The Baselines and Beyond!
Glenn Rawdon, Legal Services Corporation
Joyce Raby, Consultant
2009 TIG Conference, January 21, 2009
Welcome to TIG 2009!
9th Annual TIG Conference
Documenting the Justice Gap in America
2005 LSC Study
• Only half of those who get so far as to seek help from an
LSC-funded provider will actually receive assistance.
• State legal needs studies reveal that conservatively less
than one in five—20 percent—of those requiring civil legal
assistance actually receive it.
• Nationally, on the average, every legal aid attorney
(including those funded by all sources) serves 6,861 people.
In comparison, there is one private attorney providing
personal services for every 525 people in the general
population.
Supply and Demand Conundrum
• Forecasters project that the current recession will be as
bad as or worse than any downturn since the 1930s.
• This could increase the size of the client eligible population
by over 10 million people from 2007 to 2009 alone.
• Will intensify the range of legal problems clients face
including:
o foreclosures and evictions
o bankruptcies and consumer scams
o domestic violence and other family issues
o demands for government benefits
• Conversely, resources for legal services programs are
declining because of many factores including decreased
IOLTA funding, state deficits, and diminished charitable
giving.
Why the baselines?
Let's answer a question with a
question.
What is your largest single
budget item?
LSC Baselines - An Overview
Program Capacity Planning - tech planning should be fully integrated into
overall
program planning
Budgeting - adequate funds should be budgeted for:
ongoing maintenance and upgrades
necessary personnel
technology training
Personnel - sufficient capacity to:
maintain equipment, networks, and software
LSC Baselines - An Overview
Mgmt of Client and Case Data Case Mgmt System capture and retain appropriate client and case data
screen for eligibility
immediate conflict check
share client and case data among program offices
securely/ethically transfer data to other providers
generate meaningful reports
assign funding sources to cases
easily customized by program
LSC Baselines - An Overview
Production and Supervision of Legal Work
Case Management System digital case notes
generate meaningful reports
case notes/reports available in real time to all program
offices
remote access to cms
Calendaring calendar/tickler function
program-wide calendaring system
Document Production use word processors, spreadsheets, presentation software
train staff in use of software
LSC Baselines - An Overview
Production and Supervision of Legal Work - Continued
Document Production - continued
staff should be able to work jointly on projects
document assembly
create pdfs and convert to editable files
electronic filing when/where required
Online Legal Research use online tools for legal research
access to statewide materials
receive updates on new cases and laws
Supervision collect data to support supervision
as necessary, remote access to case files for review
LSC Baselines - An Overview
Production and Supervision of Legal Work - Continued
Timekeeping automated timekeeping
Records Management
Electronic Records file/retain/dispose of all electronic records
policies in place to govern access to electronic records
records management must be compliant with LSC and
other legal requirements
Knowledge Management
Pleadings/Brief Banks store/retrieve sample documents
electronic access to forms and procedures
LSC Baselines - An Overview
Knowledge Management - continued
Pleadings/Brief Banks
program-wide contacts management system
electronic access to practice guides
Intake and Telephonic Advice
Telephone Systems
adequate lines to handle volume
call routing by language, legal area, geography
serve speaking/hearing disabled persons
review wait times, dropped calls
automated call back
provide recorded info to callers
LSC Baselines - An Overview
Intake and Telephonic Advice - continued
Electronic Desk Manual
intake worker guide
Case Management System
real time data entry into CMS
Direct Assistance to Low Income Persons
Web-based legal information and self help support
statewide website with:
current program information
current community legal education/pro se materials
serves LEP persons
Section 508 compliant
LSC Baselines - An Overview
Direct Assistance to Low Income Persons - continued
Community Legal Education
community legal education presentations use technology
Support for Use of Private Attorney
Support Program PAI
use technology to recruit volunteers
securely/ethically transmit client data to volunteers
CMS tracks PAI legal work, fiscal allocation, and
timekeeping
Direct Support for Volunteer Attorneys
electronic pleadings and brief banks for volunteers
use technology to provide training to volunteers
LSC Baselines - An Overview
Security
Firewalls, Antivirus, Anti-Spam, Anti-Spyware
OS and antivirus software will be current
backup/recovery systems compliant with grant assurances
policies and procedures to protect data from loss or
unauthorized intrusion
disaster recovery plan
Internet use policies
data retention/deletion policies
if external IM, use encryption
LSC Baselines - An Overview
Training
Training and Technology
program-wide assessment of training needs
provide training and support to all staff
obtain technology training for IT staff
use technology to deliver training
Use of Technology to Deliver Training
use technology to deliver training on legal, substantive
and administrative skills
LSC Baselines - An Overview
Communications
Email, Listervs, other technology based communications
everyone should have and use email
use of email policy
listservs as needed
awareness of blogs, wikis, and other collaborative tools
Intranet
provide staff ability to develop and use blogs, wikis
or other collaborative tools via an Intranet
LSC Baselines - An Overview
Administration
Accounting
general ledger, payables, receivables, fixed assets
payroll
client trust accounts
budgeting/expenditure reporting
generate all needed internal/external reports
Human Resources
personnel records
maintain confidentiality of personnel data
advertise/accept applications electronically
generate all needed personnel reports
LSC Baselines - An Overview
Administration - continued
Grant Maintenance
track grants
grant requirements/restrictions/deliverables
track expenditures and activities
manage reimbursables
indirect cost calculations
expenditures against the budget
generate all needed reports and deadlines
maintain contact information
LSC Baselines - An Overview
Administration - continued
Fundraising and Resource Development
donor lists and information
generate letters, reports, and all needed documentation
ability to accept online donations
Baselines - Your Questions Answered
1) Softball or Volleyball?
2) is the Baseline 90 feet like in Baseball or 60 feet like in
SoftBall?
3) what is the width of the Baseline?
No, Really.....
Future Tech - 2009
Access
Mobile / Remote
Future Tech - 2009
Cloud Computing
Social Networking
Joyce's Predictions - 2009
Market Consolidation - will anyone ever buy Yahoo? oh wait,
do we care?
Centralized vrs Decentralized - the old "automatic vrs stick
shift" debate (or PC vrs Mac)
Broadband in search of new customers - will rural folks finally
get access?
Return to Basics - planning, budgeting, personnel, security,
data analysis
Going Green - not to save the planet, but to save money
Joyce's Predictions - 2020
New Interfaces - touch screen and voice recognition
Custom devices - phone and mp3 or phone and tv?
Facebook/MySpace morphs with Second Life
Ubiquitous Broadband?
Geography/Data/Mobile integration - Google 411
Announcements
Changes to Sessions
Presenters Dinner
Reception
Webcasts/Speakers Handouts