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A Win for Innovation in Legal Assistance

by Katy Smith

hen Step Up to Justice formed in January
W2017, its founders were committed to
providing free legal services to low-income
residents in Pima County. Now, they’ve gotten
a boost by taking the top prize in the McGuire
Center for Entrepreneurship’s Social Impact
Summit Pitch Competition.
SU2J is dedicated to securing equal access to
justice for all.
“Almost every problem you confront when
you live in poverty requires access to the legal
system for a solution,” says Stacy Rupprecht
Butler ’02, part-time professor of practice at the
University of Arizona’s James E. Rogers College
of Law and SU2J board chair.
But until recently, 96 percent of local
low-income residents who needed help with
issues such as minor guardianship, domestic
violence and bankruptcy went unserved by the
federally funded civil legal services provider.
Federal resources are limited, and conflict of
interest rules prevented the existing office from Stacy Rupprecht Butler / Chris Richards photo
representing both parties in a dispute. With Justice Server and continued
SU2J reaches underserved populations support from donors and volunteer
with a combination of partnership and attorneys, Butler projects that by 2019 SU2J ‘Almost every
innovation, including virtual connections. The will serve 2,000 clients annually, double the
nonprofit used its $15,000 pitch competition total for 2017.
prize to purchase a software product called “For a small startup nonprofit, $15,000 problem you confront
Justice Server, designed to connect attorneys is a huge deal. We are so grateful to the
to pro bono clients. It enhances attorney- sponsors of this event for recognizing the when you live in
client matching, case management and need for innovative social justice solutions,”
communication. It also allows clients and Butler says. poverty requires
lawyers to review documents together but The competition, which attracted 22
remotely, eliminating the need to meet in proposals, was sponsored by Microsoft, access to the legal
person. United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona,
“For low-income individuals in particular, and the UA Agnese Nelms Haury Program in
taking time off work or getting public Environment and Social Justice. It was the system for a solution.’
transportation can be challenging and can really culminating event of the McGuire Center’s
be a barrier to obtaining service,” Butler says. Social Impact Summit in October 2017.

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