Our justice system is only as fair and effective as
it is accessible to those who need it. Unfortunately,
for many, access to justice is limited by a lack of financial resources. The network of legal services offices
throughout Michigan, among other programs, addresses this imbalance. Michigan Legal Help was created to help bridge
this gap for Michigan residents who can’t be helped by legal services and can’t
afford an attorney. There are
approximately 22,000 Michigan residents eligible for the services of each
dedicated legal services attorney.
At Michigan Legal Help, our staff of six produces
and maintains a statewide website where Michigan residents can access legal
information and resources. Some visitors
are looking simply to educate themselves about their legal matter. For others, Michigan Legal Help may be the only
legal assistance they have in preparing to represent themselves in court. Our goal is to turn these people into
supported self-represented litigants, increasing their chances of being
successful in resolving their legal matters.
We cannot achieve this goal on our own, however. The State Bar’s celebration of Pro Bono Month
in October reminded us to give thanks to the many legal professionals, content
area specialists, law students, and others who have dedicated countless hours
to the development and operation of Michigan Legal Help.
As part of the process of developing new content, we
rely on the expertise of legal professionals in specific areas of law. Many of these experts can be found in the
Michigan Poverty Law Program, which is connected to Michigan Legal Help. However, for other areas, we need to seek
outside help. In the last year,
attorneys from the Sugar Law Center and the University of Michigan’s
Unemployment Insurance Clinic were deeply involved in the process of outlining and
drafting content for the recently added employment materials. We also worked closely with attorneys from the
Michigan Protection and Advocacy Center, who helped us develop materials about
special education and school discipline.
As new content progresses toward publication on
Michigan Legal Help, we depend on volunteer committees of experts to provide
feedback on our proposed content, which we circulate for review. Our content committees include private
attorneys, court staff, SCAO staff, legal services attorneys, and others. This kind of oversight assures us we are
providing accurate and relevant legal information to the users of Michigan
Legal Help.
Finally, visitors to our website may use LiveHelp,
our personalized online chat service. It
is staffed 20 hours a week, primarily by volunteer law students who help direct
visitors to legal information on the website. The students attend training, do a practice
chat with our LiveHelp supervisors, and commit to volunteering 1-2 hours per
week for a minimum of 50 hours. Here is
what some have said about the experience:
- I’ve only had great experiences so far with LiveHelp, and it’s a great way to refresh myself on the law or to learn more about the law. Moreover, it’s incredibly rewarding to be able to recommend a free legal information provider to people and have them tell me later that MLH helped them with their legal issue.
o
Arielle
Javarinis, 3L, MSU College of Law
- As a volunteer for MLH LiveHelp, I have had the opportunity to serve members of the community by helping them obtain the information and the tools they need to educate themselves about the law and their rights. I feel that this program is a tremendous service to Michigan citizens who may not be able to afford to hire an attorney. The experience has also been an invaluable opportunity to supplement my law school studies by exposing me to areas of the law that I have not had the opportunity to study. Overall, it's a rewarding experience that benefits both community members and volunteers alike.
o
Luciana
Viramontes, 3L, WMU Cooley Law School
- From my conversations with those using the web[site], and from my own experience as a student attorney in a law clinic, I know that Michigan Legal Help makes a real difference for people in need of legal remedies in Michigan. It has been extremely rewarding to be a part of this project as a LiveHelp agent, and it is a much needed service.
o
Jennifer
Nelson, 3L, University of Michigan Law School
We’re grateful to all the pro bono volunteers who
contribute to MLH and proud to be part of a profession whose members are
committed to helping ensure legal access and assistance for all. If you’re looking for a way to make your
contribution, please contact us at MichiganLegalHelp.org!