How can statistics help lawyers and law firm leaders?
In 2017, low-income Americans will approach LSC-funded legal aid organizations for help with an estimated 1.7 million civil legal problems. They will receive legal help of some kind for 59% of these problems, but are expected to receive enough help to fully address their legal needs for only 28% to 38% of them.
How many low-income Americans receive legal assistance from LSC grantees?
LSC by the Numbers provides an overview of the work of legal aid organizations and data on client demographics, program staffing, revenue, expenses and involvement by private attorneys. LSC By the Numbers: The Data Underlying Legal Aid Programs provides an overview of the work of LSC-funded legal aid organizations on behalf of low-income people ...
How can information about a law firm's success rate be used?
Outcomes measures are valuable management tools that can help programs improve client services and organizational effectiveness and efficiency. Some key ways outcomes help include: Framing mission and goals. Assessing success in accomplishing mission and goals. Allocating resources and developing strategies. Staff performance and engagement.
How do LSC grantees prioritize legal problems?
of the private bar or to some other non-LSC recipient. Attorney's Fees 11/12/99 Whether recipient may provide its time Part 1642 records to former client's new private § 1642.3 attorney, where private attorney wishes to § 1642.4 use the time records in order to make a claim for attorneys fees on behalf of the
What is LSC in legal services?
The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is the largest single funder of civil legal services in the country . Its grantees, along with a network of other legal services non-profits, face the challenging task of providing legal counsel to tens of millions of Americans who cannot otherwise afford a lawyer.
What should LSC do?
Specifically, LSC should: Create a professional association specifically for pro bono managers at LSC grantees. In collaboration with organizations like the National Association of Pro Bono Professionals, LSC should bring these professionals together for training, relationship-building, and support.
What has changed in the law over the past thirty years?
The greatest change in the practice of law over the past thirty years has been the revolution in information technology. Since 2000, when Congress first appropriated special funds for its Technology Initiative Grants (TIG) program, LSC has been a leader in the development and use of technology among its grantees, including for use in administering their pro bono programs. In 2008, LSC issued a report entitled Technologies That Should Be in Place in a Legal Aid Office Today [fn]Technologies That Should Be in Place in a Legal Aid Office Today, LSC, Nov. 2008, http://www.lsc.gov/sites/default/files/TIG/pdfs/LSC-Technology-Baselines- 2015.PDF fn] (commonly referred to as the "Baselines Report"), which addresses best practices in technology related to the management of client and case data, intake and telephone advice, support for private attorneys, data security, and training. The Baselines Report continues to serve as an important resource for the civil legal aid community.
What should grantees measure and evaluate?
Grantees should measure and evaluate all program areas, including limited representation and pro se assistance services. The resources for such efforts should not come at the expense of funding for client services.
Why should the judiciary use its influence to recruit new pro bono lawyers?
The judiciary, consistent with applicable judicial conduct rules, should use its influence to recruit new pro bono lawyers, especially in rural areas and among solo practitioners, to draw attention to the crisis in legal services, and to advocate for additional funding at the state and federal level.
What are the focus areas of the Pro Bono Task Force?
The Task Force split into five focus areas: Best Practices Rural; Best Practices Urban; Big Ideas; Obstacles; and Technology. The co-chairs of each of those working groups in particular put significant time into guiding and shaping the overall work product of their respective groups. These working groups met on a regular basis, each drafting its own in-depth analysis of its subject matter. A complete list of Task Force members, broken down into their working groups, appears below.
Why do judges abstain from pro bono?
Some judges abstain from encouraging pro bono efforts out of concern that doing so violates ethical norms. By revising codes of judicial conduct, state high courts can offer judicial leaders more leeway to encourage lawyers to take on pro bono matters.
When was the LSC rule adopted?
The board adopted the rule at the the October 8, 2014, meeting in Albany, New York.
When was the LSC Board of Directors authorized to initiate rulemaking?
In light of the findings and recommendations of the PBTF, on January 26, 2013, the LSC Board of Directors authorized initiation of rulemaking to explore rulemaking options regarding the PAI requirement. Recommendation 2 contains three recommendations, which are the three topics for this rulemaking.
What is the LSC Pro Bono Task Force?
The PBTF's recommendation 2 addresses LSC’s Private Attorney Involvement (PAI) regulation, which requires grantees to expend an amount equivalent to 12.5 percent of their basic field grants to encourage the involvement of private attorneys in the delivery of legal assistance to eligible clients. The regulation prescribes certain activities that can be counted as meeting the PAI requirement. The PBTF found that the PAI regulation poses a number of challenges to grantees as they seek to expand pro bono resources and assistance. In light of the findings and recommendations of the PBTF, on January 26, 2013, the LSC Board of Directors authorized initiation of rulemaking to explore rulemaking options regarding the PAI requirement.
When was the LSC rulemaking workshop?
On April 15, 2013, the LSC Board approved plans to convene two rulemaking workshops. Held on July 23 and September 17, these workshops involved an open discussion among LSC, panelists, and public participants regarding the three topics identified by the PBTF for possible revisions to the PAI regulation.
When was PAI workshop 2?
PAI Rulemaking Workshop 2 was coducted in Washington, DC, on September 17, 2013. The following resources are specific to that workshop: Click here to download all of the panelist materials and comments for the September workshop in a single file.
What is the purpose of a legal service program?
In broad terms, the essential purposes of most legal services programs are to provide high-quality legal services to low-income people and equal access to justice, and to improve the quality of clients’ lives. This leads some programs to frame their mission and goals in terms of their activities ...
Why do advocates want to identify outcomes?
Since advocates are committed to securing as much as possible for their clients, they want to identify the outcomes that best enable them to assess what they are accomplishing for clients and to devise strategies that will allow them to increase the benefits they provide clients .
What are the outcomes of a program?
Some key ways outcomes help include: Framing mission and goals. Assessing success in accomplishing mission and goals. Allocating resources and developing strategies. Staff performance and engagement.
Why are programs defining their mission and goals in terms of outcomes rather than outputs?
Programs are increasingly defining their mission and goals in terms of outcomes rather than outputs because outcome-defined mission and goals more accurately articulate programs’ essential purposes and, as discussed below, it can enhance program operations and client services in a range of ways.
Why do we need outcome measures?
Programs need outcome measures to effectively assess their success in achieving their mission and goals. Output measures such as cases closed data that show the type and volume of client services are essential evaluative tools. However, outcomes measures are needed to assess if a program is achieving results-oriented mission ...
How does the use of outcomes improve staff performance?
Staff Performance and Engagement. Many programs have found that the use of outcomes has significantly enhanced staff performance, engagement, and morale , even though staff were initially skeptical and at times resistant about their use. Some staff raised concerns that using outcomes would:
What are outcomes-defined missions and goals?
Here are three examples of outcomes-defined missions and goals: “Resolve the serious legal problems of low-income people, promote economic and family stability and reduce poverty through effective legal assistance.”. “Ensure that state and federal laws affecting low-income people are enforced and reduce the systemic barriers to justice ...
What is Lex Machina?
On December 3, 2015, a LexisNexis company called Lex Machina, introduced new data about trials before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The information will provide lawyers with the ability to make predictions about settlement and patentability.
Is law practice sustainable?
Statistics and Law Practice. Law firms are no longer sustainable as mere paper pushing factories. Lawyers and law firm leaders need to learn to use and embrace statistics; it is not merely a scholarly endeavor.
Report of The Pro Bono Task Force
Executive Summary
- The United States has one of the best justice systems in the world, but unfortunately, millions of Americans cannot access it because they cannot afford to do so.[fn]According to the 2011 World Justice Project Index, the civil justice system in the United States is independent and free of undue influence, but it remains inaccessible to disadvantaged groups, ranking 21st out of 66 co…
I. Introduction: The Current Crisis in Legal Services
- This country’s system for providing civil legal services to the poor is in the midst of a perfect storm. The United States is now five years into the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. An estimated 61.4 million Americans – nearly one in five – will qualify for civil legal assistance funded by the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) in 2012.[fn]U.S. Census Bureau, Inco…
II. Recommendations to The Legal Services Corporation and Its Grantees
- Recommendation 1: LSC Should Serve as an Information Clearinghouse and Source of Coordina…
Every LSC grantee is required to devote a portion of its resources to engaging private lawyers, but there is great variation among grantees in terms of the size, quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of their pro bono programs. Good pro bono programs require solid infrastructure, and there is a… - Recommendation 2: LSC Should Revise Its Private Attorney Involvement (PAI) Regulation to Enc…
LSC’s Private Attorney Involvement (PAI) regulation, promulgated in its current form in 1985, directs grantees to expend 12.5% of their basic field grants to encouraging "the involvement of private attorneys in the delivery of legal assistance to eligible clients."[fn]45 C.F.R. § 1614.2(a).[/f…
III. Requests For Assistance from The Legal Profession
- b. Requests of the Legal Profession: Recognize the Importance of Pro Bono
This report would not be complete without a word about the dire need to fund legal services. A high quality pro bono system is dependent upon sufficient resources for legal services. Recent cuts in funding have cut resources – including those needed to develop an effective pro bono inf…
IV. Summary of Recommendations and Conclusion
- The foregoing recommendations are meant to create a roadmap for LSC, its grantees, and the legal community to effectively engage the private bar to address the justice gap in the United States. LSC and its grantees will require resources to make the recommendations contained in this report a reality. The Task Force is committed to assisting in these efforts.
Acknowledgements
- This report is the result of months of hard work by the distinguished and committed members of the Pro Bono Task Force. The Task Force split into five focus areas: Best Practices Rural; Best Practices Urban; Big Ideas; Obstacles; and Technology. The co-chairs of each of those working groups in particular put significant time into guiding and shaping the overall work product of thei…
Final Rule Published
- LSC published in the Federal Register afinal rule on October 15, 2014, which is effective on November 14, 2014. The board adopted the rule at the the October 8, 2014, meeting in Albany, New York.
Proposed Rule Published For Comment
- LSC published a proposed rule as a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on April 15, 2014. The comment period for the proposed rule will close on June 16, 2014. Written comments must be submitted to Stefanie K. Davis, Assistant General Counsel, Legal Services Corporation, 3333 K Street NW., Washington, DC 20007; (202) 337-6519 (fax) or [email protected]. Electronic s…
Background
- The LSC Pro Bono Task Force (PBTF) released a report of its findings and recommendations on October 1, 2012. The PBTF's recommendation 2 addresses LSC’s Private Attorney Involvement (PAI) regulation, which requires grantees to expend an amount equivalent to 12.5 percent of their basic field grants to encourage the involvement of private attorneys i...
Workshop 1 - July 23, 2013
- PAI Rulemaking Workshop 1was conducted in Denver, Colorado, on July 23, 2013. The following resources are specific to that workshop: 1. Audio: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 2. July 2013 PAI Workshop Transcript 3. July 2013 PAI Workshop Agenda 4. July 2013 PAI Workshop Summary of Panelists and Comments 5. July 2013 PAI Workshop Guidelines 6. July 2013 PAI Workshop Topi…
Workshop 2 - September 17, 2013
- PAI Rulemaking Workshop 2 was coducted in Washington, DC, on September 17, 2013. The following resources are specific to that workshop: 1. Audio: Part 1; Part 2;Part 3 2. September 2013 PAI Workshop Transcript 3. September 2013 PAI Workshop Supplemental Questions 4. September 2013 PAI Workshop Agenda 5. September 2013 PAI Workshop Summary of Panelist…
Comments Submitted After The Workshops
- Lisa Wood, American Bar Association, through the Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defendants (with input from the Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service)
- Mara Block, Legal Aid Foundation of Chicago
- Kristie Cinelli, Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York
- Ann Routt and Michael Chilens, Legal Services Association of Michigan
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