The randomized evaluation found that the offers of representation from the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau (HLAB) clinic had no statistically significant effect on the probability that an unemployment claimant would prevail in the “appeal”.
Unbundling
Qualitative Research Exploring Experiences and Perception of Unbundled Legal Services
This study looked at unbundled legal services in England from the consumer, provider and judicial perspective.
In Pursuit of Justice? Case Outcomes and the Delivery of Unbundled Legal Services
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.
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.
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 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.
Service Delivery, Resource Allocation, and Access to Justice: Greiner and Pattanayak and the Research Imperative
This article is a response to the study “Randomized Evaluation in Legal Assistance: What Difference Does Representation (Offer and Actual Use) Make?” by Greiner and Pattanayak in Yale Law Journal on July 29, 2011. The authors seek to reaffirm the study’s importance in light of critiques from the legal community.
Debts, Defaults and Details: Exploring the Impact of Debt Collection Litigation on Consumers and Courts
This study investigates the protections in place for consumers when confronted with debt buyers. Spector found that when customers made even minimal effort to protect themselves, it helped considerably. Having an attorney increases the likelihood of dismissal, but less than 10 percent of defendants retained counsel.
Evaluation of the Sargent Shriver Civil Counsel Act (AB590) Housing Pilot Projects
This report evaluated the Sargent Shriver pilot projects, which provided representation to individuals involved child custody, guardianship, and housing cases. They find that having legal representation in each of these areas correlates with positive outcomes for the client.
Adding by Subtracting: How Limited Scope Agreements for Dispute Resolution Representation Can Increase Access to Attorney Services
In this article, the author provides an overview of the problems facing self-represented litigants and how limited scope agreements and unbundled services can help those litigants. She shows how alternative dispute resolution and limited scope representation work together.
Legal Aid Research 