a paper on the relationship between access to justice, commercialization of the legal practice, and judicial ethics.  The paper will be published in the summer of … Continue reading →

Posted in Attorney-Client, Bar Associations, Funding, Legal Aid, LSC, Middle Income, Mixed Model, Non-Lawyer Practice, Outcome Measures, Political Support, Systematic Change, Tax Policy, Technology, Triage, Unbundling | 2 Comments

A Review of Possible Elements of Deregulation of Law, Gleaned From Current Conversations

Posted on December 9, 2015 by richardzorza

As the legal profession discusses the possibility of deregulation, it might be useful to think about the regulatory areas that are most frequently cited as barriers to increasing accesses.  Such a listing may help us decide if the kinds of … Continue reading →

Posted in Bar Associations, Judicial Ethics, Rules Reform, Systematic Change, Technology | 2 Comments

ABA Commission Recomending Model Regulatory Objectives Can Lay Groundwork for Innovation and For Integration with CCJ/COSCA 100% Access Resolution Process

Posted on October 18, 2015 by richardzorza

The ABA Commission on the Future of Legal Services, is seeking comments on proposed ABA Model Regulatory Objectives.  The proposed Objectives are as follows: A. Protection of the public B. Advancement of the administration of justice and the rule of … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Bar Associations | Comments Off on ABA Commission Recomending Model Regulatory Objectives Can Lay Groundwork for Innovation and For Integration with CCJ/COSCA 100% Access Resolution Process

We Need a National Campaign for Access to Justice — Why the CCJ/COSCA Resolution Makes it So Much Easier and What Might It Start to Look Like?

Posted on September 18, 2015 by richardzorza

There are lots of reasons why we really do not have in place anything like a national campaign for 100% access     (Although we have certainly become much better at talking about the need).  One of the reasons for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Boards, Access to Justice Generally, Bar Associations, Budget Issues, Communications Strategy, Legal Aid, LEP, LSC, Self-Help Services, Simplification, Triage, Unbundling | 1 Comment

Reflections on Two Comments on 100% Access to Justice Definition

Posted on September 6, 2015 by richardzorza

The proposed definition of 100% access to justice has received near record comments — and hopefully there will be more.  I want to comment on two here, although all are worth consideration and debate. Jim Greiner points out that the … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Boards, Access to Justice Generally, Administative Proecdure, Bar Associations, Budget Issues, Commentators, Consumer Rights, Court Management, Guest Bloggers, Research and Evalation, Simplification, Systematic Change, Triage | Comments Off on Reflections on Two Comments on 100% Access to Justice Definition

Towards a Definition of “One Hundred Percent Access to Civil Justice”

Posted on September 3, 2015 by richardzorza

With the setting by the Conference of Chief Justices (CCJ), and the Conference of State Court Administrators  (COSCA) by Resolution of 100% access to justice as an “aspirational goal,” the question of just what that term means becomes more and … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Boards, Administative Proecdure, Bar Associations, Court Management, Judicial Ethics, Legal Aid, Planning, Research and Evalation, Systematic Change, Triage | 8 Comments

New CCJ/COSCA Resolution on 100% Access, and How to Get There, Is a Tipping Point

Posted on August 11, 2015 by richardzorza

The week before last, the Conference of (state) Chief Justices, and the Conference of State Court Administrators jointly passed two Resolutions that together predict a tipping pint forward in moving to justice.  One sets an aspirational goal of 100% access … Continue reading →

Posted in 100% Access Strategy and Campaign, Access to Counsel, Access to Justice Boards, Access to Justice Generally, Bar Associations, Communications Strategy, Court Management, Forms, Legal Aid, Mobile Technology, Outcome Measures, Political Support, Research and Evalation, Rules Reform, Self-Help Services, Simplification, Systematic Change, Technology, Triage, Unbundling | 3 Comments

Every Community Should Have a Civil Justice Coordinator and Coordinating Council

Posted on June 13, 2015 by richardzorza

The New York City Council recently passed a bill to create an Office of Civil Justice Coordinator. The bill, which was co-sponsored by Councilman Mark Levine, would create an office within the Human Resources Administration and have a budget of … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Boards, Access to Justice Generally, Bar Associations, Budget Issues, Legal Aid, Triage | Comments Off on Every Community Should Have a Civil Justice Coordinator and Coordinating Council

The Needed Components for National ATJ Initiative Taking

Posted on May 26, 2015 by richardzorza

A couple of years ago, I blogged about what a state capacity for access to justice might look like.  Folks might find this post useful to start to talk about evaluation of the progress of their state’s ATJ Commission (or … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Boards, Bar Associations, Communications Strategy, Dept. of Justice, Funding | Comments Off on The Needed Components for National ATJ Initiative Taking

The Risks Bars Face Unless They Approach Strategic Planning From a Public Interest Perspective

Posted on April 5, 2015 by richardzorza

After recently being part of a focus group for a Bar, part of a strategic planning process, I have some thoughts that might be helpful for bars entering into this process. Since the US Supreme Court case of North Carolina … Continue reading →

Posted in Anti-Trust, Bar Associations, Non-Lawyer Practice | 1 Comment