LawHelpMN.org

A free website for low-income Minnesotans with civil legal needs.

The Need

At least 80 percent of the civil legal needs of low-income Americans are not being met.

In the U.S. there is about 1 lawyer per 525 persons in the general population, but only 1 legal aid lawyer per 6,861 low-income persons.

Legal Services Corporation. Documenting the Justice Gap in America-The Current Unmet Civil Legal Needs of Low-Income Americans. Sept. 2005.

The Need (continued)

For every client served by a legal aid program, at least one person who sought help was turned down because of insufficient resources.

Legal Services Corporation. Documenting the Justice Gap in America-The Current Unmet Civil Legal Needs of Low-Income Americans. Sept. 2005.

Many others are turned away for other reasons: merit, conflict, income, legal issue.

Why a Website?

Minnesota ranks 2nd in the nation for percentage of residents who use the Internet

Reaching rural Minnesotans “[A]s more and more places get Internet access,

the percentage of Internet users in rural areas is now almost even with the national average.”

The Progressive Policy Institute. The 2002 State New Economy Index. 2002.

Use of the Internet by low-income persons is increasing

US Dept. of Commerce. A Nation Online. Feb. 2002.

Why a Website? (continued)

Preventing legal issues from becoming legal problems

Keeping legal information up-to-dateFor other service providersPart of an overall service delivery

mechanism About 50% of unmet needs can be addressed

through low-cost intervention, such as educational and self-help materials.

American Bar Assoc. Findings of the Comprehensive Legal Needs Study. 1994.

The LawHelp Website Template

LawHelp Template (continued)

Created by Pro Bono Net, a nonprofit founded in 1998 to create website platforms and provide other technology assistance to legal services programs

LawHelp.org is the public website template used by 27 states/territories

Minnesota was one of the first states to launch a LawHelp website – in September 2003

LawHelpMN.org

LawHelpMN.org - Features

18 topics of interest to low-income community, organized by popularity

5 “Channels” of Information:Legal InformationLegal Help Near YouOther Help Near YouSelf-Help FormsCourt Information

LawHelp Features (continued)

Other ways to find a lawyer:Get Legal HelpLegal Aid Offices Directory

Video TutorialOther Language ResourcesSpanish Mirror SiteSurvey for User Feedback

LawHelp Features (continued)

LiveHelpLive online navigational

assistance

Demonstration of LawHelpMN

Hypothetical: Charlene

Charlene is a single mother with 2 kidsCharlene makes a low wage as a clerk &

cannot afford all of her costs as a parentThe father does not keep in contact with

Charlene or the children, and does not provide any financial support

Charlene believes the father should help pay but doesn’t know how to get him to

What Can Charlene Do?

English:

Spanish:

LawHelpMN.org Usage

The website is used by thousands of Minnesotans each year

Usage has increased from year to year 2006:

70,168 Visits (192 per day) 2007:

83,970 Visits (230 per day) 2008:

112,264 Visits (306 per day) 2009:

143,003 (through 12/28/09) (395 per day)

Thank you!

John FreemanStaff Attorney/Website Coordinator

Minnesota Legal Services Coalition2324 University Avenue West, Suite 101B

St. Paul, MN 55114

(651) 228-9105 ext. 105jmfreeman@mnlegalservices.org