The integration, which will be available to all LegalServer users, will allow legal services organizations to share pro bono opportunities to Paladin’s platform with the click of a button for referral out to its attorney network.
Today, we are excited to share the launch of an integration pilot program between LegalServer and Paladin, funded by a Legal Services Corporation Technology Initiative Grant (TIG) and led by Legal Aid Chicago, the largest legal services organization in the Chicagoland area. This is the first integration between LegalServer’s case management system and Paladin’s pro bono management platform.
The integration will streamline pro bono volunteer recruiting and ultimately help to provide free legal services to a greater population of people living in poverty.
“Integrating our case management system with Paladin’s pro bono placement platform will allow us to increase efficiency when placing pro bono cases. The more efficient we can be, the more clients we can serve to help increase access to justice,” said Melissa Picciola, Legal Aid Chicago’s Director of Pro Bono & Community Partnerships.
Through the partnership, legal services organizations will be able to click a button in LegalServer’s Pro Bono Module that will automatically send specific case data to Paladin’s system in real time. As volunteers discover and apply for pro bono matters on Paladin, their information will be available for review by the legal services organization, and upon case placement, will transfer back to LegalServer automatically. Interoperability between systems is an important step in streamlining pro bono workflows across the ecosystem, and the infrastructure built through this project will pave the way for other legal aid organizations to complete similar integrations.
Currently, about 92% of low-income individuals’ legal needs in the United States are inadequately met, if at all. To the dismay of many, legal services organizations typically turn away about 50% of those who are qualified due to a lack of capacity. Private practice attorneys are key contributors to pro bono legal assistance, which is why it’s imperative to facilitate easier pro bono referrals, and this integration will help more qualified low-income individuals get their legal needs met.
“Everyone deserves equal protection under the law, regardless of income. Whenever we lower the barriers to expanded representation, we increase the opportunities for low-income people to gain access to justice,” said Jeff Hogue, Director of Operations and Community Relations at LegalServer.
“Legal services organizations are the backbone of our legal aid system. Working with their existing infrastructure will maximize the number of people we can serve, so we appreciate how forward thinking both Legal Aid Chicago and LSC have been in supporting this work,” said Kristen Sonday, Paladin’s CEO.
The LegalServer and Paladin integration will be available to other legal services organizations beginning in early 2023. Any legal services organizations interested in being part of a beta testing group ahead of launch can reach out to [email protected].
More information about these organizations can be found at www.legalaidchicago.org and www.legalserver.org.
Kristen Sonday
Kristen is the Co-Founder and CEO at Paladin. As a first generation-college Princeton graduate, Kristen first witnessed how complicated our judicial system is to navigate while at the U.S. Department of Justice conducting international criminal work in Mexico and Central America. As one of the few Latinos on the team, she saw the immense value of having an advocate with you throughout the legal process, which inspired her to want to build something to increase access for those in diverse communities. After DOJ, she joined the Founding Team of YC-backed Grouper, where she learned how to build a startup from the ground up. In addition to Paladin, Kristen Co-Chairs the Legal Services Corporation’s Emerging Leaders Council and is a partner at LongJump, investing in overlooked founders in the Chicago area.
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