Access to Justice

Lawyers should alert clients that AI prompts can be used in court

People who solicit advice from artificial intelligence are being cautioned by U.S. lawyers to not confide in chatbots because those conversations can be used against them in court.

Apr 15, 2026 12:48 PM CDT

Majority of Americans find justice system unfair, new survey says

Most Americans continue to be deeply skeptical about the fairness of the justice system, according to a recent survey by Equal Justice Works, a nonprofit organization focusing on careers in public service for lawyers.

Apr 14, 2026 9:28 AM CDT

Indiana is looking at expanding nonlawyer practice and developing nonprofit firms

Attorney shortages are occurring all over the country. In one state, leaders of a commission tasked with addressing the problem say the solution isn’t simply more lawyers but a complete overhaul of how it provides legal services.

Apr 1, 2026 1:30 AM CDT

Millions of Americans continue to lack meaningful access to justice. What can be done about it?

Every day, millions of Americans confront legal challenges—family disputes, housing and job issues, estate claims and more. Yet for far too many, the justice system feels out of reach. The reason is simple but devastating: Professional legal help costs more than they can afford.

Apr 1, 2026 1:20 AM CDT

DOJ guts program helping immigrants receive affordable legal representation

The Department of Justice has gutted a program that helps low-income and indigent immigrants receive competent and affordable legal representation, according to sources with direct knowledge of the matter.

Mar 25, 2026 2:02 PM CDT

Colorado policy could shield AI from complaints regarding unauthorized practice of law

Does using artificial intelligence for legal help constitute the unauthorized practice of law? Lawyers in Colorado are saying no and taking novel approaches to protect the developers of AI tools that aim to expand access to legal services.

Mar 18, 2026 3:11 PM CDT

The legal profession cannot litigate its way out of technological change

The recent lawsuit accusing OpenAI of the unlicensed practice of law has triggered a familiar reflex within the profession: fear that technology is encroaching on protected ground.

Mar 18, 2026 1:47 PM CDT

Global Assist: Lawyer provides free legal services to women in several countries with foundation honoring late mother

Jayne Fleming is a human rights attorney who has worked with survivors of torture and sexual gender-based violence from Central America, Greece, Jordan and Haiti. She became a lawyer in 2000 and now is the global director of a foundation that she established in 2010 in honor of her late mother. Fleming recently spoke about her career and foundation with the ABA Journal.

Mar 16, 2026 7:05 AM CDT

New public defender office will assist defendants in Supreme Court

The federal judiciary has approved a new office that will help improve the quality of representation for indigent defendants with cases in front of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Mar 11, 2026 9:43 AM CDT

More than half of legal professionals expect AI to drive more work to ALSPs, new report says

The adoption of artificial intelligence is expected not only to reduce billable hours but to increase the amount of legal work that is allocated to alternative legal services providers, according to Wolters Kluwer's 2026 Future Ready Lawyer Survey Report.

Mar 10, 2026 10:43 AM CDT

New Mexico, Connecticut consider new pathways to licensure

New Mexico and Connecticut are the latest states to consider alternative pathways to bar licensure, a move that would potentially expand access to legal services statewide.

Mar 3, 2026 12:39 PM CST

ABA Day 2026: The legal profession in action

From March 24 to 26, the legal profession will gather in Washington, D.C., for ABA Day, the American Bar Association’s largest annual associationwide advocacy event. It is a national campaign of coordinated advocacy that engages attorneys, law students and advocates from every corner of the legal community.

Mar 2, 2026 9:03 AM CST

3Ls donated over $178M of pro bono legal work in 2025, new survey shows

More than $178 million of legal services were contributed by the law school class of 2025 via legal clinics, experiential courses, externships and other pro bono activities, according to a survey released Wednesday by the Association of American Law Schools.

Feb 19, 2026 10:29 AM CST

Criminal defendants in Oregon will have charges dismissed if they can’t get timely legal representation

Criminal defendants in Oregon who cannot get timely legal representation from the state must have their charges dismissed, the Oregon Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

Feb 6, 2026 9:20 AM CST

Supreme Court sees dramatic decline in appeals from indigent, poor litigants

Appeals from indigent or poor litigants have decreased precipitously at the U.S. Supreme Court over the past several terms and are now at their lowest level in the 21st century, the National Law Journal reports.

Jan 30, 2026 9:17 AM CST