8:30 AM – 9:30 AM MST

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Opening Session and Keynote by Afua Bruce

Afua Bruce is the author of The Tech That Comes Next: How Changemakers, Philanthropists, and Technologists Can Build an Equitable World. She’s a leading public interest technologist whose career spans government, non-profit, private, and academic sectors. Afua is the Principal of the ANB Advisory Group, a consulting firm that supports organizations in developing, implementing, or funding responsible data and technology solutions. Before founding ANB Advisory Group, Afua held senior science and technology roles at the White House, the FBI, and IBM. Afua was honored with a statue in the If/Then Exhibit highlighting women in STEM, which was displayed in the Smithsonian. Afua holds a degree in Computer Engineering from Purdue University and an MBA from the University of Michigan. 

Speakers: Ron Flagg, President, Legal Services Corporation; Afua Bruce, Principal, ANB Advisory Group

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM MST

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Creating a Cybersecurity Roadmap is Easier Than You Think

Topics: Information Technology/Internal Operations; Technology for Advocates
If you feel overwhelmed by thinking about cybersecurity risks, it can paralyze you out of taking action to protect your organization. This workshop will de-mystify the process to create a cybersecurity roadmap and guide you to create a framework of step-by-step manageable tasks to improve your cybersecurity stance. You don’t have to be an IT specialist to contribute to the security of your organization. But you do need a roadmap to chart where you are going and what you will do to get there. Walk out of this session with the framework to get you started on this important task.

Speakers: Matthew Eshleman, Community IT Innovators; Jada Breegle, Legal Services Corporation; Bill Hagestad, Technology By Design; Eli Mattern, Community Legal Services Florida

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM MST

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Generative AI Using Your Content: Learn From the Beagle+ Success Story

Topics: Artificial Intelligence/Generative AI/Chatbots; Websites/Online Tools
Join us for a deep dive into one organization’s use of generative AI to help bridge the justice gap. In early 2024, People’s Law School in Vancouver, Canada launched a chatbot powered by GPT-4, using retrieval augmented generation (RAG). This approach allows its chatbot, Beagle+, to use content from the People’s Law School websites to provide helpful, empathetic responses to legal questions from the public across a wide range of topics. Nine months in, 80% of users find Beagle+ to be helpful, and usage of the chatbot is up by 60%. See a demo of Beagle+, learn how RAG works, and see how the approach minimizes the risks of generative AI tools (such as hallucinations). Learn how People’s Law School addressed key challenges, including how lawyers review the chatbot’s responses for accuracy and safety, how to control AI costs, and how to ensure privacy and security.

Speakers: Drew Jackson, People's Law School; Patricia Byrne, People's Law School; Chris McGrath, Tangowork

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM MST

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AI for Legal Aid: Everything You Were Afraid to Ask (and Should Know!)

Topics: Artificial Intelligence/Generative AI/Chatbots; Intake/Triage/Hotlines
Dive into the future of justice at: "AI for Legal Aid: Everything You Were Afraid to Ask (and Should Know!)." Discover how cutting-edge AI technologies are revolutionizing the legal aid landscape, making justice more accessible and efficient for all. From external-facing tools surfacing legal information to internal-facing tools streamlining pro bono casework, AI is empowering legal professionals to serve their clients better and bridge the justice gap. Join us to explore the basics of AI, real-world applications, and practical steps legal aid organizations can take to get started. This session is a must-attend for anyone looking to understand the critical role of AI in legal aid.

Speakers: Kristen Sonday, Paladin; Laura Safdie, Casetext/Thomson-Reuters

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM MST

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Guided Interviews & Boarding Passes: Using Virtual Companions to Customize Legal Information for A Court User with Low Code Tech Tools 

Topics: Court Technology for Access to Justice; Self-Represented Litigants/Self-Help
Court and legal aid websites are full of helpful legal information about legal problems, court procedures, forms, and what to expect before, during, and after court visits. However, navigating static web pages can be overwhelming when users are unsure how to select the information that applies to their specific situation. To address this, NCSC partnered with courts to develop online tools to tailor legal information for court users. These digital companions ask relevant questions to create customized webpages that guide users through legal processes and provide actionable next steps, along with custom takeaway documents (boarding passes). In this session, we will provide a live demo of applications built for traffic cases, landlord-tenant disputes, and consumer debt issues. We will discuss how these tools improve user experience, impact court filings and dockets, and share stories and data from court staff and users about their effectiveness. Join us to see how dynamic tools can transform access to justice and enhance the efficiency of the legal system.

Speakers: Zach Zarnow, National Center for State Courts; Aubrie Souza, National Center for State Courts; Andy Wirkus, National Center for State Courts

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM MST

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Creating a Coordinated Intake System for 50+ Legal Service Organizations

Topics: Intake/Triage/Hotlines; Legal Design/Regulatory Reform/Innovations

With over fifty distinct legal service organizations, residents of the District of Columbia (DC) face numerous challenges in finding help. Enter the idea for a Coordinated Intake and Referral system (CIR). Armed with data from thirteen focus groups with more than 100 residents, including individuals with specific vulnerabilities, and input from more than half of the legal aid providers, the DC community got to work. Led by the DC Bar Foundation and the DC Social Justice Transformations Network, various stakeholders, from legal service organizations to community organizers to social service workers, came together in an intentionally collaborative approach over a four-year period, using tools including monthly chats, focus groups, and regular community convenings. Efforts were underway to design a blueprint not only for a user-centered CIR system but for an entire ecosystem designed to engage all aspects of the community. This blueprint was put to the test through a pilot program. Come learn about the plans, implementation, successes, challenges, and lessons learned from a Coordinated Intake and Referral pilot system.

Speakers: Kirra Jarratt, DC Bar Foundation; Joseph Schieffer, A2J Tech; Kelly Jarvis, NPC Research; Karen Newton Cole, Neighborhood Legal Services Program

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM MST

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Automating Access to Justice: Improving Eviction Response with Simple Technology Innovations

Topics: Technology for Advocates; Websites/Online Tools

Explore how Legal Services of Greater Miami and the Community Justice Project harnessed simple technologies to automate and improve eviction response efforts in Miami-Dade County. This session will showcase a creative system that automatically collects eviction filing data, standardizes addresses, and assigns canvassers to assist tenants. Learn how this technology streamlines the process, ensuring tenants receive timely legal assistance. The audience will be positioned to discover the project's implementation, the challenges faced, and its impact.

Speakers: Ilenia Sanchez-Bryson, Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc.; Devan Kreitzer, A2J Tech

3:30 PM – 4:30 PM MST

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Microsoft 365 – Increasing Efficiency, Productivity, and Collaboration

Topics: Information Technology/Internal Operations; Data Analysis/Analytics/Governance

The proposed session explores the benefits of implementing and developing a Microsoft 365 platform to address technical challenges and enhance an organization’s capabilities. Presenters from three Southern California legal aid organizations will demonstrate use cases of Power Platform features, discuss strategies for meeting practical and technical needs, and provide insights into the purchasing process, obtaining licenses, and eventual rollout to staff. Visual examples of their developed solutions will be presented in a comprehensive PowerPoint slide deck, along with detailed descriptions provided by each presenter on the methods applied in their development. Use cases will include app building for practical solutions, creating informational gateways such as dashboards, and the use of Co-Pilot/ChatGPT in crafting workflows and expression writing.

Speakers: Randall Stewart, Inland Counties Legal Services, Inc.; Susan Vincent, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles; Jaime Cartagena, Inland Counties Legal Services, Inc.; John Cross, Community Legal Aid So-Cal

3:30 PM – 4:30 PM MST

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Closing the Justice Gap: Empowering CJWs as Catalyst for Change

Topics: Legal Design/Regulatory Reform/Innovations; Pro Bono/Volunteer Engagement

The United States Justice Gap has reached an unprecedented 92%, steadily increasing over the past decade. With this alarming trend in the US, the urgency for innovative solutions has never been more critical. In Alaskan tribal communities, Community Justice Workers (CJWs) are providing essential legal services with unique perspectives deeply rooted in local culture. Embedded in communities, CJWs forge essential connections that facilitate effective legal assistance. This approach enables lawyers to focus on intricate legal matters, operating at the top of their license, while CJWs ensure that legal services are accessible and culturally appropriate. Using a hub-and-spoke model, ALSC employs CJWs, who then mentor and assist volunteer CJWs who are typically isolated and lack formal legal training. ALSC and partners have developed online asynchronous training modules and dedicated additional support staff to foster camaraderie and professional growth. Join us to hear from three CJWs, staff, and volunteer, as they share their distinct perspectives on their training, their work, and their connection to the community.

Speakers: Sarah Carver, Alaska Legal Services Corp; Sara Freeman, ALSC; Lauren Custer, ALSC; Angeline Walter, ALSC-volunteer

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM MST

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From Data to Decisions: Harnessing Tableau & Power BI for Legal Aid Impact

Topics: Data Analysis/Analytics/Governance; Intake/Triage/Hotlines

Legal Aid organizations often face challenges in managing and utilizing the vast amounts of data they collect to improve services and enhance decision-making. This session explores how two data visualization tools, Tableau and Microsoft Power BI, can transform raw data into actionable insights that inform strategic decisions, improve client services, and foster collaboration among organizations. Legal Aid of Nebraska uses Tableau to visualize case and client data, trends, and outcomes. These visualizations enhance external communications and reporting while also allowing staff meaningful access to information such as changes in housing assistance requests pre- and post-pandemic, the demographics of domestic violence victims served, and the economic impact of successful cases. In Minnesota, the Legal Services Advisory Committee funded a data analysis and dashboard development project to better understand the applicant and client experience of those navigating Minnesota's new coordinated intake and referral system. This project involved aggregating data across multiple organizations to get a picture of the legal services system in Minnesota as a whole. In this session, attendees will see demonstrations of both tools in action and learn practical steps to build their own dashboards. This session will also delve into strategies for aggregating data across organizations, enhancing data literacy, and leveraging data insights for programmatic decisions, compliance reporting, resource planning, and funding opportunities. Participants will be equipped with tools and knowledge to drive a data-driven culture and improve access to legal services for low-income individuals.

Speakers: Bridget Gernander, Minnesota IOLTA Program & Legal Services Grant Program; Rachel Perry Strategic Data Analytics; Jennifer Gaughan Legal Aid of Nebraska; Laurie Heer Dale, Legal Aid of Nebraska; J. Singleton, Minnesota Legal Services State Support (moderator)

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM MST

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How to Leverage LegalServer and SharePoint Technologies to Provide Efficient Pro Bono Legal Services

Topics: Pro Bono/Volunteer Engagement; Remote Service Delivery/Virtual Legal Assistance

Using tools that are available through technology that is widely used by legal services organizations can help your organization save time and resources. LegalServer and SharePoint have features that can be leveraged to more efficiently share information with pro bono partners, schedule and organize clinics, and prepare forms and appointments for pro se clients. With the help of knowledgeable legal technology consultants, Legal Services of the Hudson Valley (LSHV) began using LegalServer’s Clinic Module to schedule clinic clients and pro bono attorneys, began using LegalServer’s pro bono assignment feature to provide client information to attorneys and collect volunteer time and notes, and began sharing case and training materials through SharePoint’s extranet sites. Georgia Legal Services Program (GLSP) has used the LegalServer Clinic Module and identified limitations and suggestions for areas of improvement for use in pro bono programs. LSHV also uses Cerenade, software that, through API, integrates with LegalServer, to efficiently complete immigration forms. During this session, LSHV, GLSP, A2J, and LegalServer will demonstrate how these programs can be used to successfully and efficiently manage pro bono case referrals and assist our clients.

Speakers: Ilene Hartzband, Legal Services of the Hudson Valley; Devan Kreitzer A2J Tech; Michael Hofrichter LegalServer; Sarah Anderson Georgia Legal Services Program

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM MST

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Beyond Barriers: Innovating Client Access and Support with Technology and Collaboration

Topics: Intake/Triage/Hotlines; Websites/Online Tools

This session will share work from an in-progress project to Modernize Access to Legal Services. Are you seeking to modernize and streamline client access to legal services? Join us to explore an innovative New Access Model that reshapes how clients obtain legal information and support. Instead of navigating cumbersome online applications or enduring long hold times, clients will benefit from a tiered access system. This system employs conversational AI, self-help videos, automated forms and tools, and AI-guided financial e-screening tools to efficiently provide legal assistance. Learn how our model integrates the 'no wrong door' coordinated referral system funded by NC IOLTA, ensuring that only those needing additional support are escalated to intake specialists or case managers. We will also introduce the Trusted Partner Network, a coalition of community partners trained to screen clients and manage expectations, using a cloud-based referral system. In this session, you’ll gain insights into the design and implementation of this model, participate in discussions on best practices, and understand how to adapt these innovations to your own organization. Don't miss the chance to see how this model can improve client access in your program.

Speakers: Scheree Gilchrist, Legal Aid of North Carolina; Andre Campbell, Legal Aid of North Carolina; Tom Martin, LawDroid; Jacob Wisner, Legal Aid of North Carolina

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM MST

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Navigating the Digital Maze: Empowering Justice with Online Support

Topics: Websites/Online Tools; Artificial Intelligence/Generative AI/Chatbots

Are people finding what they need on your website? Legal problems are intimidating and people will take all the help they can get. In a world of too much information, chatbots, live chat, guided
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interviews, and AI can guide people to the right resources. Hear from the experts and join a conversation. They will discuss:
• How to design and build an online chat or support project;
• How they have evolved their projects and plans, including the tools and strategies;
• What they have learned from user testing, feedback, data, and results
• Planning for the future
The presentation will include audience surveys, live demonstrations, shared experiences, and questions for the panel. You do not need to be a "tech expert" to benefit from this session.

Speakers: Susan Choe, Ohio Legal Help; Sally Chaffin, Atlanta Legal Aid Society; Sam Harden, Pro Bono Net; Wantee Ramkaran, Pro Bono Net

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM MST

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When You Need Good Data Yesterday: Ensuring Data Integrity and Compliance

Topics: Data Analysis/Analytics/Governance; Information Technology/Internal Operations

In today's fast-paced legal environment, having accurate and reliable data is crucial for effective decision-making, reporting, and service delivery. This session will delve into the critical importance of data integrity and compliance in legal services, emphasizing why legal aid organizations must prioritize data quality. Our diverse panel, comprising professionals with extensive legal aid experience, will share their insights on overcoming challenges related to data accuracy and compliance. They will discuss the motivations that drove them to seek better ways to ensure data integrity and the practical solutions and strategies they have implemented. Attendees will learn about specific error-checking reports, how to structure data to avoid common pitfalls and other best practices. This session provides actionable strategies to enhance your organization’s data management practices and improve service outcomes, ensuring that your data is reliable, accurate, and meets ever-changing regulatory requirements.

Speakers: Susan Vincent, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles; Jennifer Gaughan, Legal Aid of Nebraska; Rachel Perry, Strategic Data Analytics; Kelly Shaw-Sutherland, Just-Tech, LLC

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM MST

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Connecting Pieces: Building a Flexible Integration between LegalServer and Docassemble - Take 2

Docassemble is a wonderful automation platform with lots of potential uses. LegalServer stores the vast majority of client and case-related information for many organizations. Combining the functionality of these systems has been requested for a long time. In a recent project, these two systems now have a much more intentional way to pass data and completed documents between each other. So much so, that Docassemble can become an automation platform to launch specific tasks from within LegalServer. This replaces a very one-sided integration used in prior years. This discussion will look at how we reimagined the integration, what we did to make it sustainable, how Legal Aid of West Virginia is implementing it for family law forms, and how to implement the new integration generally.

Speakers: Michael Hofrichter, LegalServer; Quinten Steenhuis, Suffolk University Law School's Legal Innovation and Technology Lab; Dane Henry, Legal Aid of West Virginia

3:30 PM – 4:30 PM MST

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Maximizing Impact: Project Management for Legal Aid Organizations

Topics: Information Technology/Internal Operations; Data Analysis/Analytics/Governance

To deliver impactful legal services to clients with low incomes, legal aid teams need to be agile, efficient, and organized. These skills are all improved through project management. This session underscores the importance project management can play in legal aid, emphasizing its role in streamlining operations, improving client outcomes, and optimizing resource utilization. Through insights from project managers with extensive experience working in the legal aid community, consulting and academic backgrounds, attendees will gain insights into the transformative power of project management tools and technologies. The session will also offer practical strategies for implementing effective project management practices. Attendees will learn how to advocate for formal project management within their organizations and understand why investing in project management is crucial for organizational success. Join us to elevate your legal aid services through strategic project management.

Speakers: Heidi Behnke, Georgia Legal Services Program; Kelly Shaw-Sutherland, Just-Tech, LLC; Shellie Reid, Legal Services National Technology Assistance Project

3:30 PM – 4:30 PM MST

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From Maze to Marvel: Remodeling referral systems into client-centric paragons

Topics: Intake/Triage/Hotlines

In jurisdictions with multiple legal services providers, decentralized intake and referral systems are a major barrier to accessing legal help for low- and middle-income Americans. Organizations often focus on their own case acceptance requirements and capacities and may not view their intake practices as part of a larger system. When those in need of legal help attempt to navigate these decentralized systems – they lose valuable time and may expend significant resources on fruitless searches for help. Technological improvements to intake can be a way to reduce the burden on people in need of help, but only if those implementing them are deliberate and keep sight on the user experience. In this panel, we will hear the attorney, innovator, technologist, and funder's perspectives on how to improve intake using careful planning, collaborative approaches, and client-centered design.

Speakers: Sarah Coffey Bowes, Civil Justice, Inc.; Schree Gilcrest, Legal Aid of North Carolina; Mary Irvine, North Carolina State Bar; Meredith Gregory, Legal Aid of North Carolina

9:45 AM – 10:45 AM MST

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From Complexity to Clarity: Revolutionizing Legal Intake and Social Work Referrals with Guided Navigation Systems

Legal intake can be a complicated process, making it challenging for intake specialists and legal navigators to determine eligibility, identify appropriate resources to share, and where to schedule or refer the prospective client. Learn how the Montana Legal Services Association revolutionized its intake process with a state-of-the-art Guided Navigation Intake System integrated seamlessly into its case management framework. The system is designed to empower intake staff, enhance client service impact, and streamline operations across the board. This new system is designed to guide intake staff swiftly and effectively through each client’s unique legal situation. By dynamically adjusting intake questions based on previous responses, the system ensures relevance and efficiency, eliminating unnecessary queries and enhancing case file accuracy. This adaptive intake loop will prioritize urgent matters, swiftly identifying critical issues that demand immediate attention. Alongside MLSA’s new and improved intake system, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri (LSEM) will demo the past and present iteration of a social work referral form built with guided navigation. Hear from a social worker and LegalServer admin who developed this form together, as they talk about how the structure of guided navigation allows a form or process to flex with a program’s needs and capacity.

Speakers: Tracie Poindexter, Montana Legal Services Association Sarah Freymiller, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri Claire Riebling, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri

11:00 AM – NOON MST

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TIG Roundup - What's Newly Launched, What's Just Starting

Topics: Technology for Advocates; Websites/Online Tools

New, OnDemand Session! Your LSC TIG Team will walk you through a rapid-fire style panel showcasing TIG projects that are recently completed, and those that were recently funded. Each project overview will include information about cost (time and money), tech stack (if applicable), evaluation details, and grantee staff contact information. Learn more about the LSC-funded projects in your legal services tech community and discuss potential ideas for future projects!

Speakers: Angela Tripp, LSC; Jane Ribadeneyra, LSC; LaDierdre Johnson, LSC; MJ Smith, LSC