Page 270 - 2019 Orientation Manual

Technology Committee

The Access to Justice Commission Technology Committee’s goal is to improve technology for the
more efficient delivery of legal services in the civil legal aid arena. With the view that technology
can assist legal aid providers as their caseloads grow and budgets are constricted, committee
members reviewed current and past technology innovations developed and in use by legal aid
programs. To explore and offer technology solution recommendations to the Commission, the
committee sought out legal aid attorneys and directors, private practitioners, and technology
professionals as members to provide a broad scope of expertise. Members are reviewing situations
where technology can improve direct client access as well as those aimed at in-house focused
management to improve efficiency. To target a specific area of law, currently members are
focused on projects which will impact a family law practice i.e., the area of law most in demand
by legal aid clients and the public, in general.

Additional Access to Justice Projects

Legal Incubator Program

Legal Innovators for Tomorrow (LIFT) is a nationally recognized and first of its kind legal
incubator program in Louisiana. Having worked with 25 attorney participants, the program
promotes access to justice by helping new attorneys build public interest solo and small law firms
that increase legal representation to underrepresented populations and families with limited means.
To accomplish this goal, LIFT offers free resources (such as case management software), law
practice management and technology training, business skills development, and a collaborative
work environment to help attorneys build innovative and sustainable public interest law firms.

LIFT also partners with civil legal aid and nonprofit organizations to create projects that address
specific unmet legal needs in various parts of Louisiana. To date, LIFT has partnered with seven
civil legal aid, nonprofit organizations, and universities to operate five different incubator projects
across Louisiana:

• Domestic Violence Project in New Orleans (2015), operated in partnership with the
Family Justice Center and Southeast Louisiana Legal Services works with participants to
increase access to family law legal services to survivors of domestic violence.

• Immigration Bond Project in Alexandria was created to increase access to legal
representation for immigrants in bond proceedings in Central Louisiana. This program
was operated in partnership with The Pro Bono Project from 2016-2017 and provided 150
pro bono hours to immigrants in bond cases in Central Louisiana where access to legal
representation is less than 10%.

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