Category Archives: Systematic Change

A shift in Empahsis About Access Demonstrated by Retired Chief Justice Marshall of Massachusetts

Posted on December 5, 2011 by richardzorza

The retired Massachusetts Chief, in a Boston Globe op-ed, urging contributions to legal aid programs, shows an interesting shift in emphasis in terms of how we think about the access system.  It’s caught in these two paras: While judges and … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Counsel, Funding, Legal Aid, Legal Ethics, Self-Help Services, Systematic Change | Comments Off on A shift in Empahsis About Access Demonstrated by Retired Chief Justice Marshall of Massachusetts

Honoring Mike Genz and Remembering His Foundational Work

Posted on December 4, 2011 by richardzorza

Mike Genz has retired from LSC (although I understand he hopes to continue to do some consulting work).  Those who know him will not be surprised that this event passed without fanfare.  Mike is not the kind of person who … Continue reading →

Posted in LSC, Systematic Change, Technology, Tools | Comments Off on Honoring Mike Genz and Remembering His Foundational Work

Wayne Moore Makes Suggestions for Legal Aid on “How to Cut Costs Without Cutting Services”

Posted on December 2, 2011 by richardzorza

Wayne Moore has responded to the legal aid budget crisis with this insightful and intensely practical memo on how legal aid programs can protect service delivery in a tough time.  I urge all, including those who have been somewhat critical … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Budget Issues, Document Assembly, Legal Aid, LSC, Pro Bono, Self-Help Services, Systematic Change, Technology, Unbundling | Comments Off on Wayne Moore Makes Suggestions for Legal Aid on “How to Cut Costs Without Cutting Services”

SJI Announces Priority Areas

Posted on December 1, 2011 by richardzorza

Important news for innovation.  SJI has just (yesterday) announced their new priority areas.  I think most us will be both pleased and impressed.  Here is the list, now on their website, as well as in E-SJINews. Priority Investment Areas On … Continue reading →

Posted in Funding, LEP, Self-Help Services, Systematic Change | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Ten-fold Increase in Usage of Retail Health Clinics in Two Years — Implications for Legal Delivery

Posted on November 28, 2011 by richardzorza

Is this the future of legal  help too?  A tenfold increase in visits to retail store based health clinics in just two years, as reported by the Washington Post, based on a recent RAND study.  The data is based on … Continue reading →

Posted in Medical System Comparision, Mixed Model, Systematic Change | Tagged | 1 Comment

Is San Franciso Thinking of a Right to Counsel, or a Right to Diagnostic Triage?

Posted on November 4, 2011 by richardzorza

An interesting idea.  According to the SF Chronicle, the City Council will soon be considering a “right to counsel.”  The article starts this way: San Francisco would offer eligible low-income litigants involved in custody battles, tenant-landlord disputes and other civil … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Counsel, Systematic Change, Triage | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Judge Fern Fisher Testifies for Court Simplification as Access Solution

Posted on October 1, 2011 by richardzorza

This is an important harbinger.  Judge Fern A. Fisher, Deputy Chief Administrative Judge, NYC Courts and Director of the NYS Courts Access to Justice Program, recently testified to a state Access Task Force Hearing about the importance of court simplification … Continue reading →

Posted in Court Management, Forms, Systematic Change | Comments Off on Judge Fern Fisher Testifies for Court Simplification as Access Solution

California Courts Seek Comment on Draft Principles on Technology and Access to Justice

Posted on September 20, 2011 by richardzorza

In an important development for the interaction of technology and access to justice, the California Court system is developing a document titled: Advancing Access to Justice Through Technology: Principles for Judicial Branch Initiatives.  It is intended for ultimate approval by … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Self-Help Services, Systematic Change, Technology | Comments Off on California Courts Seek Comment on Draft Principles on Technology and Access to Justice

Esther Lardent Calls for Triage, Simplification and Trained Non-Lawyer Assistance

Posted on September 15, 2011 by richardzorza

Ester Lardent is one the most thoughtful pro bono (and indeed access) leaders. It is very encouraging to see her endorse triage and simplification in a recent opinion piece in the National Law Journal and available on Law.com.  Triage and … Continue reading →

Posted in Pro Bono, Systematic Change, Triage | Comments Off on Esther Lardent Calls for Triage, Simplification and Trained Non-Lawyer Assistance

Questions and Answers About the Attorney Diagnosis Proposal

Posted on September 12, 2011 by richardzorza

Recently, I blogged about what I called the “Attorney Diagnosis” approach to Triage for Access to Justice.  I believe that Turner may require not necessarily this, but at least some system that decides who needs what in terms of services … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Counsel, Access to Justice Generally, Legal Aid, Research and Evalation, Systematic Change | Tagged , | Comments Off on Questions and Answers About the Attorney Diagnosis Proposal

Law School Incubators — Excellent Article and Some Thoughts

Posted on September 7, 2011 by richardzorza

Recently, I blogged suggesting an overview of the systemic problems with the entire legal system.  One of the interlinked barriers that I highlighted was “A system of professional rules and business practices that makes this [legal] expertise highly expensive to … Continue reading →

Posted in Law Schools, Systematic Change | 4 Comments

Brilliant Idea — Sonoma County Court Strategic Plan Highlights Litigant Assistance Network and Triage

Posted on August 31, 2011 by richardzorza

With funding from SJI, Sonoma Court, California has completed an excellent Strategic Planning Document. While it includes many valuable ideas, and is focused at least initially somewhat on the huge challenges of providing culturally competent services, I particularly want to … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Boards, Funding, Legal Aid, LEP, Self-Help Services, Systematic Change, Triage | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Deregulation Versus De-monopolizing — A Complex Debate Just Begining

Posted on August 30, 2011 by richardzorza

There has been substantially more attention in the blogsphere to the deregulation of the legal profession.  See, e.g. the Wall St. Journal, law librarian blog, elawyering blog. All are worth reading.  But I would urge attention to the difference between … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Systematic Change | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Deregulation Versus De-monopolizing — A Complex Debate Just Begining

Lawyers Hiring Capital, or Capital Hiring Lawyers — The Failure of the Profession to Innovate Creates a Gap

Posted on August 23, 2011 by richardzorza

The California Lawyer has an interesting story, Investors at the Gates on the Jacoby and Meyers firm suing in three states to knock out rules preventing non lawyer participation in ownership of law firms — i.e. equity capital. On May … Continue reading →

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

An Overview of Systemic Barriers to Access to Justice

Posted on August 22, 2011 by richardzorza

Maybe its time to take a 22,000 mile overview of the access to justice problem.  One way to do so it look at at the interacting parts of the system and how together they produce an inaccessible system. 1.     A … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Counsel, Access to Justice Generally, Supreme Court, Systematic Change | 4 Comments