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The Louisiana State Bar Association’s

Access to Justice Committees and Initiatives
April 2022

“Access to Justice” refers to the concept whereby all individuals have the ability to meaningfully
participate in the civil legal system, regardless of their income. The Louisiana State Bar
Association (LSBA) has long supported the pursuit of access to justice for the people of Louisiana.
In 1997 the LSBA formalized this commitment with the establishment and funding of its Access
to Justice (ATJ) Department.

Access to Justice History

The ATJ Department
The LSBA’s Access to Justice Department commits six full-time Bar staff to support the efforts
of Louisiana’s non-profit civil legal aid and pro bono community to ensure access to the court
system for low-income Louisianans.

The ATJ Committee
The ATJ Committee’s mission is to bring together civil legal stakeholders to collaborate in the
effort to ensure that every Louisiana citizen has access to civil legal representation, regardless of
their income. Membership includes representation from the LSBA, Louisiana Law Schools,
private practitioners, local bar associations, pro bono programs, the LBF, civil legal aid providers
and other stakeholders in Louisiana’s Justice Community. This provider-driven group focuses on
issues and challenges related to the direct provision of civil legal services to the poor.

The ATJ Commission
The ATJ Commission was created in 2015 by an order of the Louisiana Supreme Court in response
to national encouragement from the American Bar Association that all states to facilitate groups
of dedicated, influential leaders through which response to systemic and policy-oriented access to
justice issues could be addressed. The ATJ Commission subsumed the work of its predecessor
group, the ATJ Policy Committee, which functioned in a similar manner since 2009 with the
engagement (but not the written endorsement) of the Louisiana Supreme Court. A diverse 21
member Access to Justice Commission is appointed annually by the LSBA President in
conjunction with the Chief Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court. Its members represent
designated organizations and interests, including the LSBA, the judiciary, Louisiana Law schools,
the legal aid providers, private practice, corporate counsel, pro bono organizations, and the
Louisiana Bar Foundation.

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