Virtual Conference to Showcase Legal Tech Innovations

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Carl Rauscher  
Director of Communications and Media Relations  
rauscherc@lsc.gov  
202-295-1615   

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WASHINGTON – The Legal Services Corporation’s (LSC) Innovations in Technology Conference, the largest event dedicated to expanding access to justice through technological innovation, will be held virtually on January 12-13 and 19-20.  

This is LSC’s 22nd annual technology conference which brings together technologists, legal aid advocates, court personnel, pro bono coordinators and other professionals to showcase technology projects and tools that improve access to civil legal services for low-income Americans.  

The need for these legal services is immense. Studies consistently show that a high percentage of the civil legal needs of low-income people are unmet, forcing individuals to navigate the legal system alone. A 2017 LSC report found that low-income Americans received no or inadequate professional help for 86% of their civil legal problems. The pandemic has only heightened the problem.  

LSC President Ronald S. Flagg will moderate the opening plenary session with Utah Supreme Court Justice Deno Himonas; Arizona Supreme Court Vice Chief Justice Ann A. Scott Timmer; and Stacy Butler, Innovation for Justice Program Director, University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law and the University of Utah Eccles School of Business. They will share insights into the role technology can play in regulatory reform and how to ensure new legal service delivery models address the needs of low-income Americans. 

Topic highlights at the conference will include:  

  • COVID-19 Response and Recovery. COVID-19 continues to challenge legal aid organizations and the courts. Experts from around the country will discuss how the legal community is responding to the pandemic. 

  • Help for Self-Represented Litigants. Several sessions will focus on improvements to help self-represented litigants navigate the legal system, including e-filing tools, automated SMS, VR and more. 

  • Legal Design and Regulatory Reform. Legal design innovation and regulatory reform continue to be a major focus for the legal tech community. Sessions will look at how to make it easier for technology to expand access to justice. 

Other sessions will explore court technology, legal services data, new online tools, and technology’s role in promoting pro bono efforts 

This event is open to the press. Contact Carl Rauscher at rauscherc@lsc.gov for registration information.  

For a complete list of session descriptions and presenters, visit the conference page. Follow #LSCITC to join the conversation on Twitter. 

Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is an independent nonprofit established by Congress in 1974. For 50 years, LSC has provided financial support for civil legal aid to low-income Americans. The Corporation currently provides funding to 131 independent nonprofit legal aid programs in every state, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories.