The Legal Access Innovation Fund is a community of innovative law students, legal aid organizations, legal technologists, other allied professionals who believe we will all benefit from a legal system that provides equitable access to all. We are creating the next generation of legal innovators who will expand legal access and improve the delivery of legal services to underserved communities by providing law students with meaningful opportunities to create innovative legal technologies, assist with cutting-edge legal aid projects, and implement technology and innovation within legal aid organizations.
At least 80 percent of the legal needs of the poor and two-thirds of the legal needs of middle income Americans are not met. While lawyers are too restricted by the profession to enable change, we believe creating a fertile environment for law students to become legal innovators will eventually disrupt the legal profession and spur innovative solutions that address our most pressing issues that prevent legal access to low-income clients.
The Legal Access Innovation Fund will reach out to law schools, legal aid organizations,and the hacker community along with private and public partners, both face to face and in online settings to attract law students who will participate in the three programs as agents of change.
The Legal Access Innovation Fund fellowships and internships will create a “no boundaries” catalyst environment where developers and legal aid advocates can cost-effectively and pro-actively leverage each other’s expertise and vision through the connection of law students nationwide who are participating in the programs. LAIF will raise awareness of its programs by sponsoring and closely coordinating with real and virtual Hackathon events, and encouraging the acceleration and implementation of cutting edge legal aid technology solutions across multiple jurisdictions throughout the country.
Programs
Legal Access Technology & Innovation Fellowship (LATIF)- offers a 10-week paid summer fellowship each year to innovative law students who will spur innovation and accelerate the development of legal technology to improve access to justice for low-income clients. LATIF seeks to incentivize some of our best and brightest legal scholars to help solve pressing issues related to the U.S. legal system, namely those that prevent low-come clients from receiving adequate legal services.
The recipient(s) of this fellowship will develop, test, and replicate technologies that improve efficiency and provide greater access to high-quality legal services for low-income clients. LATIF recipient(s) will participate in an accelerator type model where they will collaborate with software developers, user interface designers, user experience engineers, legal mentors and subject matter experts to create and develop their ATJ technologies. LATIF recipient(s) will work from a partner co-working space and provided with a stipend for living expenses, legal/tech resources, and training webinars that will cultivate law students with the technology know-how and entrepreneurial foundation to develop sustainable applications.
Law students who have an entrepreneurial spirit and passion for public interest law and technology are encouraged to apply. Law student applicants will submit a virtual pitch of their technology solution to improve access and delivery of legal services. A reviewing committee will select ten of the most innovative, sustainable, and impactful solutions. Selected recipient(s) will be interviewed and chosen to participate in the 10 week long fellowship. Upon completion of the fellowship, LATIF fellows will present their technologies to legal stakeholders throughout the U.S. and provided consultation on market implementation and/or partner integration with a legal aid organization.
Legal Aid Innovation Internship (LAII)- offers a 10-week summer internship each year to innovative law students to assist legal aid organizations through the effective and innovative use of technology that will enhance internal communication and workflows, and develop user friendly external content to provide greater legal access for low-income clients.
The recipient(s) of this internship will apply lean concepts and tools to increase efficiency of work flows within their legal aid organization. The main responsibilities of the legal intern will be to conduct trainings, draft white papers and compile proposals around the use of technology within legal aid organizations. Assess areas of content creation to generate and draft user-friendly accessible legal documents, web content, and infographics to improve delivery and access to low-income clients.
Recipient(s) will be trained and provided mentorship throughout the 10 week summer internship. Law students will gain meaningful experience, leadership skills, and the knowledge around internal and external challenges that legal aid organizations face to effectively implement a model that will provide greater efficiency and expand access.
Law students who have an entrepreneurial spirit and passion for public interest law and technology are encouraged to apply. Selected recipient(s) will be provided tools and resources to crowd fund and raise money to cover their living expenses over the summer.
Legal Aid Technology Internship (LATI) - offers a 10-week summer internship each year to innovative law students to assist legal aid organizations currently implementing tech solutions to improve delivery and access.
The recipient(s) of this internship will assist legal aid organizations that are on on the cutting edge of expanding legal access through new and innovative technologies. The selected recipients(s) gain exposure to innovation in ATJ technologies and valuable experience in creating solutions that address systemic issues that prevent low income clients from receiving legal aid. The main responsibilities of the legal intern include assisting legal aid attorneys with editing content, conducting legal research, and drafting reports on the use of technology and innovation on the delivery of services.
Law students who have an entrepreneurial spirit and passion for public interest law and technology are encouraged to apply. Selected recipient(s) will be provided tools and resources to crowd fund and raise money to cover their living expenses over the summer.
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