Talk Justice: Episode 116
Why is Legal Aid Embracing AI Faster than Other Legal Professionals?
Legal technologists discuss a recent survey that found that legal aid attorneys are adopting AI at a faster rate than other legal professionals on Talk Justice. In May of 2025, Everlaw partnered with the National Legal Aid & Defender Association, Paladin and LawSites to conduct a survey of 112 legal aid professionals. The survey formed the basis of the report, “The AI Advantage: How Technology Can Help Bridge the Justice Gap,” which was published in September. It found that 74% of the legal aid organizations surveyed are already using AI in their work, which is double the generative AI adoption rate of the wider legal profession.
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Featured Guests
Joanne Sprague
Joanne Sprague is a recognized social impact leader with expertise in scaling programs, partnerships, and campaigns globally. Her current role as the first-ever head of the Everlaw for Good program brings her passion for using the power of markets to address one of the world’s biggest challenges, access to justice...
Angela Tripp
Angela Tripp is a Program Officer for Technology with the Legal Services Corporation. She is responsible for helping legal aid programs implement innovative technology projects that improve access to high-quality legal assistance nationally. She helps manage LSC’s Technology Initiative Grant program, which has awarded nearly 900 grants totaling over $80 million since 2000. Ms. Tripp holds a J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law in Boston and a B.A. from the University of Cincinnati.
Jennifer Zelnick
Jennifer is a Principal Program Analyst in the State Bar of California Office of Access & Inclusion. As the largest funder of legal aid in California, the State Bar will distribute over $300 million to 114 legal aids in 2025. The State Bar advances access to justice and promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion in California’s legal profession. Jennifer leads an access to justice team whose portfolio includes policy advocacy and expanding legal help through justice technology. Her team launched the Legal Aid Justice Technology Collaborative to expand access to justice at scale.
Host
Cat Moon
As Professor of the Practice and Co-Director of the Program on Law & Innovation and the Vanderbilt AI Law Lab, all at Vanderbilt Law School, Caitlin “Cat” Moon designs the J.D. curriculum for PoLI Institute with the goal of empowering students to lead in the innovation of 21st century legal services delivery. Professor Moon also founded and directs the PoLI Institute, which provides interactive post-graduate executive education to legal professionals. She also co-founded and produces the Summit on Law and Innovation (SoLI), which brings together experts across legal, technology and other disciplines in collaborative innovation projects...