Transcript National Public ADO - Illinois Legal Advocate

Introduction to Document
Assembly
for Legal Services
Marc Lauritsen
Capstone Practice Systems
October 2011
Quick review:
Document Assembly
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Sometimes called ...
“Document automation”
 “Computer-aided drafting”
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Think TurboTax
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Typically found in ...
Word processing applications
 Case management systems
 Fillable forms
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Basic Concepts
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Templates – model documents
Variables – what’s different?
Facts, choices
 Calculations - numbers, dates,
texts
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“Logic” – what goes where?
Conditional/optional pieces
 Repeated sections
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Interface - questions and guidance
Template + Answers = Document
Important differences
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Templates | Answers | Documents
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Interview | Assembly
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RTF templates | PDF templates
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Desktop HotDocs | Online HotDocs
Benefits
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Effectiveness
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Quality
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Doing good
work with less
effort
Correctness
Completeness
Consistency
Responsiveness
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Training and
continuing
education
Consolidation of
expertise
Process
improvement
Job satisfaction
and enrichment
Uses
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Document focus
Word processable documents
 Graphical forms, PDFs
 Personalized instructions
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Interview focus
Dynamic questionnaires
 Intelligent checklists
 Analytical advisors
 Eligibility assessment
 Hotline scripts for call center staff
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Users
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Self-helpers (unrepresented)
Clients (partially or fully
represented)
Legal services staff advocates
Hotline staff
Volunteers, pro bono counsel
Law school clinics
Other nonprofits
Alternate front ends
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Native HotDocs – “out of the box”
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A2J
Online interviews
The content spectrum
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Static (brochure-ware)
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Interactive, navigable (hypertext)
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LHI
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Nothing changes
Locations or views change
Dynamic, intelligent, productive
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Content changes
About Illinois Legal Aid Online’s Automated
Documents Project
 Goals
 Create a core library of automated documents for
legal aid and pro bono attorneys
 Provide pro se litigants and others with means to
create correct, complete, and neat forms and
letters appropriate to address their legal needs
Where are the Automated Documents?
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Automated documents for use by attorneys
representing clients are available through both
www.illinoislegaladvocate.org and
www.illinoisprobono.org.
Users must register for an ILAO account in order
to access the automated documents
Users must register separately on LawHelp
Interactive to save answer files for re-use.
Automated documents for use by the public are
on www.illinoislegalaid.org
The Automated Documents Menu
In Topical “Pro Bono Guide Me”
Find Automated Documents by
Searching
Finding Automated
Documents on the Public
Website
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Automated documents are not
searchable on the public website
We have created a “form library”
screen where Self-Help Center
navigators and others assisting pro
se litigants can find all public
automated documents
Form Library
Within Topical “Guide Me”
What Programs Does ILAO
Have Online for Advocates?
Divorce
 Adoption
 Lockout Case Letters and Pleadings
 Motion to Stay Eviction
 Powers of Attorney and Advanced Directives
 Civil Motions
 Simple Will
 Discovery Packet
 Vehicle Deficiency Suit Defense
 Hospital Bill Defense
 Immigration
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What Programs Does
ILAO Have for Pro Se
Litigants?
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Forms, Letters and Pleadings for:
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Fee Waiver/ 298 Petition
Divorce
Name Change
Order of Protection (for most counties)
Expungement and Sealing
Mortgage Foreclosure Answer
Powers of Attorney for Health Care and Property
Security Deposit Complaint and Demand Letters
Letters Credit Card Cos., Banks, Insurance Cos.,
Credit Reporting Agencies to Report Identity Theft
…and many more on www.IllinoisLegalAid.org
How Are Illinois
Attorneys Using
Automated
Documents?
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Traditional Client Services
Pro Bono Projects
Unbundled Services for
Pro Se Litigants
Center for Disability and Elder Law
Thomas Wendt, Chief Legal Officer
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Uses automated documents for:
Divorce, since 2009
 Powers of Attorney and Advanced Directives, since
working with ILAO on edits to accommodate new
law in 2011
 Wills, also since working with ILAO in 2011
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Serves individual clients in office, considering
automated documents for clinics also.
Reasons for using automated documents:
Professional and consistent documents
 Efficient delivery of services
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Prairie State Legal Services
Sandy Crow, Volunteer Lawyer
Coordinator, Peoria Office
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Used automated documents with volunteer lawyers
in clinical setting for:
Uncontested Divorce, since October 2010 (see handout)
 Powers of Attorney and Advance Directives, since
July, 2011
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Reasons for using automated documents:
Allows non-expert pro bono attorneys to provide
effective services
 Standardized documents for pro bono attorneys
 Resources already posted on ILAO, no need to recreate and distribute materials for each clinic.
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How Can Your
Program Participate in
this Project?
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Substantive Expertise
Assist in developing appropriate
interviews and process flow
 Constructive feedback on how to
improve current automated
documents
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Ideas for new projects
Let us know where you see a need
 Think about automated documents
when planning new projects
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Thank You!
For further information, contact:
Mary K. Neal
Automated Documents Project Manager
312-977-9047 x18
[email protected]