Developing Partnerships in a Digital Word

2011 TIG Conference January 13, 2011

Christine Mandiloff, Montana Legal Services Association

Vince Morris, Arkansas Legal Services Partnership

Marc Theriault, Legal Aid Society of Louisville

Liz Keith, LawHelp Program Manager

Partnership themes

Making connections Finding common ground Defining roles and expectations Weaving in technology Sharing resources (or the lack of) Sustaining partnerships (or letting them go)  

ContextContext

Montana Legal Services is the only statewide provider of Montana Legal Services is the only statewide provider of free legal services to low to middle income Montanans.free legal services to low to middle income Montanans.

Montana is huge, has a sparse population, is primarily rural. Montana is huge, has a sparse population, is primarily rural. There are not very many private attorneys. The 2005 There are not very many private attorneys. The 2005 Montana legal needs study showed that many Montanans’ Montana legal needs study showed that many Montanans’ legal needs aren’t met. This mirrored the conclusions of the legal needs aren’t met. This mirrored the conclusions of the Legal Services Corporation’s “Documenting the Justice Legal Services Corporation’s “Documenting the Justice Gap” study released in 2005. Gap” study released in 2005.

The legal community in Montana became aware of the The legal community in Montana became aware of the problems and decided to do something about it (helped by problems and decided to do something about it (helped by Chief Justice Karla Gray). Therefore, MLSA enjoys being on Chief Justice Karla Gray). Therefore, MLSA enjoys being on the same page regarding promoting access to justice.the same page regarding promoting access to justice.

MontanaLawHelp.orgMontanaLawHelp.org

TIG grantTIG grant

General legal information and referral web siteGeneral legal information and referral web site

Partners include MLSA, Pro Bono Net, State of Montana Bar, State of Partners include MLSA, Pro Bono Net, State of Montana Bar, State of Montana Supreme Court, State of Montana Law Library, Montana Montana Supreme Court, State of Montana Law Library, Montana Justice Foundation.Justice Foundation.

Community buy-in: Led to collaboration with Montana Credit Union Community buy-in: Led to collaboration with Montana Credit Union Network.Network.

Formalized partnerships. Stakeholder committee. Meetings. MOU.Formalized partnerships. Stakeholder committee. Meetings. MOU.

Formalization has mellowed. MLSA still solicits and gets input from Formalization has mellowed. MLSA still solicits and gets input from stakeholders, meets periodically with legal partners to collaborate and stakeholders, meets periodically with legal partners to collaborate and to maximize resources, avoid replication or problems.to maximize resources, avoid replication or problems.

MontanaFreeFile.org (I-CAN)MontanaFreeFile.org (I-CAN)

TIG grantTIG grant

MontanaFreeFile.org promotes I-CAN and other free tax MontanaFreeFile.org promotes I-CAN and other free tax filing services and tax help. filing services and tax help.

Legal Aid Society of Orange County, Montana returnsLegal Aid Society of Orange County, Montana returns

Partners include MLSA, Pro Bono Net, Credit Union Network, Partners include MLSA, Pro Bono Net, Credit Union Network,

MT Dept. of Revenue, Opportunity Link Inc., and Rural MT Dept. of Revenue, Opportunity Link Inc., and Rural Dynamics Inc.Dynamics Inc.

Eastern Montana LiveHelp Kiosk Eastern Montana LiveHelp Kiosk ProjectProject

TIG grantTIG grant

Promotes and expands LiveHelp in rural Eastern Montana Promotes and expands LiveHelp in rural Eastern Montana

through 3 kiosk sites.through 3 kiosk sites.

Partners are MLSA, Pro Bono Net, State of Montana Law Partners are MLSA, Pro Bono Net, State of Montana Law Library, State of Montana Supreme Court Office of Court Library, State of Montana Supreme Court Office of Court Administrator.Administrator.

Formalized partnerships. Meetings. MOU with project sites.Formalized partnerships. Meetings. MOU with project sites.

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

Start with people who are already convinced. Seek out pre-Start with people who are already convinced. Seek out pre-existing access to justice organizations or committees. It’s likely existing access to justice organizations or committees. It’s likely others are interested in the same thing. Work with allies to others are interested in the same thing. Work with allies to persuade others.persuade others.

Use data to support your arguments.Use data to support your arguments.

Define roles and expectations. Everyone should know who is Define roles and expectations. Everyone should know who is doing what, when, and why. Avoids replication, minimizes doing what, when, and why. Avoids replication, minimizes problems, increases sustainability. Formalization to some degree problems, increases sustainability. Formalization to some degree is a must, especially when you are first working together.is a must, especially when you are first working together.

If your organization is best suited to lead the effort, do it. Don’t If your organization is best suited to lead the effort, do it. Don’t be shy. Establishing leadership initially, with input and be shy. Establishing leadership initially, with input and agreement from partners, is most effective for certain projects.agreement from partners, is most effective for certain projects.

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

Educate partners as to the benefits of technology. Don’t assume Educate partners as to the benefits of technology. Don’t assume they already know. Invite them to trainings, demonstrations. they already know. Invite them to trainings, demonstrations. Take the time to show them how technology can be useful.Take the time to show them how technology can be useful.

Emphasize collaboration so that scarce resources are maximized. Emphasize collaboration so that scarce resources are maximized. No one has enough money or time. Demonstrate how No one has enough money or time. Demonstrate how collaboration can help save both.collaboration can help save both.

Sustaining the work of partnerships demands communication. Sustaining the work of partnerships demands communication. List servs and shared databases are good ways to maintain List servs and shared databases are good ways to maintain partnerships without face-to-face meetings. partnerships without face-to-face meetings.

Ineffective partnerships seem to fade away. But you must be Ineffective partnerships seem to fade away. But you must be willing to deal with ineffective partners who wish to continue willing to deal with ineffective partners who wish to continue collaborating.collaborating.

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

There are benefits as well as detriments to partnership.There are benefits as well as detriments to partnership.

If you make nice in the sandbox the other kids will usually want If you make nice in the sandbox the other kids will usually want to share their toys with you. In other words, partnering opens to share their toys with you. In other words, partnering opens up access to resources that you would not have available to up access to resources that you would not have available to you on your own. you on your own.

Working in partnership sometimes means you will need to Working in partnership sometimes means you will need to explain why you want to do something on your own, or with explain why you want to do something on your own, or with other partners. You must learn how to set expectations and other partners. You must learn how to set expectations and communicate your intentions so that if you do this your actions communicate your intentions so that if you do this your actions are not seen as a betrayal. are not seen as a betrayal.

Making sure that goals are the same is essential. Sometimes Making sure that goals are the same is essential. Sometimes goals seem the same . . . But they really aren’t. goals seem the same . . . But they really aren’t.

Questions? Contact:Questions? Contact:

Christine MandiloffChristine Mandiloff

Community Legal Education AttorneyCommunity Legal Education Attorney

Montana Legal Services AssociationMontana Legal Services Association406/442-9830 x 31406/442-9830 x 31

cmandilo@mtlsa.orgcmandilo@mtlsa.org