This report found that tenants facing eviction in New York City were able to get significantly better results under an innovative program that uses “court navigators,” who are not lawyers. The New York City Court Navigators Program seeks to address a considerable imbalance in legal representation, since, at the time of the study, approximately 90 percent of tenants did not have a lawyer, while the vast majority of landlords did.
Policymakers and Funders
Expanding Access to Justice, Strengthening Federal Programs: First Annual Report of the White House Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable
In November 2016, the Department of Justice issued the first annual report of the White House Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable (WH-LAIR), “Expanding Access to Justice, Strengthening Federal Programs,” to President Obama. The report documents ways in which WH-LAIR’s 22 participating agencies have been working together with legal aid service providers to develop programs and collaborations that integrate legal aid and advance common goals.
A National Study of Access to Counsel in Immigration Court
This study of immigration cases between 2007 and 2012 provides data to support claims that a public defender system for immigrants facing deportation may be efficacious for both the immigrants and the immigration courts.
Civil Legal Aid in the United States: An Update for 2015
This report outlines the history of civil legal aid and highlights the major developments in increasing funding and improving access to services between June 2013 and December 2015.
2007-2008 Evaluation Findings Clean Slate Program
The LFA Group conducted an evaluation for the San Francisco Office of the Public Defender on the Clean Slate Program. LFA Group finds that the Clean Slate program reduced barriers to employment, education, public benefits, and housing.
Explaining the Recent Decline in Domestic Violence
The decline in intimate partner abuse from 1993 to 1998 has three significant causes, one of which is the increased provision of legal services for victims of intimate partner abuse. This is a widely cited study.
Economic Impact of Civil Legal Aid Services in Maryland
Civil legal services programs in Maryland significantly boost the state’s economy each year by bringing in millions of federal dollars, improving the lives of low-income Marylanders, and saving the State millions in expenditures.
Developing a National Message for Civil Legal Services: Analysis of National Survey and Focus Group Research
The article presents results of focus groups and national opinion survey conducted during 1999-2000. This yielded a detailed understanding, as well as specific national messages that local and state legal services directors can use.
Pro Bono: Looking Back, Moving Forward
This study examines the causes of stagnation and decline in pro bono legal services in the state of Florida during the early 2000s.
Documenting the Justice Gap In America: The Current Unmet Civil Legal Needs of Low-Income Americans
This 2007 report is the second edition of the LSC report originally released in 2005 showing a substantial justice gap for low-income persons seeking legal help with civil legal problems.
Legal Aid Research 