going virtual to expand access presented by stephanie kimbro attorney, kimbro legal services, llc...

Going Virtual to Expand Access

presented by

Stephanie KimbroAttorney, Kimbro Legal Services, LLC

LSC TIG Annual ConferenceJanuary 11, 2012

Online companies such as Legal Zoom, when available for specific areas of law, are being turned to by the public and individuals who may otherwise have consulted with a lawyer.

There is a growing online market for legal services.

In July 2011 - one month alone - an estimated 434,000 people in the US searched online seeking legal solutions through the Legal Zoom website.

Customer service has changed.

THEN

NOW

All law firms must make CUSTOMER SERVICE a part of delivering quality legal services.

Good Customer Service = Communicating and being accessible using methods thatare currently embraced and relied upon by clients.

They are used to using social media with friends and family online.

The public conducts the following tasks online:

ShopSellBankInvestTradePay TaxesE-fileObtain degreesWork

Are we ready to serve the “Digital Natives”?

Online Delivery

Benefits For the Public Use of tech decreases costs and streamlines boilerplate

work .o Savings are passed down to the clientsoAllows private practitioners to handle more pro bono work.

Clients may handle legal needs without taking time off work or paying for child care Access for clients in remote or rural areas Lessens burden on court systems handling pro-se litigants

Virtual Law Practice A virtual law office is a professional law practice that is

located online through a secure portal and is accessible to both the client and the attorney anywhere the parties may access the Internet.

Depends on Cloud Computing, SaaS

Username:

Password:

LOGIN

How Attorneys Use Virtual Law Offices Completely Web-based

Unbundled or limited legal services

Integrated into a traditional law office Unbundled and full-service

Unbundling Legal Services Break out tasks associated with a legal matter and provide the

client with only specific portions of the legal work

Clearly define for online client the nature and scope of unbundled legal services – what will and will NOT be covered

Provide comparisons/education for the client to make an informed judgment

ABA Model Rule 1.2(c) “A lawyer may limit the scope of the representation if the limitation is reasonable under the circumstances.

Sample Unbundled Services Ghostwriting Drafting pleadings, briefs, declarations or orders Document review Conducting legal research Negotiating Making limited appearances Advising on court procedures and courtroom behavior Coaching on strategy or role playing Preparing exhibits Organizing discovery materials Drafting contracts and agreements Providing legal guidance or opinions Providing direction to resources such as local and state rules “Collaborative lawyering”

Last Will & Testament

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You don't just ‘fill out’ an automated document – you create it.

The answers you enter create a custom legal document, built from a library of state-specific and relevant legal text, that is tailored to client’s specific facts.

FINISH

Automated Document Assembly

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culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.




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Online Case & Client ManagementClients have access to their own online case files with

limited control

Backend online law office with case and client management

Other law practice management tools

Traditional Firm w/Virtual Law Office

Multijurisdictional Virtual Law Firm

Virtual Law Office - Home Office

Future Online Delivery

Movement from passive law firm web sites to interactive virtual law firms.

Pressured by change in consumer behavior and competitors like LegalZoom and branded networks.

WatsonJD, FairOutcomes.com & applications of AI

Other Forms of Online Legal Service Delivery Web Calculators Web Advisors Legal Q&A sites Legal Crowdsourcing Online dispute resolution (ODR) Increasing Use of Social Media Collaborating with branded networks to deliver unbundled

services online

How can a Legal Aid Program collaborate and/or integrate some of these emerging technology trends

to increase access and appeal to private practitioners?

Branded Network Concept

For Legal Aid Programs:

How will you:

• Identify candidates for online delivery?

• Match lawyer volunteers with prospective online limited scope matters?

• Integrate online delivery methods?

• Address technology and security concerns in serving clients online?

• Use tech to collaborate with private practitioners, law schools, and legal SaaS providers to increase access to justice?

Future innovations in the delivery of legal services will include more applications to allow the public to directly interact with their attorney online.