Extract from Kelli Raker and Maya Markovich’s article “How Legal Aid and Tech Collaboration Can Bridge the Justice Gap”
The legal aid sector is no exception in an era where technology is reshaping every aspect of our lives. As organizations dedicated to providing free legal services to those in need grapple with limited resources and overwhelming demand, many explore technology as a potential solution. But how exactly can tech help bridge the justice gap, and what challenges do legal aid organizations face in working with these new solutions?
In August 2024, Legal Aid of North Carolina’s (LANC) Innovation Lab, the first organization with a mission to identify and implement creative solutions, including technology solutions, to bridge the justice gap, convened a series of listening sessions with legal aid organizations across 13 states. The goal, as stated by LANC’s chief innovation officer, Scheree Gilchrist, was to “understand the opportunities and roadblocks around adoption of tech tools and collaboration with entities eager to provide support for access to justice and to use those findings to create a process by which legal aid organizations can carefully vet tech partners.” Their findings illuminate eagerness for change but caution about the promise of technology.
The Current Landscape
Legal aid organizations across the United States face a daunting reality. As one listening session participant noted, “There’s almost no chance we will ever be fully funded to serve everyone who needs it,” underscoring the critical need for innovative solutions to expand access to justice.
