Supporting law students to pursue paths to legal services is critical. Many diverse students enter school pursuing this path but get lost along the way. We will explore how legal services, law schools and stakeholders provide financial support and encouragement to help students make a commitment to access to justice.
Thursday May 15, 2025 10:00am - 11:15am EDT Plaza Room B
Back by popular demand, the Ethics Quiz show will allow attendees to show off their knowledge about legal ethics issues facing legal aid and pro bono lawyers. Using reality-based scenarios and the Model Rules of Professional Conduct, quiz show emcees experienced in the field will challenge attendees with practice-based scenarios on subjects including ethical use of artificial intelligence tools, working with allied legal professionals and pro-bono lawyers, confidentiality concerns, immigration issues, working with allied legal professionals, and disability and language access issues.
Thursday May 15, 2025 1:15pm - 2:30pm EDT Plaza Room B
Learn how legal aid organizations use data, including case management system data, to inform litigation and non-litigation advocacy efforts and the allocation of scarce program resources. The Legal Services Corporation’s Civil Court Data Initiative, which increases the availability of data and analytics to legal aid organizations will be highlighted.
Thursday May 15, 2025 2:45pm - 4:00pm EDT Plaza Room B
Much like many of our colleagues across the country, our office grapples with vicarious trauma, stress, and anxiety which has exponentially increased post Covid-19. New Mexico Legal Aid (NMLA) will collaborate and present with Assistance Dogs of the West to introduce several approaches to mitigate trauma and other visible and invisible disabilities. Approaches will include group counseling, mental and physical health, and peer support dogs working to help mitigate secondary trauma in professionals such as attorneys, paralegals, administrative staff and first responders in law enforcement.
Thursday May 15, 2025 4:15pm - 5:30pm EDT Plaza Room B
This session will highlight innovative ideas and practices utilized by legal aid, law firm, and law school partners to build student-to-staff pipelines in order to meet hiring and pro bono demands. These ideas include the creation of internal fellowships, clinics, and innovative summer internships that incorporate mentorship, DEI principles, and public service.
Friday May 16, 2025 8:30am - 9:45am EDT Plaza Room B
Engaging pro bono lawyers can increase your organization’s impact. It can also sometimes feel like more effort than it’s worth. This session will explore the ways in which pro bono lawyers add value while lifting the veil on pro bono practices at firms and legal services organizations to give you tangible practices for recruiting and mentoring pro bono attorneys for the greatest impact.
Friday May 16, 2025 1:15pm - 2:30pm EDT Plaza Room B
How can we break down silos and build resources and community between organizations committed to access to justice? Dive into the transformative impact of legal aid-justice tech collaboration. This session will explore the potential of ethical tech advancements to revolutionize the access to justice landscape.
Friday May 16, 2025 3:00pm - 4:15pm EDT Plaza Room B
