This non-randomized study tracked and compared outcomes for tenants facing eviction in a single California trial court, all of whom received unbundled help drafting a responsive pleading. The provision of unbundled legal services had no measurable impact on ultimate outcomes.
State-Specific
The Impact of Legal Aid Services on Economic Activity in Texas: An Analysis of Current Efforts and Expansion Potential
Legal aid inherently has societal value, but it is also a prudent use of state resources from a pragmatic, economic perspective.
How Effective Are Limited Legal Assistance Programs? A Randomized Experiment in a Massachusetts Housing Court
This article reports the findings of a randomized control trial comparing the effectiveness of two alternative programs of legal representation for occupants of housing units in parts of the Massachusetts North Shore.
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.
Legal Hotlines Client Outcome Study 2006
Clients of seven legal hotlines located in Illinois, Florida, Virginia, Michigan, Maryland and Connecticut, were surveyed to determine if providing telephone legal advice helped with consumer and public benefits cases, and whether hotlines need more technical support.
The Hotline Outcomes Assessment Study, Phase III (2002)
The study generated representative samples of callers at five legal services hotlines in AR, CA, IL, MI and WA, conducted phone interviews with 2,034 callers three to six months later and involved experienced lawyers in the evaluation. This is a follow-on to an earlier study.
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.
Recent Studies Compare Full Representation to Limited Assistance in Eviction Cases
In this article, John Pollock discusses three recent studies comparing full representation to limited assistance in the eviction context, and cautions there is still much to learn.
The Quest for the Best: Attorney Recruitment and Retention Challenges for Florida Civil Legal Aid
The report provides a comprehensive look at the financial and workplace issues legal aid attorneys are facing and provides recommendations for how to address them. It examines attorneys’ salaries, educational debt, when and why attorneys were leaving programs, and what attorneys needed and wanted in order to have a satisfying career in Florida civil legal aid.
The Limits of Unbundled Legal Assistance: A Randomized Study in a Massachusetts District Court and Prospects for the Future
In a District Court in Massachusetts, researchers randomly selected tenants facing eviction to receive full representation or limited, unbundled assistance. They find there are better results if tenants were offered full representation. Further, the offer did not increase court burdens.
