Category Archives: Self-Help Services

NYT Publishes First Article on Comprehensive Changes in Legal Aid (Broadly Defined)

Posted on November 24, 2014 by richardzorza

Showing the huge value and potential of a coherent communications strategy for the legal aid world (broadly defined to include both community-based and court-based legal aid) the New York Times on Saturday published its first real comprehensive article on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Counsel, Communications Strategy, Legal Aid, LSC, Non-Lawyer Practice, Political Support, Self-Help Services, Systematic Change, Triage | Comments Off on NYT Publishes First Article on Comprehensive Changes in Legal Aid (Broadly Defined)

Assessing the Appropriateness of ATJ Innovations

Posted on October 28, 2014 by richardzorza

The more I am involved with discussions about possible access to justice innovations, the more I am struck that often those in favor and those against are really talking across each other because they are assessing the utility and value … Continue reading →

Posted in Non-Lawyer Practice, Self-Help Services, Systematic Change | 4 Comments

Guest Blogger Katherine Alteneder of SRLN Suggests Strategies for Getting to 100% Self-Help Services Coverage Nationally

Posted on August 28, 2014 by richardzorza

I invited Katherine Alteneder, my replacement as coordinator of the Self-Represented Litigation Network, to bring us up to date on the potential impact of the very important recent ABA survey on Self-Help Centers. This is her guest post. I hope … Continue reading →

Posted in Self-Help Services, SRLN, Systematic Change | 1 Comment

Canadian Group Offers Guide to Settlement for the Self-Represented

Posted on August 7, 2014 by richardzorza

The Canadian Group, the National Self-Represented Litigants Project, has released a very interesting resource: Settlement Smarts for SRLs. It goes through the process step by step, very much from the self-represented litigant’s point of view.  All too often such documents … Continue reading →

Posted in Mediation, Self-Help Services | 3 Comments

DC Court Offers Chat Informational Serices — Thoughts on Expansion

Posted on August 4, 2014 by richardzorza

As reported in the Washington Post, the SC Superior Court is now offering chat informational services. D.C. Superior Court officials on Tuesday announced a new online Web chat feature where court users can ask questions of court employees about their … Continue reading →

Posted in Self-Help Services, Technology | Comments Off on DC Court Offers Chat Informational Serices — Thoughts on Expansion

NYT Report on California “Court-Aided Divorce” is a Milestone in Several Ways

Posted on June 7, 2014 by richardzorza

Today’s Times report’s on one day court-aided divorce is a breakthrough in several ways. First it is a breakthrough that the concept, while perhaps obvious once articuleatd, is actually now deployed, if only in a few places.  The core paras … Continue reading →

Posted in Communications Strategy, Self-Help Services, Systematic Change | 1 Comment

LSC Issues Pro Bono Innovation Fund Notice of Funds Availability — Applications Due June 30, 2014

Posted on April 24, 2014 by richardzorza

Here is the Pro Bono Innovation Fund 2014 Notice of Funds Availability.  The applications, which must be filed by an LSC grantee, are due June 30, 2014.  It is important to emphasize that LSC welcomes grants that include extensive participation, … Continue reading →

Posted in Funding, LSC, Pro Bono, Self-Help Services | 2 Comments

Suggestions for an Expansive and Popular Definition of “Civil Legal Aid”

Posted on April 7, 2014 by richardzorza

Given that on Tuesday April the 8th there is an invitational event at the White House described as “White House Forum on Increasing Access to Justice,” it seems a good time for reflections on how best and most effectively to … Continue reading →

Posted in Communications Strategy, Forms, Legal Aid, Self-Help Services | 5 Comments

California Chief Focuses on Self-Help Centers in State of Judiciary Speech

Posted on March 21, 2014 by richardzorza

We all know that under former CJ Ron George, California was a pioneer in access to justice and self-help services.  So it is wonderful to see that his successor, Chief Justice Tani Gorre Cantil-Sakauye shares that commitment and understands  the breadth … Continue reading →

Posted in LEP, Planning, Self-Help Services, State of Judiciary Speeches | Comments Off on California Chief Focuses on Self-Help Centers in State of Judiciary Speech

Well-Earned Transitions

Posted on February 27, 2014 by richardzorza

A couple of well earned transitions: Luz Herrera is to move to UCLA Law School as Assistant Dean for Clinical Education, Experiential Learning and Public Service. As UCLA put it: She is a Harvard Law School graduate whose bicultural upbringing … Continue reading →

Posted in Law Schools, Self-Help Services, Vocation | Comments Off on Well-Earned Transitions

A Big Day — The Justice Index is Launched

Posted on February 26, 2014 by richardzorza

The Justice Index, the pioneering state by state index of access to justice measures, developed by a partnership led by the National Center for Access to Justice at Cardozo Law School, is up, and its very well worth the wait. … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Legal Aid, LEP, Research and Evalation, Self-Help Services | 4 Comments

Califoria Self-Help Family Law Conference March 6-7 With Pre-conference March 5

Posted on February 12, 2014 by richardzorza

This speaks for itself.  The California AOC has long been a leader not only in deploying innovations, but in encouraging national outreach and debate.  Note the court staff discount.  Note also the pre-conference, described below. The Administrative Office of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Meetings, Self-Help Services | 1 Comment

Free Technical Assisance and Travel Grants Available From NCSC Public Welfare Foundation Grant

Posted on January 23, 2014 by richardzorza

Here is a timely reminder.  There is still money available in the access to justice court technical assistance and travel pool established at the National Center for State Courts by a grant from the Public Welfare Foundation.  But any grant … Continue reading →

Posted in Court Management, Funding, Self-Help Services | Comments Off on Free Technical Assisance and Travel Grants Available From NCSC Public Welfare Foundation Grant

The Story of “Call for Justice” — Leveraging Online Legal Information, the 211 System and Beyond

Posted on December 15, 2013 by richardzorza

A few months ago, I was particularly excited to hear about a Minnesota initiative that leveraged the power of 211 systems with the legal help resources developed by that state’s access community to achieve a huge increase in usage of … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Self-Help Services, Systematic Change, Technology | 2 Comments

Very Important Communications Research Released

Posted on November 21, 2013 by richardzorza

This is one of the most important posts I have ever written.  I am honored to be authorized to post the communications research conducted by Lake Research Partners and the Torrance Group on civil legal aid and access to justice … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Counsel, Access to Justice Generally, Forms, Funding, Legal Aid, LSC, Self-Help Services, Simplification, Systematic Change | Tagged | 15 Comments