Image
courtesy
of
NetDocuments.
Last
month,
I
asked
whether
generative
artificial
intelligence
is
the
answer
to
the
access-to-justice
problem.
I
expressed
skepticism,
suggesting
that
capitalism
always
trumps
best
intentions.
Sure,
generative
AI
could
expand
access
to
justice,
but
would
its
potential
ever
be
fully
realized?
But,
maybe,
just
maybe,
my
cynicism
was
misplaced.
What
if
generative
AI
as
an
access-to-justice
bridge
isn’t
just
a
pipe
dream?
What
if
partial
realization
is
all
we
need,
enabling
us
to
chip
away
at
the
access-to-justice
gap,
one
chatbot
at
a
time?
It
certainly
sounds
like
a
plausible
premise:
generative
AI
chatbots
are
a
feasible
way
for
courts
and
legal
aid
organizations
to
improve
access
to
justice.
In
theory,
by
leveraging
GenAI’s
conversational
and
responsive
capabilities,
these
institutions
can
address
longstanding
barriers
in
the
court
system.
But
theory
is
one
thing.
How
does
it
work
in
practice?
I
located
some
examples
and
quickly
realized
that
this
high-tech
gamble
might
be
paying
off.
Select
courts
and
legal
aid
groups
are
already
using
these
tools
to
benefit
the
public
while
also
reducing
administrative
strain
by
providing
self-represented
litigants
with
on-demand
legal
information
and
procedural
guidance.
Still
not
convinced?
Seeing
is
believing.
Check
out
some
examples
of
generative
AI-powered
chatbots
available
on
court
and
public
interest
group
websites:
-
Legal
Aid
of
North
Carolina
offers
the
Legal
Information
Assistant. This
generative
AI
chatbot,
which
answers
questions
in
English
or
Spanish,
was
developed
in
partnership
with
LawDroid.
It
assists
litigants
in
obtaining
answers
to
an
array
of
legal
questions. -
The
Nevada
Supreme
Court
recently
released
a
generative
AI-powered
chatbot.
It
was
developed
by
CiviLaw.Tech
for
the
Nevada
Supreme
Court
and
offers
easy-to-understand
legal
guidance
in
multiple
languages,
helping
individuals
understand
their
options
and
the
procedural
steps
they
need
to
take. -
Missouri
Tenant
Help,
developed
by
Lemma
Legal,
is
an
online
resource
for
Missouri
tenants
seeking
legal
support.
This
intake
screening
tool
assists
with
determining
eligibility
for
assistance
before
speaking
with
program
staff. -
SANDI
is
a
chatbot
available
on
the
Eleventh
Judicial
Circuit
of
Florida’s
website.
It
was
funded
by
a
federal
grant
from
the
State
Justice
Institute,
in
collaboration
with
the
National
Center
for
State
Courts
(NCSC)
and
Advanced
Robot
Solutions,
which
developed
this
AI-powered
digital
assistant. -
The
Law
Center
for
Better
Housing,
the
Illinois
Equal
Justice
Foundation,
and
the
Lawyers
Trust
Fund
of
Illinois
worked
together
to
roll
out
an
AI
chatbot,
Illinois
Intervention. This
virtual
assistant
assists
Illinois
tenants
seeking
assistance
with
housing
issues,
providing
information
and
resources
on
housing
rights.
These
examples
showcase
how
generative
AI
chatbots
are
beginning
to
reduce
the
barriers
faced
by
self-represented
litigants.
That
sounds
great,
but
not
so
fast.
While
the
potential
of
these
tools
is
undeniable,
it’s
important
to
temper
enthusiasm
with
a
healthy
dose
of
realism.
The
tools
deployed
thus
far
show
promise
but
are
far
from
comprehensive.
These
endeavors
address
specific,
often
narrow,
legal
needs.
To
remain
impactful,
ongoing
maintenance
and
thoughtful
design
will
be
necessary.
Additionally,
the
success
of
these
chatbots
depends
on
more
than
just
the
technology
itself.
Behind
each
implementation
is
a
patchwork
of
grants,
partnerships,
and
organizational
buy-ins,
which
means
scaling
these
efforts
is
a
challenge.
The
tools
might
work
well
in
localized
contexts,
but
their
broader
application
remains
uncertain,
especially
in
jurisdictions
where
resources
are
limited
or
priorities
lie
elsewhere.
Even
so,
these
incremental
steps
matter.
Each
chatbot
in
operation
today
is
a
test
case,
showing
what’s
possible
and
the
pitfalls
that
remain.
For
now,
generative
AI
chatbots
aren’t
revolutionizing
access
to
justice—far
from
it.
But
they
are
evidence
that
small,
practical
gains
in
access
to
justice
are
achievable
and
that
technology
can
be
part
of
the
solution.
Whether
these
efforts
can
grow
into
a
larger
systemic
shift
remains
an
open
question,
one
that
will
require
sustained
commitment,
funding,
and
innovation
to
answer.
Nicole
Black
is
a
Rochester,
New
York
attorney
and
Director
of
Business
and
Community
Relations
at
MyCase,
web-based
law
practice
management
software.
She’s
been
blogging
since
2005,
has
written
a
weekly
column
for
the
Daily
Record
since
2007,
is
the
author
of
Cloud
Computing
for
Lawyers,
co-authors
Social
Media
for
Lawyers:
the
Next
Frontier,
and
co-authors
Criminal
Law
in
New
York.
She’s
easily
distracted
by
the
potential
of
bright
and
shiny
tech
gadgets,
along
with
good
food
and
wine.
You
can
follow
her
on
Twitter
at
@nikiblack
and
she
can
be
reached
at
[email protected].