Category Archives: Systematic Change

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

Why State-Based Advocacy Orgazations are Important — Two Lessons from Massachuetts

Posted on December 1, 2013 by richardzorza

Those of us who try to focus attention on the “access” side of access to justice are often criticized for not planning enough for impact advocacy side.  Two recent developments highlight the importance and potential results of having institutions that … Continue reading →

Posted in Systematic Change | 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

President’s Coming Out for Two Year Law School Underlines Need for New Access Head at DOJ

Posted on August 25, 2013 by richardzorza

It is great to see the President coming out in favor of cutting law school to two years. On Friday, he questioned the utility of a third year of classes and suggested that students use their final two semesters to … Continue reading →

Posted in Law Schools, Self-Help Services, Systematic Change | Comments Off on President’s Coming Out for Two Year Law School Underlines Need for New Access Head at DOJ

Guest Blog on Australian Tribunal that Use Administrative Agency Approach In Many Traditionally Judicial Areas

Posted on August 23, 2013 by richardzorza

After meeting Julie Grainger, a member of the Victorian (Australia) Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), I asked her to describe for this blog how the Tribunal works.  Its uses more of an administrative agency type approach in many substantive areas … Continue reading →

Posted in Administative Proecdure, Simplification, Systematic Change | Tagged , | Comments Off on Guest Blog on Australian Tribunal that Use Administrative Agency Approach In Many Traditionally Judicial Areas

How ADR May Promote Stability in Weakly Governed States

Posted on July 15, 2013 by richardzorza

This paper abstract by Christopher Blattman, Alexandra Hartman and Robert Blair, raises some interesting possibilities, as well as being methodologically suggestive. Dispute resolution institutions help reach agreements and preserve the peace whenever property rights are imperfect. In weak states, strengthening … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Systematic Change | Comments Off on How ADR May Promote Stability in Weakly Governed States

Disconcerting Blog Post on Bar Reactions to Recent Canadian Study of the Self-Represented

Posted on July 4, 2013 by richardzorza

Dr. Julie MacFarlane, who recently completed a study of the experiences of the self-represented in the Canadian courts, has posted a fascinating blog on the reactions from the legal profession to the study.  It is uncomfortable, but important, reading. Efforts … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, International Models, Systematic Change | 2 Comments

Australia Starts Study “Productivity” Study on ATJ Generally

Posted on June 24, 2013 by richardzorza

Today seems to be a day for hearing about new angles on access to justice.  Steve Grumm at the ABA has just tipped me off to the fascinating news that the Australian government has asked its productivity Commission “to undertake … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, International Models, Systematic Change | 1 Comment

Professor in Nederlands On Strategies for Access Change

Posted on June 17, 2013 by richardzorza

I am just back from the International Legal Aid Group meeting in the Nederlands.  While I plan to share several ideas from the meeting, I want to start with some overall strategic thoughts from Prof. Maurits Barendrecht of HiiL/Tilburg University. … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Funding, Legal Aid, Simplification, Systematic Change | 2 Comments

My Simplification Paper Now Out

Posted on June 12, 2013 by richardzorza

Just posted — my Drake Law Review paper on simplification: Some First Thoughts on Court Simplification: The Key to Civil Access and Justice Transformation. Here is the abstract: Given the discrepancy between access to justice needs and the resources that … Continue reading →

Posted in Simplification, Systematic Change | 9 Comments

National Center for State Courts Strategic Campaign Prioritizes Access to Justice and Sets Rules Simplification as Objective

Posted on May 12, 2013 by richardzorza

This is great news. The National Center for State Courts Board has just approved its Strategic Campaign for 2013-2016, and, under the title Solutions for Enhancing Access to Justice for All, it includes as one of its four key elements … Continue reading →

Posted in Rules Reform, Simplification, Systematic Change | 1 Comment

Randomized Studies Gain an Ally

Posted on March 19, 2013 by richardzorza

We do not usually track electoral politics on this blog, except when it directly impacts access to justice.  But this piece from Politico is irresistible in its description, by a Republican consultant, of how the Democrats used the scientific method … Continue reading →

Posted in Research and Evalation, Systematic Change, Technology | 2 Comments

Will the Sequester Kill Innovation — and How to Prevent That

Posted on March 16, 2013 by richardzorza

While the sequester will do a lot of short damage — for example the loss of $29 million or so in legal aid funding, the real risk is to the culture of innovation. To the extent that managers in courts … Continue reading →

Posted in Funding, Systematic Change | 1 Comment

JOLT Publishes Additinal LSC Tech Summit Papers Online

Posted on March 6, 2013 by richardzorza

More papers from the LSC Summit on Technology and Access to Justice have now been posted online by Harvard’s Journal of Law and Technology, adding to those already published in the journal itself. The papers are: Summit on the Use … Continue reading →

Posted in LSC, Self-Help Services, Systematic Change, Technology, Unbundling | 1 Comment

California Bar Explores Joining Movement for Non-Lawyer Practice

Posted on February 5, 2013 by richardzorza

Another straw in a gathering wind. This article in the California Bar Journal reports on the Bar’s Board’s exploring the possibility of limited practice professionals: The State Bar Board of Trustees has expressed interest in examining a limited-practice licensing program … Continue reading →

Posted in Attorney-Client, Legal Ethics, Systematic Change | 4 Comments