Access to Justice Archives - Pro Bono Institute

Community Justice Worker Model in Alaska

August 18, 2026

By Erica Norris, PBI Intern The PBEye has been reporting on recent developments as jurisdictions authorize Community Justice Workers (CJWs) to address specific access-to-justice issues. Our latest blog series focuses on the implementation of CJW programs in three jurisdictions, beginning with Alaska, which implemented the original CJW model. Stay tuned for future pieces in this series covering implementation in Delaware and Texas. Alaska’s CJW model was implemented under the supervision of Alaska Legal Services Corporation (ALSC) to provide community members with assistance on select legal matters. Since its inception in 2019, the program has continued to grow and has expanded

Expanding Opportunity for Second Chances in Missouri

July 29, 2026

By Erica Norris, PBI Intern Missouri joined 13 other states and the District of Columbia that have clean slate laws, which automatically seal or expunge certain offenses from an individual’s criminal record and help remove barriers to successful reentry, according to the Clean Slate Initiative. Since Pennsylvania passed the first clean slate law in 2018, advocates have pushed for other states to implement clean slate policies and for federal recognition of clean slate initiatives. On May 15, Missouri took a major step toward expanding second chances by passing bipartisan public safety bill, Senate Bill 1421 (SB1421), with a 110–25 vote.

Pro Se Litigants Need Pro Bono Support

May 12, 2026

By Andrew Braun, PBI Intern Challenges for Pro Se Litigants Millions of pro se or self-represented litigants (SRLs) appear in state and federal courts each year, with some jurisdictions such as Washington, DC seeing as many as 75% to 97% of litigants go without counsel in certain civil matters. But those figures come at a serious cost to obtain justice in a judicial system designed to serve litigants with lawyers. Courts’ lawyer-centric design seriously disadvantages pro se litigants. Jim Sandman, Distinguished Lecturer and Senior Consultant to the Future of the Profession Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School

Fernandez v. United States: The Future of Compassionate Release – and the Growing Role of Pro Bono

December 19, 2025

By Christiana Teodoro, PBI Intern In Fernandez v. United States, No. 24-556, the United States Supreme Court will resolve a circuit split as to whether there are limitations on what factors a federal judge may consider when granting a sentence reduction for “extraordinary and compelling reasons” under the statute governing compassionate release, 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A). In this case, Joe Fernandez was convicted for involvement in a murder-for-hire crime. Fernandez was sentenced to a mandatory life sentence on a murder conspiracy charge and to a consecutive life sentence on a firearm charge. Later, the same trial judge expressed “disquiet” about the

Guest Blog: Bridging the Justice Gap — Virginia’s Proposed Expansion of Assistance with Court Forms

November 12, 2025

By David Greenspan, Pro Bono Partner, McGuireWoods Paige Osgood, 2025 Pro Bono Summer Associate, McGuireWoods In January 2025, the Virginia State Bar took an important step toward addressing the access to justice gap by inviting public comment on proposed amendments to Virginia’s Unauthorized Practice of Law Rules. The proposed changes, as amended, would allow non-lawyer professionals, such as court clerks, law librarians, and approved courthouse navigators or self-help center staff, to provide limited legal assistance with court-approved forms. This includes helping individuals identify, select, understand, and review legal forms for completeness. The amendment would also allow form-completion assistance for individuals

The Role of Civil Legal Aid in Improving Reentry Outcomes

September 25, 2025

By Pilar Steward, PBI Intern The cycle of release and return to prison is both costly to governments and negatively impacts individuals, families, and communities. Community stakeholders and governments can help improve reentry outcomes and reduce recidivism rates by investing in reentry programming. Pro bono partners can provide holistic services through civil legal aid to reduce barriers that hinder reintegration. A Look into Reentry Programming The Minnesota Collaborative Justice Project (MNCJP), an initiative of Pro Bono Institute (PBI), works to improve reentry outcomes through reentry planning, access to services, and policy and advocacy. The MNCJP Steering Committee includes representatives of

Expanding Legal Access by Redefining Legal Services: Georgia’s Efforts to Narrow the Justice Gap

September 24, 2025

By Jovana Fitzgerald, PBI Law Clerk In August 2024, the Supreme Court of Georgia launched a committee to explore legal regulatory reform in an effort to address the significant civil justice gap in Georgia. After a year of research, the committee put forth its recommendations for measures to support low-income and rural Georgians. The Civil Justice Gap in Georgia In the South, more than 22 million individuals have household incomes that fall below 125 percent of the poverty threshold. In Georgia, more than 1.4 million people are considered below the poverty threshold. In 2023, Georgia courts saw more than 420,000

Community-Centered Pro Bono in Singapore

July 7, 2025

By Richelle Khor, PBI Intern Over the past decade, pro bono awareness has been growing within the legal community in Singapore. Lawyers in Singapore have an aspirational target of 25 hours of pro bono service. Opportunities abound in this thriving pro bono market, allowing lawyers to meet and exceed this goal. Join us as we explore the sourcing, regulation, and delivery of pro bono legal services in Singapore. Pro Bono Sources in Singapore Lawyers in Singapore can seek pro bono work from both governmental and non-governmental sources. One governmental source for pro bono matters is The Legal Aid Bureau (LAB)

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

Category: Access to Justice