Access to Justice Archives - Pro Bono Institute

Insights from the 2025 Equal Justice Conference: Expanding Pro Bono Impact with Expert Support

June 11, 2025

At the 2025 Equal Justice Conference, hosted by the American Bar Association and National Legal Aid & Defender Association, Pro Bono Institute (PBI) organized and led “Building Bridges: Enhancing Impact Through Strategic Partnerships with Experts.” The standing-room-only panel offered a compelling vision for how collaboration with expert services providers can expand the reach and effectiveness of pro bono legal services. The discussion reflected growing interest in the role of expert consultants in strengthening both legal advocacy and organizational capacity. Moderated by Erin Palmer, Associate Director of Corporate Pro Bono, Pro Bono Institute, the panel featured insights from Lisa Dane, Charles

5 Takeaways from the PBI 2025 Annual Conference

June 2, 2025

Earlier this year Pro Bono Institute (PBI) hosted its Annual Conference, bringing together pro bono leaders from law firms, in-house legal departments, and public interest organizations to explore innovative strategies for expanding access to justice. From plenaries to candid discussions, the Conference was a dynamic space for reigniting our collective commitment to justice and preparing for the opportunities and challenges ahead. Select Conference sessions are available on-demand through Practising Law Institute (PLI). Pre-Conference and Conference attendees received an email from PBI with information on how to access these recordings for FREE through October 31, 2025, as part of their Conference

The Role of Pro Bono in Land and Environmental Justice in Hawaiʻi

May 20, 2025

By PBI Intern Catherine Titzer Introduction Although often romanticized as a tropical paradise by the mainland United States, Hawaiʻi faces profound and complex legal challenges, particularly in the areas of land and environmental rights—challenges that many residents, especially Native Hawaiians, struggle to advocate for due to systemic barriers and limited access to legal resources. Pro bono legal work has played an important role in addressing these challenges, empowering Native Hawaiian communities and other residents to navigate legal systems, protect their rights, and advocate for sustainable solutions to land and environmental issues. Pro Bono Regulations in Hawaiʻi Hawaii, like several other

Bridging the Justice Gap in Legal Deserts: Community Justice Workers and Legal Advocates in Arizona

May 13, 2025

For the vast majority of Americans, hiring a lawyer simply isn’t an option. In addition to common financial barriers, Arizona ranks among the states with the lowest number of attorneys per capita, making access to legal representation especially problematic. Arizona is taking measures to bridge this growing divide through the creation of a community justice worker (CJW) and community legal advocate (CLA) program—a way for nonlawyers to help residents meet legal needs where representation is scarce or unattainable. The concept of community-based justice programs is not novel to the legal industry. As described by Frontline Justice, the leading non-partisan organization

Boost Your Pro Bono Work with the ExpertConnect Hub’s No-Cost Expert Services

April 15, 2025

Providing top-notch legal services to underserved communities often requires more than just legal expertise. Pro bono and public interest legal teams may need additional support, such as financial analysis, e-discovery, IT assistance, and litigation support. That’s where the Pro Bono Institute (PBI) ExpertConnect Pro Bono Hub comes in. This new pilot program connects providers of free legal services with a diverse network of trusted expert services providers offering their services pro bono. Their support empowers pro bono legal teams to tackle complex cases, expand organizational capacity, and deliver more effective and comprehensive services to those who need it most. A

Enhancing Access to Justice: Join the PBI ExpertConnect Pro Bono Hub and Lend Your Expertise

March 5, 2025

Access to justice remains a significant challenge, including for pro bono and public interest legal teams, which are under-resourced when faced with overwhelming need. The Pro Bono Institute (PBI) ExpertConnect Pro Bono Hub seeks to meet this challenge by connecting these legal teams with expert services that would otherwise be out of reach. This new pilot program empowers pro bono and public interest legal professionals with high-quality, specialized support, enhancing their work on behalf of low-income and marginalized clients. Inspired by the National Pro Bono Centre’s Pro Bono Expert Support Scheme, the ExpertConnect Hub will facilitate collaboration among pro bono

Breaking the Cycle: Addressing Domestic Violence in Indigenous Communities

November 1, 2024

Catherine Titzer, PBI Intern As Domestic Violence Awareness Month concludes, it remains crucial to address the pressing issue of domestic violence in Indigenous communities and the barriers that sustain it. Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women face disproportionately high rates of violence, compounded by significant challenges in accessing support services, including legal assistance. The POWER Act, a federal law, promotes pro bono legal services as a crucial means of empowering survivors of gender-based violence, helping to provide the resources necessary for healing. Fostering collaboration and prioritizing culturally relevant support through pro bono efforts can work towards creating safer,

Exploring Nonlawyer Providers to Enhance Access to Justice in DC

October 10, 2024

Erin Palmer, Associate Director, Corporate Pro Bono In a significant development aimed at closing the access to justice gap, DC Courts are considering proposals to allow trained nonlawyers to provide legal assistance to residents facing civil legal challenges. This initiative aligns with similar efforts in multiple states, including Texas, where licensing of paraprofessionals and court-access assistants is being pursued as a means to better serve low-income individuals. Unlocking Legal Access A staggering 75-97% of people involved in certain civil cases in DC do not have legal representation, often due to high costs or a lack of available resources. Thousands of

Reimagining Legal Services: How Texas is Tackling the Access to Justice Crisis

September 26, 2024

Sarah Lahlou-Amine, Director, Law Firm Pro Bono Project® In a groundbreaking move aimed at addressing the widening gap in access to legal services, the Supreme Court of Texas has recently taken steps toward licensing paraprofessionals and court-access assistants to provide legal services to low-income individuals. This development marks a significant shift in the traditional legal landscape and builds on a growing movement to expand access to justice through the use of nonlawyer legal service providers. The Access to Justice Gap The “access to justice gap” refers to the disparity between the need for legal services and the ability of individuals

Bringing Legal Resources to Legal Deserts

February 15, 2023

Legal deserts are regions in the United States that have no or few attorneys. These regions are generally rural communities. In recent years, the legal community has analyzed the characteristics and consequences of legal deserts, and their impact on access to justice. For example, in 2018, a Harvard Law & Policy Review article surveyed parts of California, Georgia, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Maine, and South Dakota, called for increased data collection about legal deserts, and recommended creative approaches to provide legal resources to residents in those communities. The study found common challenges across these diverse states with regard to addressing legal deserts. These challenges were exacerbated by the

Category: Access to Justice