The Resource Center brings together in one place all ABA services to assist bench, bar and legal services leaders in creating effective civil legal services systems - help with structuring systems, analyzing needs, and finding resources.
Resource Center Consultants
| Resource Development/PERLS Consultant E-Mail: Phone: 303-329-8091 |
State Support Consultant E-Mail: Phone: 207-833-7869 |
Access to Justice Headlines
Speech by Justice Broderick at May 9, 2008 National Meeting of Access to Justice Chairs
Access to Justice and legal aid funding top issues for Pennsylvania Lawyers taking their case to Capitol Hill (5/5/08)
California Access to Justice Commission to celebrate its 10th anniversary with symposium on The Future of Access to Justice in California: Developing a Vision for the Next Decade (msword, 34 Kb) . (4/23/08)
North Carolina Bar Association continues year-long 4All campaign, under leadership of President Janet Ward Black, with "Ask A Lawyer" day. (4/4/08)
North Carolina Bar Journal highlights Access to Justice. (3/15/08)
South Carolina Access to Justice Commission launches series of local hearings on barriers to justice. (3/13/08)
New York State Bar Association convenes conference on Creating a Blueprint for a Civil Right to Counsel in New York. (3/11/08)
New Hampshire Access to Justice Commissions launches new web site. The site serves as home page for the Commission and provides links to legal aid programs, a self-help center, and information about the state courts. (3/1/08)
Pro Bono Institute offers grants for Second Acts pilot projects, supporting retired attorneys working in public interest organizations serving low-income communities. (3/1/08)
Poverty Benchmarks 2008: Assessing New Jersey’s Progress in Addressing Problems of Inadequate Income documents key poverty trends and examines selected anti-poverty programs. (2/15/08)
National Technology Assistance Project (NTAP) offers Practical Steps to Protecting Your Legal Aid Organization from Cyber Piracy, to help legal aid programs protect identities from misuse by fraudulent legal aid organizations. (2/15/08)
ABA President William H. Neukom calls for ABA members to lobby Congress for increased federal legal aid funding in President's Message in February ABA Journal. (2/1/08)
Arizona report, Voicing a Need for Justice, a Report on Legal Aid Access, documents justice gap and lack of awareness of legal assistance and makes recommendations to address problems. (2/1/08)
Maine State Bar Association Annual Meeting features half-day Access to Justice Symposium, led by state Supreme Court Justice Jon D. Levy, newly elected chair of the Maine Justice Action Group. Former Massachusetts Supreme Court Justice Herbert Wilkins, Chair of the Massachusetts Access to Justice Commission, delivers keynote address. (1/31/08)
State Bar of Texas awards prizes in YouTube video contest, Lone Star Stories: Texans on Justice. (1/25/08)
South Carolina State Bar Convention features Texas Supreme Court Justice Harriet O’Neill as keynote speaker on Access to Justice issues. (1/25/08)
Louisiana State Bar Association House of Delegates adopts resolution supporting programs, rules and policies assisting self-represented litigants. Article. (1/17/08)
By order of the state Supreme Court, Louisiana has become the 18th state to adopt an IOLTA comparability rule. (1/15/08)
Montana Self-Help Law Program (msword, 15 Kb) up and running with new staff and two courthouse self-help centers open for business. (1/5/08)
Technology Committee of Texas Access to Justice Commission (msword, 29 Kb) , made up of chief information officers of leading law firms, working pro bono, assesses technology needs and develops plan for legal aid offices; Texas Access to Justice Foundation purchases equipment for programs. (12/19/07)
Missouri becomes second state to adopt disaster court rule, allowing out-of-state lawyers to practice on a pro basis following a disaster, based on ABA model rule. (12/17/07)
South Carolina Access to Justice Commission (pdf, 303 Kb) , chaired by Chief Justice Jean Hoefer Toal, schedules series of eight hearings around the state, to culminate in hearing before state Supreme Court. (12/15/07)
About the Resource Center
The Resource Center for Access to Justice Initiatives was created to better serve bar, bench and legal services leaders who are engaged in establishing or expanding state access to justice efforts. This Resource Center, and these web pages, bring together in one place a wealth of information on structures for access efforts, activities undertaken by access commissions in various states, and assistance with raising funds to support expanded legal aid/access to civil justice programs.
For information on fundraising/resource development for civil legal aid, see the Resource Development pages (also available from the menu on the left).
For information on how to create or expand an access to justice program, see the Access to Justice Commissions pages (also available from the menu on the left).
For information on specific sub-topics, like how to enhance a pro bono program or raise public awareness of the need for legal services, see our Documents and Materials page (also on the left menu).
Please send a message to either of the consultants if you have any comments or questions.
