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Access to Justice Committee

Coordination and Evaluation

Over the past several years, the Access to Justice Committee has made a concerted effort to ensure
that the Committee’s work includes all members of our justice community by focusing efforts on
issues that are common to all providers. The Access to Justice Committee focuses on projects
which help integrate Louisiana’s network of civil legal services delivery. In examining the
progress made, Committee members recognize the benefits to clients when providers work
together to expand the capacity of all Louisiana providers. At the encouragement of funders and
providers alike, the Louisiana State Bar Association’s Access to Justice Committee has accepted
greater responsibility and agreed to provide leadership in building and strengthening our Louisiana
Justice Community. Previous committee efforts have brought service providers together to analyze
issues relevant to the coordinated delivery of legal services. The issues included: Self-Represented
Litigation, Client Access, Full Range of Services, Private Attorney Involvement, Resource
Development and Community Education and Involvement. The resulting concepts were
incorporated into the ongoing work of the ATJ Committee and subcommittees. In March 2015, the
ATJ Policy Committee convened an Access to Justice Summit, bringing together a broad cross-
section of organizations and individuals who have been active with access to justice efforts in
Louisiana. The Summit highlighted the successful access to justice efforts accomplished in
Louisiana through cooperation of the various organizations, identified issues which need
additional focus, and discussed ideas and opinions of an evolving concept for an Access to Justice
Commission.

Access to Justice Committee Subcommittees

Disaster Planning Subcommittee, Ann Gregorie, Chair

The Louisiana State Bar Association (LSBA), in conjunction with the American Bar Association
Young Lawyers Division (ABA/YLD) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA),
coordinate the statewide disaster plan for legal assistance when disaster strikes in Louisiana. As
part of this plan, the LSBA maintains a webpage, www.lsba.org/dr, as a portal for disaster
information that is activated once the disaster plan has been enacted. The subcommittee also works
with Louisiana Appleseed to maintain a Disaster Training Manual, used as a source for training
material and as a guide for those attorneys who volunteer their time with disaster victims. In
addition to the LSBA Disaster response website, the LSBA also houses and maintains the toll-free
disaster hotline (1-800-310-7019) stipulated in the statewide disaster plan. The hotline provides
the appropriate legal referral information for those who call.

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