Pacific LegalMaps

Pacific LegalMaps connects people with Pro-bono lawyers + other law firms in Washington State.

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Inspiration

Everyone who has tried to find a lawyer knows how tedious and time-consuming it can be, especially for low-income individuals. Most people don't know where to begin, and navigating directories or identifying pro bono services can be overwhelming. We wanted to create a simple, accessible tool that allows Washington State residents to quickly find lawyers and legal service providers in their area, regardless of their financial situation.

What it does

Pacific LegalMaps is a web application that helps users find lawyers and legal service providers based on their city and zip code, the type of legal help they need, and their primary language. Users can also choose to filter for pro bono lawyers and firms only so they don't have to worry about affordability.

The app displays:

  • A list of nearby lawyers and firms, including pro bono options
  • Key information about each provider including mailing address, email, and contact information
  • Their locations visually on a map using the Google Places API

Additionally, the app includes an AI chatbot that assists users with legal questions, making it easier for users to get quick guidance while searching for professional help.

How we built it

  • Frontend: For the frontend, we used React, creating it in TypeScript, HTML, and CSS to create a clean, modern, and user-friendly interface.
  • Backend: For the backend and authentication, we will use Firebase and Auth0, allowing users to securely log in and manage their accounts.
  • APIs: To display location data, we used the Google Places API to map lawyers and firms and provide users with a visual understanding of nearby services.
  • AI tools: We use Gemini to browse websites and extract relevant data on lawyers and firms, which we then use to display relevant information.

Challenges we ran into

The biggest challenge for us was obtaining and organizing accurate data on lawyers and firms. The information we needed was spread across multiple sources and not always in an easily usable format. To overcome this, we leverage AI tools to browse and extract the necessary data, allowing us to get the information we need.

We also faced challenges integrating multiple technologies (React, TypeScript, Google Places API, and AI tools) into a cohesive and functional fullstack application.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

  • Building an app that directly helps people with legal issues, especially those with limited financial resources
  • Successfully integrating AI into our application’s functionality
  • Creating a fully working fullstack web app from scratch

What we learned

  • How to build a fullstack application using React and TypeScript
  • How to integrate APIs like the Google Places API
  • How to use AI tools to gather and process data from websites
  • How to design a user-friendly interface focused on accessibility and simplicity

What's next for Pacific LegalMaps

  • Add account-specific features such as saving lawyers/firms and viewing search history
  • Improve the AI chatbot to provide more accurate and focused legal assistance
  • Expand the chatbot’s capabilities, including the ability to read and interpret legal documents

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