As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, courts and legal service providers were forced to make a decision: close up shop and wait for in-person services to resume, or quickly transform their in-person services to a virtual platform.
Last October, IAALS published Pandemic Positives: Extending the Reach of Court and Legal Service Providers, a report highlighting the innovative ways that a number of court and legal service providers quickly developed new processes for providing both in-person and virtual services, ensuring access to information and assistance to those who cannot afford an attorney. With the pandemic still ongoing, and in an effort to share lessons learned across jurisdictions, IAALS hosted a four-part speaker series to bring together these innovators with other attendees to learn about best practices. Presenters shared how they successfully implemented virtual services, including balancing virtual services with in-person needs, creating effective partnerships, and keeping the public up to date on relevant changes.
Event details and videos of the sessions are available on the event pages below. A recap of the first two sessions can be read here; a recap of the second two sessions can be read here.
Past Events
On February 3, 2021, IAALS hosted a webinar featuring Christine Miller of Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada and Lollie Roberts of the Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento, who discussed how their respective organizations successfully kept the public up to date on the changes they were making in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On February 17, IAALS hosted a webinar featuring Jonathan Pyle of Philadelphia Legal Assistance and Leanne Yoder of the Arizona Superior Court in Pima County, who discussed how their respective organizations worked with others both internally and externally to alleviate many obstacles that come with reform.
On March 11, IAALS hosted a webinar featuring Carolyn Kim and Renato Izquieta of the Orange County Superior Court and Jeannie Sato of the Alaska Court System, who discussed how their respective organizations were able to successfully transform their in-person legal services into virtual services amid the pandemic—without expending significant resources.
On March 25, IAALS hosted a webinar featuring Presiding Judge Clemens Landau of the Salt Lake City Justice Court and Sheriece Perry of the Massachusetts Trial Courts Office of Court Management, who discussed how their respective organizations were able to balance the necessity of remote services with their customers' in-person needs.
