SRLN 2024: Full Schedule

8:30am MDT

SELF-HELP BOOTCAMP - separate registration required

Wednesday September 18, 2024 8:30am - 4:30pm MDT

This daylong Bootcamp will offer a deep dive in developing and maintaining court based self-help centers. Utilizing the SRLN Policy Bootcamp Guide and other resources, the morning will be devoted to a workshop style approach to explore the whys and hows of court self-help, and challenges attendees are currently facing. The afternoon will take a deeper dive in key areas such as intake, self-evaluation, capacity building, simplification, language and disability access, data collection, communications/branding/alignment with legal aid, and funding strategies to grow the program.

As courts continue to face fiscal challenges, maintaining and developing self-help that supports court users with one-on-one services (whether remote or in-person) and aids courts in developing simplification strategies is as critical as general asynchronous online information available through websites.

This program will be useful to the those new to self-help, as well as veteran self-help providers meeting today's unique challenges. Attendees will receive comprehensive resources to support operations and aid in external communications.

Wednesday September 18, 2024 8:30am - 4:30pm MDT

Administration of Justice, Self-Help Services

8:00am MDT

Registration, Coffee, and Continental Breakfast

Thursday September 19, 2024 8:00am - 8:45am MDT

TBA

Thursday September 19, 2024 8:00am - 8:45am MDT
TBA

Plenary

8:45am MDT

Welcome & Opening Plenary

Thursday September 19, 2024 8:45am - 10:15am MDT

Moot Courtroom

Thursday September 19, 2024 8:45am - 10:15am MDT
Moot Courtroom

Plenary

10:15am MDT

Break

Thursday September 19, 2024 10:15am - 10:30am MDT

TBA

Thursday September 19, 2024 10:15am - 10:30am MDT
TBA

Break

10:30am MDT

Nonlawyer Navigators in State Courts: An Update from the Field

Thursday September 19, 2024 10:30am - 11:45am MDT

TBA

One important approach to help solve the crisis of 30 million litigants in our state courts each year completely without legal help is the use of nonlawyer navigators who come from communities outside the courts to assist the self-represented with their civil legal matters. A panel of experts who have studied, and or created and run court based /affiliated programs will discuss how nonlawyers who come from the community provide essential services to self-represented litigants on their civil legal matters, including describing national trends in this burgeoning innovative arena as well as outlining best practices for launching and expanding these programs.

Speakers

Mary McClymont

Senior Fellow, Georgetown Justice Lab

Stacey Weiler

Director of Grants and Access to Justice Programs, Illinois Bar Foundation

Robert Southers

Director, Franklin County Municipal Court Self Help Center

Mary Ferwerda

JD, Chief Deputy Clerk of Circuit Court (Milwaukee County)

Thursday September 19, 2024 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
TBA

Administration of Justice, Court Navigators

10:30am MDT

Self-Help Platforms: Empowering People and Providing Baseline Access To Justice In Ohio And Illinois

Thursday September 19, 2024 10:30am - 11:45am MDT

Learn about a virtual court self-help portal project in Ohio from process mapping to document assembly to implementation and evaluation. This new portal is designed to assist users to navigate to the appropriate content and court forms, provide step-by-step instructions and legal information, offer document assembly to allow litigants to prepare and file their own court forms, integrate the portal into the court’s navigation services center, and connect litigants to on-line and in-person assistance. The session will also highlight the transformative impact of statewide platforms like Illinois Court Help in promoting access to justice and optimizing resources. Illinois Court Help has improved self-representation, alleviated court staff burdens, and enhanced efficiency. Attendees will learn how these platforms support underserved communities and refine court processes for better accessibility.

Speakers

Susan Choe

Executive Director, Ohio Legal Help

Susan Choe is the Executive Director of Ohio Legal Help. Before her current role at Ohio Legal Help, she served as the Deputy Director & General Counsel at the Ohio Access to Justice Foundation where she managed the development of Ohio Legal Help starting in 2016. Ms. Choe has extensive... Read More →

Avani Patel

Supervising Sr. Program Mngr, Illinois Court Help, Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts

Anjanette Whitman

Navigation Services Director, Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court

ANJANETTE WHITMAN is the Director of the Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court Navigation Services Help Center. Ms. Whitman established the Help Center in 2017 to assist court visitors based on the Supreme Court of Ohio’s Task Force on Access to Justice recommendations. The... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 10:30am - 11:45am MDT

Administration of Justice, Self-Help Platforms

10:30am MDT

Legal Aid Partners with the Courts: Three Approaches (CA, MI, VA)

Thursday September 19, 2024 10:30am - 11:45am MDT

TBA

Legal Aid programs are partnering with courts to address legal needs of self-represented litigants. Join us to learn different models implemented in California, Virginia and Michigan.

Speakers

Bonnie Hough

Consultant, Self Represented Litigation Network

courtsself helpaccess to justicetravel

David Neumeyer

Executive Director, Virginia Legal Aid Society

Executive director of Virginia Legal Aid Society since 1990. Previously a chief attorney for Maryland Legal Aid, legal director for Food Research & Action Center, minority counsel for U.S. Senate Committee on Labor & Human Resources, Reginald Heber Smith Fellow at Rhode Island Legal... Read More →

Amy Disel Allman

Director of Advocacy, Virginia Legal Aid Society

VLAS Foreclosure Prevention & Consumer Protection ProjectACES Justice Project of the Virginia Legal Aid Community- Advocating for fair Credit, Employment Opportunities and safe affordable ShelterCARE- Campaign to Reduce Evictions

Angela Tripp

Program Officer for Technology III, Legal Services Corporation

Ana Maria Garcia

Vice President of Access to Justice Intitiatives, Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County

Ana Maria Garcia (she/her/hers) is a passionate advocate dedicated to creating solutions and expanding access to justice for all, particularly to underserved communities. Currently, she is the Vice President of Access to Justice Initiatives at NLSLA, serving as the liaison to the... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
TBA

Partners & Capacity Building

10:30am MDT

Tech Driven Capacity Building for Self-Help Clinics & Individual Services: California and Maryland

Thursday September 19, 2024 10:30am - 11:45am MDT

TBA

This session will provide case studies in expanding capacity of self-help programs using technology versus traditional in-person delivery. Bet Tzedek Legal Services (Los Angeles) has designed a dedicated platform for a self-help clinic program providing assistance in conservatorship. Hear what they learned about how to get started, the effectiveness of plain language principles in content creations, and results of UX testing with community partners and clinic users. While many self-help programs are exploring tech solutions, Public Counsel ( Los Angeles) has intentionally maintained an in- person, low-tech service delivery model for pro per services with complex guardianship proceedings for minors. Learn how they continue to meet the litigant demand with low, tech, in-person contact model. In contrast, the Maryland Center for Legal Assistance has operated court self-help centers since 2017 and offers a Remote Services Center, providing legal advice to self-represented litigants via phone and online chat M-F from 8:30-8:00PM. In 2023 they had 94,175 phone consults and 20,828 chat consults. Learn what they’ve done to increase efficiency while ensuring their assistance is helpful. They will discuss how to leverage technology to maintain a high volume, brief advice, remote services operation by sharing some successful tech-based innovations, including a homegrown data entry application, link manager, and text/email functionality.

Speakers

Ylianna Perez-Guerrero

Supervising Sr. Staff Attorney, Public Counsel

Isabela Garcia

Virtual Services Paralegal, Bet Tzedek

Lindsay Bramble

Deputy Director for Remote Services, Maryland Center for Legal Assistance

Lindsay is the Deputy Director for Remote Services at the Maryland Center for Legal Assistance. In this role, she oversees the Maryland Court Help Center Remote Services Center where she and her staff provide brief advice to self-represented litigants via phone, online chat, and video... Read More →

Bertha Hayden

Directing Attorney, Bet Tzedek

Thursday September 19, 2024 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
TBA

Partners & Capacity Building, Self-Help Services

10:30am MDT

The Litigant Experience: Insights from Academic Partnerships

Thursday September 19, 2024 10:30am - 11:45am MDT

TBA

This session will explore the objectives, key strategies, and initial outcomes of two unique partnerships between academic institutions and the Utah courts. Both grounded their work in the litigant experience -- one from a user-centered perspective and one using a procedural justice framework. Panelists will share specific insights about forming and supporting academic partnerships like these, aligning goals and workflows, and maximizing the utility of project insights.

1.25 hrs General CLE credit

Speakers

Renee L. Danser

Associate Director of Research, the Access to Justice Lab at Harvard Law School

Drawing on her knowledge of justice system operations and the pressures on the justice system, Ms. Danser joined the Access to Justice Lab at Harvard Law School to incorporate rigorous research into improving access to justice. Ms. Danser believes that fo

Sarah Mauet

UX4Justice Director and Professor of Practice, Innovation for Justice

Sarah Mauet (she/her) is a user experience (UX) researcher and educator with a successful track record of leading large-scale public-facing tech design projects for governments, courts, hospitals, universities, and startups. Since 2020, Sarah has focused on UX and justice-sector tech... Read More →

Jonathan Mark

MyPaperwork Program Manager, Administrative Office of the Courts | Utah Courts

Emily LaGratta

Principal Consultant, LaGratta Consulting, LLC

Emily LaGratta is a national subject matter expert on the topics of trust-building and procedural justice. As part of this work, she leads efforts to capture and learn from affected voices in various legal system settings, such as the Court Voices Project, a 12-court pilot collecting... Read More →

Nathanael Player

Director, Self-Help Center and Law Library, Utah State Courts

Nathanael Player is the Director of the Utah State Courts' Self-Help Center, which provides free legal help and information to thousands of people trying to navigate Utah’s legal system. He serves on numerous committees working to increase access to justice for the people of Utah... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
TBA

Research & Evaluation, UX

11:45am MDT

Lunch Plenary - PROBLEM SOLVING: How to Prioritize When Everything is Important

Thursday September 19, 2024 11:45am - 1:00pm MDT

Moot Courtroom

Nine years after the Conference of Chief Justices and the Conference of State Court Administrators unanimously passed Resolution 5, Reaffirming the Commitment to Meaningful Access to Justice for All, the National Center for State Courts is introducing a new set of planning materials and tools to assist states in moving toward the vision of justice for all. This session will provide: (1) a review of the important work undertaken through the Justice for All (JFA) initiative since the resolutions were passed, (2) an overview of the JFA vision and revised framework, and (3) an introduction to the new materials. The session will feature a demonstration of a new diagnostic tool that asks a series of questions to help states identify focus areas and produces a customized report to guide states as they prioritize their ATJ work. Participants will hear from the developers of the revised materials as well as stakeholders in states that have tested the new diagnostic tool.

Speakers

Angela Tripp

Program Officer for Technology III, Legal Services Corporation

Katherine Alteneder

SRLN Director Emerita, ATJ Innovation

Danielle Hirsch

Managing Director, Access to Justice, NCSC

Danielle Hirsch is the Interim Court Services Director of the Court Consulting Division at the National Center for State Courts. In that capacity, Danielle is working to develop, guide and implement policies and procedures of court consulting operations to ensure success, high-quality work. In... Read More →

Tara Veazey

Thursday September 19, 2024 11:45am - 1:00pm MDT
Moot Courtroom

Plenary

1:00pm MDT

Break

Thursday September 19, 2024 1:00pm - 1:15pm MDT

TBA

Thursday September 19, 2024 1:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
TBA

Break

1:15pm MDT

Empowering SRLs With Integrated Document Portals and Tech Tools

Thursday September 19, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm MDT

Would your court benefit from guided interviews that integrate with electronic filing? What about a digital evidence management system for SRLs to submit their trial exhibits? One easy to use portal where you can use all these tools and more? Come interact with live tools available in Illinois, Minnesota, and Utah and hear about efforts to empower SRLs with integrated tech solutions. We welcome all questions, and there will be ample time for discussion and Q&A.

Speakers

Sam Glover

Clinical Fellow, Suffolk Legal Innovation & Technology Lab (LIT Lab)

Sam works with courts, orgs, and the LIT Lab team to build online tools that make legal processes more accessible.Early in his legal career Sam defended consumers from abusive debt collectors and landlords. He also founded Lawyerist, where he focused on legal innovation, access to... Read More →

Kristene Laterza

Business Analyst, State of Utah

Nathanael Player

Director, Self-Help Center and Law Library, Utah State Courts

Sarah Song

Supervising Sr. Program Mngr, Access to Justice, Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts

Thursday September 19, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm MDT

Administration of Justice, Technology

1:15pm MDT

Algorithmic Justice For All: Developing a safe framework for AI innovation for self-represented legal services

Thursday September 19, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm MDT

TBA

The current uncertainty around UPL and AI is unsustainable. This panel discussion will center around what regulations best serve the needs of the justice-seeking public as well as the courts and bar.

Speakers

Sam Harden

Senior Innovation Manager, Pro Bono Net

Natalie Anne Knowlton

Founder, Access to Justice Ventures

Thursday September 19, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm MDT
TBA

1:15pm MDT

Building Inclusive Pipelines for the Civil Justice Workforce: A Necessary Element for Access to Justice

Thursday September 19, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm MDT

Speakers

Miguel Willis

Eduardo Gonzalez

Program Officer, American Academy of Arts & Sciences

Eduardo is the Program Officer for Civil Justice at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS) where he works to implement the recommendations of the AAAS's Civil Justice for All Report and outcomes from the Making Justice Accessible Project. With deep knowledge about the access... Read More →

Armin Salek

Executive Director, Youth Justice Alliance

Thursday September 19, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm MDT

Partners & Capacity Building, Pipelines

1:15pm MDT

Courts and Communities: The Underrecognized Impact that Courts Have on the Communities they Serve

Thursday September 19, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm MDT

TBA

Judges, court administrators, and other state court leaders are increasingly leading change efforts within state and local court systems, with an eye toward building more public trust and confidence in the courts by improving how cases are triaged, how information is shared with litigants, and how dispositions are reached. How can these initatives be replicated, and what data do court leaders need in order to drive reform efforts forward? The Pew Charitable Trusts has worked with state bar foundations, community foundations, and regional funders to help strengthen public understanding of how court interventions affect individuals and communities, identify innovative solutions, and generate support for change.

Speakers

Erika Rickard

Director, Courts and Communities, The Pew Charitable Trusts

Erika Rickard oversees researchers, policy experts, and organizational partnerships that support Pew’s work on safety and justice, including efforts to unpack, understand, and explain the role of court administration in key policy areas that affect people’s lives. Before joining... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm MDT
TBA

Partners & Capacity Building

1:15pm MDT

Growing the Ecosystem of Affordable Legal Options for SRLs

Thursday September 19, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm MDT

TBA

Many SRLs have some money to pay for legal services, but research shows the vast majority of Americans are not getting the legal help they need. This panel will focus on market-based models (many of which exist in Utah) that are bridging this gap. Attendees will learn about the ecosystem of affordable legal options for SRLs and efforts underway to grow it.

1 hour General CLE credit

Speakers

Jessica Bednarz

Director of Legal Services and the Profession, IAALS

Jessica Bednarz is the Director of Legal Services and the Profession at IAALS. In this role, Bednarz is responsible for leading the vision and strategy of IAALS’ work around innovation, regulation, reform, and evolution in the areas of the delivery of legal services and the legal... Read More →

Noella Sudbury

Tonya Wright

Licensed Paralegal Practitioner, Peck Baxter Watkins & Bailey

Thursday September 19, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm MDT
TBA

Partners & Capacity Building

1:15pm MDT

What Solutions Are Hiding in Your Court Data?

Thursday September 19, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm MDT

TBA

The Utah Bar Foundation embarked on a data research project, supported by The Pew Charitable Trusts, to examine eviction and debt collection case filings in the Utah State Courts. We compared case outcomes for defendants referred to a dedicated eviction/debt collection calendar and given pro bono assistance versus those that didn't. The goal - make recommendations that improve case outcomes for all parties (courts, defendants, plaintiffs, lenders). Come hear about the lessons learned and the recommendations made to the Utah State Courts and the Utah State Legislature as some unsettling trends were discovered through this data research.

1 hour General CLE credit

Speakers

Casey Chiappetta

Principal Associate, The Pew Charitable Trusts

Casey Chiappetta is a principal associate for Pew’s courts and communities project, where she works with states to identify data-informed solutions to improve how debt collection lawsuits are adjudicated, supports court openness initiatives, and researches how courts can more effectively... Read More →

Kim Paulding

Executive Director, Utah Bar Foundation

David McNeill

Data Researcher, Utah Bar Foundation

Thursday September 19, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm MDT
TBA

Research & Evaluation, Eviction & Debt

2:15pm MDT

Break

Thursday September 19, 2024 2:15pm - 2:25pm MDT

Break

2:25pm MDT

Language Access Is Access to Justice

Thursday September 19, 2024 2:25pm - 3:25pm MDT

We are increasingly facing the need and responsibility to provide legal and court services that are linguistically accessible to those we serve. In this session, we will discuss current trends and language access policies throughout the country and share resources for developing and updating your language access strategies and advocating for continued support to provide language access services in legal and court settings. We will also discuss practical approaches to addressing the language needs of your limited-English speaking clients and customers, including the use of interpreters, bilingual professionals, volunteers, audio-visual projects, and machine translation.

Speakers

Danielle Hirsch

Managing Director, Access to Justice, NCSC

Cristina Llop

Access to Justice Consultant, Law Within Reach PC

Ana Maria Garcia

Vice President of Access to Justice Intitiatives, Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County

Thursday September 19, 2024 2:25pm - 3:25pm MDT

Administration of Justice, Language Access

2:25pm MDT

AI in Triage and Portal Projects

Thursday September 19, 2024 2:25pm - 3:25pm MDT

TBA

Everyone is talking about how AI has the power to transform the legal system, but the use of AI in triage and access to justice portals is one of the most promising examples. Join us for a conversation about how SRLN partners are using – or contemplating using – generative AI to improve the usability of their triage tools as well as their efficiency in building and maintaining triage and portal systems.

Speakers

J. Singleton

Program Manager, Legal Services State Support

J. Singleton is the Program Manager of Legal Services State Support. She has led many successful development and redesign projects that have improved access to justice for Minnesotans statewide, including the redesign of LawHelpMN.org, creation of Minnesota’s Legal Organizations... Read More →

Angela Tripp

Program Officer for Technology III, Legal Services Corporation

Thursday September 19, 2024 2:25pm - 3:25pm MDT
TBA

2:25pm MDT

How to Fix the Information Gap and Increase Party Engagement with Court Mediation & ODR Programs

Thursday September 19, 2024 2:25pm - 3:25pm MDT

TBA

This session provides practical tips to courts and other organizations interested in improving access to court programs. Attendees will learn about the barriers to participation in ODR, identified through RSI’s focus group research and user testing with participants with low literacy. Presenters will propose solutions to address these barriers to participation. Following this presentation, an interactive workshop will allow participants to apply the solutions provided to revise communications so that they are more easily understood by SRLs with low literacy. Attendees are encouraged to bring documents to revise.

Speakers

Jennifer Shack

Director of Research, Resolution Systems Institute

Thursday September 19, 2024 2:25pm - 3:25pm MDT
TBA

Partners & Capacity Building, ODR & ADR

2:25pm MDT

It's Not Just Limited Scope Anymore

Thursday September 19, 2024 2:25pm - 3:25pm MDT

TBA

Since its inception in 2007, the LOVS family law firm has been at the forefront of the mission to provide meaningful access to justice to unrepresented parties in Utah. Over a decade ago, along with Joanna Sagers and Stewart Ralphs, LOVS’ Virginia Sudbury created the innovative and wildly successful Pro Se Calendar.

Given its lengthy history of providing tangible Limited Scope services to Pro Se parties, LOVS will present a “roadmap” on how those services can be expanded and integrated into the Pro Se Calendar. It will also provide suggestions on how to institute a Pro Se Calendar in other jurisdictions, coaching pro se parties through hearings and Informal Trials, and how to best assist pro se parties in utilizing (and navigating) existent court-based, online programs (called OCAP, in Utah).

As part of this panel presentation, LOVS will also highlight the role of paralegals (including Licensed Paralegal Practitioners) in providing assistance and resources to pro se parties.

1 hour General CLE credit

Speakers

Richard Mrazik

Judge, Utah State Courts

Virginia Sudbury

Attorney, LOVS

Virginia Lynn Sudbury graduated from Illinois State University in 1979 and from DePaul University School of Law in 1982. It was at that point she realized she didn’t much care for the practice of law, so she dyed a purple streak in her hair and moved to Venice Beach, California... Read More →

Alison Satterlee

Lawyer, LOVS

Elizabeth Lisonbee

Attorney, Law Office of Virginia Sudbury

ELIZABETH HILL

Paralegal, Law Office of Virginia Sudbury

Thursday September 19, 2024 2:25pm - 3:25pm MDT
TBA

Partners & Capacity Building, Simplification

2:25pm MDT

Virtual Court Access Networks: Connecting communities to the courts

Thursday September 19, 2024 2:25pm - 3:25pm MDT

TBA

This session is for anyone interested in using technology to connect with rural communities and alleviating the burden that traveling to court may cause for all court users. Virtual Court Access Networks (VCAN) consist of computer stations in private and safe locations that provide an opportunity for court users to interface with the court without leaving their local community. From identifying partners and appropriate locations, to network safety concerns, and more, this session will provide participants with a blueprint to replicate (VCAN) in their region.

Speakers

Lisa M. Zayas

Director, Division of Access to Justice, NYS Unified Courts, Office for Justice Initiatives

Michelle Smith

Chief of Staff, New York Courts' Office for Justice Initiatives

Rosemary Martinez-Borges

Deputy Chief of Staff, Office for Justice Initiatives, NY Courts

Christine Sisario

Director of Technology/CIO, New York State Unified Court System

Christine Sisario has over twenty-eight years of experience working in a variety of technology areas including systems and network engineering, high-profile project management, strategic planning, and all facets of the software development life cycle. The bulk of her career has been... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 2:25pm - 3:25pm MDT
TBA

Partners & Capacity Building

2:25pm MDT

Best Practices in Data Sharing: Learning From Other Fields

Thursday September 19, 2024 2:25pm - 3:25pm MDT

TBA

Legal providers are notoriously gun-shy when it comes to data sharing, often leading to unnecessary silos, inefficiency, and a lack of holistic response for people in crisis. However, other fields have built safe, effective models for data sharing in highly sensitive areas the legal field can learn from. This panel will feature representatives from a homelessness service provider and a data systems technologist discussing their experience with HMIS (Homeless Management Information Services) and other data-sharing systems, and how it has strengthened coalition and client outcomes. This panel will discuss data privacy, data sharing agreements, technology infrastructure and systems to allow for safe and effective data sharing, and a discussion of the impact of data sharing across sectors.

Speakers

Aaron Bean

Managing Director, Asemio

Aaron Bean is the Managing Director and co-founder of Asemio, based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Aaron is a highly skilled industry veteran with over 20 years of experience in software development. His creative approach to digital transformation is fueled by his passion for developing technologies... Read More →

Mark Smith

CEO, Housing Solutions Tulsa

Katie Dilks

Executive Director, Oklahoma Access to Justice Foundation

Thursday September 19, 2024 2:25pm - 3:25pm MDT
TBA

Research & Evaluation

3:25pm MDT

Break & Coffee

Thursday September 19, 2024 3:25pm - 3:40pm MDT

TBA

Thursday September 19, 2024 3:25pm - 3:40pm MDT
TBA

Break

3:40pm MDT

STRUCTURED DISCUSSION AND PROBLEM SOLVING: Emerging Opportunities and Challenges

Thursday September 19, 2024 3:40pm - 5:00pm MDT

Moot Courtroom

Thursday September 19, 2024 3:40pm - 5:00pm MDT
Moot Courtroom

Plenary

7:30am MDT

Breakfast & Check-in

Friday September 20, 2024 7:30am - 8:15am MDT

Break

8:15am MDT

STRUCTURED DISCUSSION & PROBLEM SOLVING: Funding Strategies

Friday September 20, 2024 8:15am - 9:00am MDT

Plenary

9:10am MDT

Networking and Design+Systems Thinking 101

Friday September 20, 2024 9:10am - 9:45am MDT

Go behind the scenes with the Innovation for Justice lab - engage with the design and systems-thinking techniques we apply in designing access to justice innovations while networking with other conference attendees as we explore the challenges and opportunities of community based non-lawyer help.

Speakers

Gabriela Elizondo-Craig

Project Lead, Innovation for Justice

Rachel Crisler

Project Lead, Innovation for Justice

I manage the Housings Stability Legal Advocate Initiative in Arizona! We will be in the midst of training our new cohort of 34 HSLAs. I'd love to share our work building community legal empowerment and our work with these incredible community based justice workers!

Cayley Balser

Professor of Practice, Service Impact Area Lead, Innovation for Justice

Antonio M. Coronado

Professor of Practice, Community Legal Education, Innovation for Justice

Nóra Al Haider

Assistant Director, Stanford Legal Design Lab

Friday September 20, 2024 9:10am - 9:45am MDT

Networking, Design

9:10am MDT

Networking and the Design Thinking Skill of Empathy

Friday September 20, 2024 9:10am - 9:45am MDT

Human-centered design starts with empathy - understanding a challenge from the perspectives of those experiencing the challenge. In this networking session, Innovation for Justice facilitators will lead conference attendees through a series of networking activities designed to build new connections and challenge your assumptions.

Speakers

Stacy Jane

Director, Innovation for Justice

Stacy Jane is the Director of i4J and has two decades of experience in community advocacy and expanding the reach of civil legal services for under-represented populations. Her research focuses on the application of human-centered design and innovation to social justice issues including... Read More →

Margaret Hagan

Executive Director, Stanford Legal Design Lab

Executive Director of Stanford Legal Design LabMargaret Hagan is the Executive Director of the Legal Design Lab at Stanford University, as well as lecturer at the Law School and d.school. She is a lawyer, and holds a J.D. from Stanford Law School, a DPhi

Sarah Mauet

UX4Justice Director and Professor of Practice, Innovation for Justice

Erin Weaver

Professor of Practice, Structure Impact Area Lead, Innovation for Justice

Miranda Garrett

I4J

Friday September 20, 2024 9:10am - 9:45am MDT

Networking, Design

9:10am MDT

Open Networking: SRLN Attendee Networking Experience Prompts

Friday September 20, 2024 9:10am - 9:45am MDT

Still have some blanks to fill in on your SRLN Attendee Networking Experiences worksheet? Head to this unstructured, unfacilitated networking space to catch up on the experiences called out in the worksheet, meet other attendees, and get ready for the Friday closing plenary!

Friday September 20, 2024 9:10am - 9:45am MDT

Networking

9:45am MDT

Break

Friday September 20, 2024 9:45am - 9:55am MDT

TBA

Friday September 20, 2024 9:45am - 9:55am MDT
TBA

Break

9:55am MDT

Judicial Perspectives on Access to Justice in Eviction Court and Other High-Volume Dockets

Friday September 20, 2024 9:55am - 10:45am MDT

TBA

Eviction and consumer debt dockets are often fast-paced and high-volume, which can create challenges for the overwhelming numbers of litigants appearing without counsel and struggling to understand the legal process and their options. Judges from three different jurisdictions will describe how they have adopted principles of active judging to increase understanding, protect due process, and expand access to resources for litigants. Judges will also share their thoughts on how to cultivate new judicial champions for access to justice reforms.

Moderators

Erika Rickard

Director, Courts and Communities, The Pew Charitable Trusts

Speakers

Judge Steven Duble

Justice of the Peace, Harris County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1-2

Steven Duble is Justice of the Peace for Precinct 1, Place 2 in Harris County, Texas. He was elected in November 2022 and took office January 2023. He earned his undergraduate degree from Texas Christian University in 1986 and his law degree from the University of Houston Law Center... Read More →

Judge Kimberly Bacon

Judge, Lawrence Township Small Claims Court, Marion County, Indiana

Magistrate Andrea Paprzycki

Magistrate Judge, Colorado Judicial Department

Friday September 20, 2024 9:55am - 10:45am MDT
TBA

Partners & Capacity Building, Judges

9:55am MDT

Teaching Empathy Through Technology in the AI Era

Friday September 20, 2024 9:55am - 10:55am MDT

TBA

In an increasingly digital world driven by artificial intelligence, the importance of instilling empathy in future lawyers cannot be overstated. As technology continues to evolve, so too should our methods of teaching empathy to the next generation of lawyers. This session proposes an exploration of teaching empathy through the lens of document assembly—a critical tool in combating the access to justice crisis and one in which CALI has unique expertise. Automated legal forms help more than 1 million people a year to learn about their legal rights, complete the necessary court paperwork, and tackle the justice system pro se. By leveraging technology in innovative ways, we can not only streamline court form automation, but also foster a deeper understanding of the human beings struggling to access the justice system on their own. This session will delve into practical strategies and tools for integrating empathy into document assembly processes, ensuring that our advancements in AI remain grounded in human understanding and compassion.

Speakers

Jessica Frank

A2J Author Project Manager, CALI - The Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction

Jessica Frank, in her role as the A2J Author Project Manager at CALI, is a thought leader in legal technology and access to justice. Jessica brings a wealth of expertise in utilizing technology to enhance the accessibility of legal resources, particularly through her work with A2J... Read More →

Alexander Rabanal

Research Fellow, Chicago-Kent College of Law

Friday September 20, 2024 9:55am - 10:55am MDT
TBA

9:55am MDT

Synergy for Impact: How Legal Aid and Justice Tech Partnerships Drive Justice Equity

Friday September 20, 2024 9:55am - 10:55am MDT

TBA

How can we break down silos and build resources and community between organizations committed to access to justice? Dive into the transformative impact of legal aid-justice tech collaboration that benefits justice-impacted communities, LSOs, and mission-focused founders. This session will explore the potential of ethical tech advancements to revolutionize the access to justice landscape, unlocking new levels of accessibility for clients and increased justice equity. Panelists will share examples of partnership projects and seek feedback in a workshop-style discussion about (i) a resource for LSOs to identify trusted tech platforms for potential partnerships/referrals; (ii) two research studies on justice tech; and (iii) early work of a subcommittee focused on justice tech and legal aid innovation.

1 hour General CLE credit

Speakers

Kelli Raker

Associate Program Director, Duke Law

Shellie Reid

Manager, Legal Services National Technology Assistance Project

Friday September 20, 2024 9:55am - 10:55am MDT
TBA

Partners & Capacity Building, Technology

9:55am MDT

Putting Law Libraries on the Map – Using GIS Technology to Promote Services to the SRL

Friday September 20, 2024 9:55am - 10:55am MDT

TBA

This program not only discusses the results of the 2023 Survey of Law Library Services to the SRL but details how a Story Map was created to better illustrate and promote the role of law libraries in Access to Justice through service to the SRL. Suzanne Wade, a Geo-Spatial Analyst with SRLN, will demonstrate and explain the mapping process and Story Map creation. The resulting Story Map, “Law Libraries: Open to the Public,” will demonstrate how law libraries support Access to Justice and the work of the courts and legal service providers. Discussion will include how mapping could be implemented for use in other organizations.

Speakers

Lawrence Meyer

Executive Director, SBCLL

Joan Bellistri

Law Library Director, Anne Arundel County Circuit Court

I have been the librarian here for 40 years and have witnessed the explosion in the number of SRLs requesting help. We provide information and referrals as well as brief legal advice programs. Ask me about law libraries and service to SRLs and to Legal Service Providers.

Suzanne Wade

Geo-Spatial Analyst, SRLN

Sue Ludington

Chief Law Librarian, New York State Unified Court System

Friday September 20, 2024 9:55am - 10:55am MDT
TBA

Research & Evaluation, Libraries

10:55am MDT

Break

Friday September 20, 2024 10:55am - 11:05am MDT

TBA

Friday September 20, 2024 10:55am - 11:05am MDT
TBA

Break

11:05am MDT

Listening to Their Voices: Getting Community-based Feedback for Courts

Friday September 20, 2024 11:05am - 12:20pm MDT

TBA

It is crucial for courts to listen to the communities they serve to ensure that their practices and procedures meet and respond to the needs, values, and experiences of people directly impacted by the legal system. Gathering feedback and testing materials and processes with court users can feel overwhelming, frightening, and time-consuming. But user feedback and testing are critical to ensuring that our courts are fair and equitable and reflect the needs and experiences of the people who use them. Further, user testing with community members can help dispel fear they have of the courts, helps empower them, and promotes deeper trust in the court system.

Incorporating court user experience and perspectives in an engaging manner will help courts and legal services organizations improve their communications, forms, and processes to increase access, particularly for SRLs and historically marginalized groups, and to implement changes based on it. User feedback and testing can be done simply and efficiently. This session will cover user feedback and testing basics, including how to build user feedback and testing into court and organization practices and when and how to use particular feedback methods, such as surveys and focus groups.

Presenters will also share strategies for gathering user feedback and performing user testing, including guidance on how to identify court users for testing or feedback, survey tools and questions, and focus group facilitation tips. Participants will discuss short and long-term ways they will incorporate what they learned during the session. This session will include panelists from Illinois, Michigan, and the National Center for State Courts that have effectively engaged in user feedback and testing to improve court remote hearing processes, court forms, and self-help materials.

Speakers

Kathryn Hensley

Supervising Sr. Program Mngr, Access to Justice, Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts

Grace Spulak

Senior Court Management Consultant, National Center for State Courts

Angela Tripp

Program Officer for Technology III, Legal Services Corporation

August Hieber

Sr. Program Manager, Inclusive Access, Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts

Friday September 20, 2024 11:05am - 12:20pm MDT
TBA

Court Administration, UX

11:05am MDT

Building Connected Ecosystems of Resources for Self-Represented Litigants: Maryland and Illinois

Friday September 20, 2024 11:05am - 12:20pm MDT

TBA

This presentation will explore the multifaceted ecosystem of services available to self-represented litigants in Illinois and Maryland. Informed by the Illinois Supreme Court’s “Safe Harbor Policy”, self-represented litigants in Illinois can tap into innovative services within and outside courts, including the Court Navigator Network, Illinois JusticeCorps, Illinois Court Help, and access centers located within public libraries. These services ensure that individuals without lawyers, in every corner of the state, can access vital legal information and resources to help them meaningfully navigate the civil justice system. It will also review the Maryland Court Help Centers where litigants can connect with attorneys in person, by phone, through online chat, or at video kiosks in courthouses for advice and resources. One such resource is the Justice Passport, which connects litigants with appropriate legal services agencies without the necessity of multiple interviews. This session will describe how these services got off the ground, outline the collaboration that makes these programs successful, and highlight how these programs can also be scaled in your state.

1.25 hrs General CLE credit

Speakers

Jill Roberts

Deputy Director, Access to Justice Division, Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts

Jill Roberts is the Deputy Director of the Access to Justice Division at the Administrative Office of Illinois Courts. She facilitates and coordinates statewide efforts to promote meaningful access to the Illinois courts to meet the needs of litigants appearing in court without attorneys... Read More →

Lindsay Bramble

Deputy Director for Remote Services, Maryland Center for Legal Assistance

Roya Samarghandi

Associate Director of Advocacy, Innovation & Train, The Chicago Bar Foundation

Roya Samarghandi is the CBF’s Associate Director of Advocacy, Innovation, & Training. Roya plays a key role in the CBF’s mission through her work on legislative and policy advocacy, innovation initiatives, and the CBF Legal Aid Academy.An alumna of the JEP, Roya owned and ran... Read More →

Stacey Weiler

Director of Grants and Access to Justice Programs, Illinois Bar Foundation

Friday September 20, 2024 11:05am - 12:20pm MDT
TBA

Partners & Capacity Building

11:05am MDT

Independent Non-Profit Legal Services Providers: An Essential Piece of the Access to Justice Puzzle

Friday September 20, 2024 11:05am - 12:20pm MDT

Speakers

Vanessa Smith

Staff Attorney, Legal Access Alameda

Susan Griffith

Executive Director, Timpanogos Legal Center

Deborah Hughes

Executive Director, Legal Assistance Center

Deborah J. Hughes is the Executive Director of the Legal Assistance Center, a nonprofit legal self help center located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The LAC is a community created, community supported legal self-help center. As Executive Director, Deborah is responsible for the legal... Read More →

Friday September 20, 2024 11:05am - 12:20pm MDT

Partners & Capacity Building, Self-Help Services

11:05am MDT

Pedagogies of Power: Building the Movement to Reimagine U.S. Legal Education

Friday September 20, 2024 11:05am - 12:20pm MDT

TBA

This program serves as an urgent cause of/for action and open call to reimagine the American law school. U.S. legal education’s current manifestation, we argue, serves as a unique site of socialization that has and continues to perpetuate ideological, structural, and material harms. Through a historically grounded analysis of the Present, Past-Ongoing, as well as potential Futures of the law school as a distinct project of legal power, this program explores the multiple ways in which traditional legal education can and must be reimagined by the broader U.S. legal profession. Drawing from movements of scholarship-activism in critical legal pedagogy, sociology, and abolitions, this space explores radical reforms to the law school as footholds toward freedom. In situating the law school as a critical zone of struggle for realizing justice and community sovereignty, this program seeks to discuss the ways that lawyers, legal educators, and advocates aligned with the work of liberation might work across disciplines, jurisdictions, and time to jointly advance “non-reformist reforms” to U.S. legal education. As this session explores, it is only through conscious, collective processes of (re)imagination that we can forge a future grounded in shared, collective legal power.

Speakers

Antonio M. Coronado

Professor of Practice, Community Legal Education, Innovation for Justice

Friday September 20, 2024 11:05am - 12:20pm MDT
TBA

Partners & Capacity Building, Law Schools

12:15pm MDT

Lunch & Working Group Networking

Friday September 20, 2024 12:15pm - 1:30pm MDT

Break

1:30pm MDT

(Re)traumatization and access to justice: the correlation between trauma experiences and civil legal problems, and what can be done to mitigate retraumatization

Friday September 20, 2024 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT

TBA

Research demonstrates that people who have experienced trauma — specifically a past arrest, domestic violence, and/or sexual assault— experience a greater likelihood of having an employment problem, a family structure problem, and a debt problem, regardless of what point in their life they experienced this trauma. Trauma experiences and their impact on civil justice needs and access to legal problem solving help are often not part of the access to justice conversation. Further, interaction with the civil justice system can be a (re)traumatizing experience itself. This session will discuss the existing trauma justice gap research, the need for more, and what actional steps that legal practitioners can take to mitigate the risk of trauma exposure response and retraumatization in legal help settings with or without human help.

1 hour General CLE credit

Speakers

Cayley Balser

Professor of Practice, Service Impact Area Lead, Innovation for Justice

Erin Weaver

Professor of Practice, Structure Impact Area Lead, Innovation for Justice

Friday September 20, 2024 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT
TBA

Administration of Justice, UX

1:30pm MDT

Empowering Community Members Through Mediation: An Exploration of Different Mediation Models in Housing Court (AK, KS, IL)

Friday September 20, 2024 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT

TBA

The pandemic saw the urgent creation of eviction mediation models throughout the united states. In the past two years, as resources and support for mediation programs waned, the staff and mediators who design and operate such efforts have had to find ways to inspire, introduce, and institutionalize successful mediation models. Join experienced court facilitators and their dispute system design consultant to learn more about the many ways mediation can support parties - both before and during their court proceedings – in jurisdictions throughout the country.

Speakers

Abigail Lessman

Eviction Resolution Program Manager, Kansas Office of Judicial Administration

Magistrate Andrea Paprzycki

Magistrate Judge, Colorado Judicial Department

Will Walker

Access to Justice Staff Attorney, Alaska Court System

Rae Kyritsi

Consultant, Caldera Dialogue

Friday September 20, 2024 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT
TBA

Administration of Justice, ODR & ADR

1:30pm MDT

Community Voice in the Courts: How Courts Can Structure Committee Work to be More Effective and Increase Public Trust and Confidence

Friday September 20, 2024 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT

TBA

In state courts across the country, most people are self-represented. However, courts are primarily administered with a focus on lawyers. Given the overwhelming data regarding self-represented litigants, Utah has begun the process of reorienting its administrative apparati; they have added non-lawyer perspectives to the Advisory Committee to the Utah Supreme Court on the Rules of Civil Procedure and are adding community voices to other court administrative committees. This session will explain the what, the why, and the how.

Speakers

Nathanael Player

Director, Self-Help Center and Law Library, Utah State Courts

Katsí Peña

Friday September 20, 2024 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT
TBA

Court Administration, Rules Committee

1:30pm MDT

Evaluating State Debt Collection Reforms

Friday September 20, 2024 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT

TBA

The panel will report on findings from a mixed-methods empirical study evaluating the impact of state-level reforms requiring additional documentation in debt collection cases. We will discuss findings from a three-state evaluation and a multistate quantitative analysis. We will propose solutions, including practical applications for better implementation of legislative and rules-based reforms in the courthouse to improve outcomes for self-represented consumer defendants.

More on our research including the studies we'll be talking about can be found here: https://www.debtcollectionlab.org/research.

Speakers

Claire Johnson Raba

Assistant Professor of Law, University of Illinois Chicago School of Law

Dalié Jiménez

Professor of Law, UCI School of Law

Dalié Jiménez is a Professor of Law at UC Irvine School of Law and director of its Student Loan Law Initiative. She teaches and writes about debt, consumer law, bankruptcy, and access to justice.An elected member of the American Law Institute, Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, and a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute’s Commission on Consumer Bankruptcy. Professor Jiménez s... Read More →

Andy Wirkus

Senior Court Management Consultant, The National Center for State Courts

Andy Wirkus J.D. (he/him) is a Senior Court Management Consultant with the National Center for State Courts where he works on creating greater access to justice through authoring toolkits, creating trainings, providing technical assistance, crafting innovative ways of presenting information... Read More →

Friday September 20, 2024 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT
TBA

Research & Evaluation, Debt Collection

2:30pm MDT

Coffee and Snack Break

Friday September 20, 2024 2:30pm - 2:45pm MDT

TBA

Friday September 20, 2024 2:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
TBA

Break

2:55pm MDT

Content Management With 1000+ Forms

Friday September 20, 2024 2:55pm - 3:55pm MDT

TBA

In this session, we will delve into the challenges and strategies of managing 1000+ forms and complex guided interviews that require regular updates due to legislative changes, user experience findings, and stakeholder feedback. We will discuss how to integrate change as an ongoing business practice and showcase technology strategies we use to manage content.

1 hr General CLE credit

Speakers

Pleasy Wayas

Self-Help Center/Forms Attorney, Utah State Courts

Kaden Taylor

Utah State Law Librarian, Utah State Courts

Jonathan Mark

MyPaperwork Program Manager, Administrative Office of the Courts | Utah Courts

Friday September 20, 2024 2:55pm - 3:55pm MDT
TBA

Administration of Justice, Forms

2:55pm MDT

Legal Hand: a fundable, ready to scale independent non-profit legal assistance and resources model

Friday September 20, 2024 2:55pm - 3:55pm MDT

Speakers

Fern Fisher

Executive Director, Legal Hand Inc

Rochelle Klempner

Legal Consultant, Legal Hand

Rochelle Klempner is a legal consultant for Legal Hand, Inc., after retiring from the New York State Court System where she served most recently as Staff Counsel to the Permanent Commission on Access to Justice; Counsel to the Judicial Institute on Professionalism in the Law; and... Read More →

Friday September 20, 2024 2:55pm - 3:55pm MDT

Partners & Capacity Building, Community Justice Workers

2:55pm MDT

University Labs for Justice System Innovation

Friday September 20, 2024 2:55pm - 3:55pm MDT

TBA

What are Law School Labs? In this session, you will learn about the growing network of university labs that work on law, policy, data, technology, and design-driven innovaiton.

In particular, we'll highlight:

The different kinds of Law School (and University) Labs, what kinds of projects they work on, how they operate, and what their priorities & goals are
Practical strategies for courts, legal aid groups, bar associations, or other justice institutions to partner with university labs to make progress on their innovation projects;
Example stories of past partnerships, including the details of establishing a relationship, scoping projects, working with researchers and students, and delivering work products.

You should attend this session if you are interested in understanding this new kind of law school group, doing more research about what works in justice innovation, and connecting with students, researchers, and interdisciplinary teams on envisioning and evaluating a better future for access to justice.

Speakers