Transcript LEGAL AID LINE OF WESTERN OHIO - Centennial

ABA/NLADA 2005 Equal Justice Conference
Legal Hotlines: What’s in a name? Cynthia E. Elliott, Managing Attorney
Legal Aid Line of Western Ohio, 520 Madison Ave. Ste 740, Toledo, Ohio
43604, 419-255-0814, [email protected]
ABLE
ADVOCATES FOR BASIC LEGAL
EQUALITY, INC.
LEGAL AID LINE OF WESTERN OHIO
Cynthia E. Elliott
Managing Attorney
&
Anna Falkowitz
Legal Extern
Brief Description
How to provide seamless and high
quality legal services, to clients in a
multi-service area, through the use of a
centrally managed web-based intake
system that utilizes intake personnel
working from different geographical
locations. In other words, how to use
cyberspace to get more bang for your
buck without sacrificing quality.
SUMMARY OUTLINE
I.
Overview Of Legal Aid Line
II.
Service Area, Personnel And Office Locations Of Legal Aid
Line
III.
Intake Process For Legal Aid Line
IV.
Legal Aid Line Case Flow/Process Maps
V.
Attorney Assignments, Work Stations And Case Types
VI.
PIKA Case Management System
VII.
Volume And Quality Control
I.
a.
Overview Of Legal Aid Line
Joint project of two legal aid programs/pro bono programs
i. Advocates for Basic Legal Equality (ABLE)
a. No LSC funds
b. impact litigation
c. LSC ineligible clients
i. Class actions
ii. Undocumented aliens
ii.
Legal Aid of Western Ohio (LAWO)
a. LSC funded
b. Individual service cases
iii.
iv.
b.
c.
Toledo Bar Association Pro Bono
Greater Dayton Volunteer Lawyers Project
Provides independent legal advice and referrals
Provides centralized intact and referrals for above listed programs
II. Service Area Personnel And Office
Locations
a.
i.
Office/Service Areas
Legal Aid Line in Toledo covers 32
counties in Ohio.
ii. ABLE in Toledo and Dayton operates
statewide.
iii. 3. LAWO offices in 8 Ohio cities covers
32 counties.
a)
b)
c)
Dayton Toledo and Mansfield
Sandusky, Fremont and Lima
Defiance & Springfield
II. Service Area Personnel And Office
Locations
a.
i.
Personnel locations
Screeners (Intake specialists)
a)
b)
c)
d)
ii.
Seven (7) screeners working in the Toledo Office
Three(3) screeners working in the Dayton
One(1) screener working in Lima
One(1) screener working in Fremont
ABLE. Attorneys
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
•
b)
c)
Managing Attorney in Toledo
Supervising Attorney in Iowa
Full Time remote Attorney in New York
Full Time remote Attorney in Yellow Springs, Ohio
Part Time remote Attorney in Bowling Green, Ohio
Part Time remote Attorney in Springfield, Ohio
Part time Attorney in Toledo Office
LAWO Attorneys
One(1) part-time contract time Attorney in Michigan
Five(5)Part time Contract Attorneys in Toledo
II Service Area Personnel And Office
Locations
MICHIGAN
Toledo
Fremont
Bowling Grees
Lima
Yellow Springs
Dayton
Springfield
IOWA
NEW YORK
III. Intake
A. CALLER
Process For Legal
Aid Line
– Client calls in
– The Incoming calls come into a digital phone switch in
Toledo
– The call is placed in an ACD queue which looks for
the next available screener.
B. INTAKE SCREENER
1. Takes basic eligibility information
• Income requirements
• Check for conflicts
• Record the basic facts of the case
2. Assigns as scheduled or unscheduled
III. INTAKE PROCESS FOR LEGAL
AID LINE
C. EMERGENCY SCREENING
– served with court papers
– Scheduled for court hearing dates
– Served with any other type of official notice from a
government agency, a landlord or any other person?
– harmed or threatened within the past 30 days?
• If yes,
– Assign to Emergency Response Attorney
III. INTAKE PROCESS FOR LEGAL
AID LINE
D. SCHEDULING A CALL-BACK APPOINTMENT
1.Schedule an appointment if client:
– Meets the eligibility requirements
– Is not having an emergency
– Case conforms to protocols for scheduling
2.Do not schedule an appointment if the client:
– does not meet financial
– protocol requirements
case has conflicts
over income
incomplete applications
assign to attorney
III. INTAKE PROCESS FOR LEGAL
AID LINE
E. Scheduling call back cases
–
–
–
–
–
Nonscheduled cases receives advice letter within 10 days
Scheduled cases receive appointments within 2 days
Use the online case screening protocols
Use the online scheduler
use next available appointment
III. INTAKE PROCESS FOR LEGAL
AID LINE
E .No call backs(unscheduled)
• 40% of the eligible callers are no call backs
• letter or self-help materials sent to the client
• Managing Attorney can reverse certain call backs and no call
backs, depending on volume.
• Examples / no call backs
– Driver license suspended for driving without insurance
– Non emergency bad conditions in tenant’s home or apartment
– Expungement of criminal records
• letters prepared by attorneys / processed by the screeners in
Toledo office
• Over 100 self-help packets available for clients
III. INTAKE PROCESS FOR LEGAL
AID LINE
F. PROTOCOLS
Programmed in software
• Questions for screeners
• Specific to case type
• Answers dictate protocol to follow
III.INTAKE PROCESS FOR LEGAL
AID LINE
G. Web Applications
– Clients can apply through Legal Aid Line or
ABLE websites
• 25-35 web applications per day
– One screener is designated to monitor the
web applications
• Screens for emergencies and immediate call backs
• Calls back the next business day to determine
eligibility
LEGAL AID LINE OF WESTERN OHIO INITIAL SCREENING PROCESS
Client Inquiry
Begins:
- Phone
- Letter
- Fax
- Web/E-mail
- Walk-in
Screener
Receives
Inquiry
ABLE or
LAWO
Regional
Office
Social Service
Agency/Court/
Other Referring
Source
Other Legal
Services
Organization
Client Inquiry is
by Phone/Web/
E-mail/FAX/
Other
Client Is
Available
Screener Calls
Back
Call Back List
Not Available or
No Answer –
First Call
Not Available or
No Answer After
Second Call
Client Is Out-of Service
Area or State
Client is a
Walk-in
To Screeners if
Client Calls
Back
Interview
Client in
Person
Qualify?
Yes
No
Interview
Client by
Telephone
Client Not Available
If Urgent Matter with a
Deadline in One Week
Review by Managing or
Supervising Attorney
NAT Letter
Letter to
Client from
LAL ABLE
Attorney
with Counsel
and Advice
Managing or
Supervising
Attorney Handles as
a Special Matter
Phone
Interview
with LAL
ABLE or
LAWO
Contract
Attorney
Refer Client to:
- Private Attorney
- Court/Public Defender
- Lawyer Referral Program
- Social Service Agency
LAL Attorney Reviews
Application and Sends Letter
to Client. Case Closed.
Client Does
Not Call Back.
Case Closed.
LEGAL AID LINE OF WESTERN OHIO ATTORNEY INTERVIEWING AND COUNSELLING PROCESS
Client
Qualifies
After
Screening
and Is
Referred
To A Legal
Aid Line
Attorney
for an
Interview
Legal Aid Line
Attorney Interviews
Client by Telephone
or In-Person
Client Calls
Back and is
Rescheduled
Client Sent
NAT Letter
ABLE
Attorney:
Counsel
and Advise
LAWO
Contract
Attorney:
Counsel
and Advise
Client Not
Available
When Phoned
Client is Referred
to ABLE/LAWO
Staff or Pro Bono
Attorney
Client is Referred
to LAWO Staff or
Pro Bono Attorney
Client
Does Not
Need
Services
Client is Referred To:
Or
Letter
Without an
Interview
Client
Does Not
Qualify for
Services
Legal Aid Line Attorney
Sends Closing Letter to
Client
- Private Attorney
- Court/Public Defender
- Lawyer Referral Program
- Pro Bono Program
- Social Service Agency
Counsel
and Advise
IV. CASE FLOW/PROCESS MAP
V. Attorneys Roles/Assignments
C. Managing and Supervising Attorney located in
Toledo
1.
2.
3.
4.
Responds to emergency calls and complex matter
Handles various client cases including “no call backs”
Answers screener/attorney questions
Monitors quality control
–
–
Application intake
Advice from attorneys
5. Monitors flow of calls and assignments
5. Assesses training needs
–
Provides ongoing instruction as needed
V. AttorneysRoles/Assignments
D. Legal Aid Line Attorneys in various locations
1.
2.
3.
11 full and part time attorneys
Attorneys work location
Toledo office
Dayton office,
private offices
their homes
Attorney Assignments
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
“call back” and “no call back” clients
area of specialty
regardless of location of client
Conflicts
Over-Income denials
Criminal case & all other denials or incomplete apps
Scheduled and Unscheduled family law
Scheduled and Unscheduled consumer or B’ruptcy
All other new cases which do not qualify for scheduling
Attorneys jointly handle 50-60 calls/day
V. AttorneysRoles/Assignments
•
E. Completion of call back cases
60% of the cases scheduled for a call back by a
lawyer
1.Returns calls in 48 hours
–
–
–

•
•
•
most call backs are done the same day or the next morning
offer telephone advice
may refer a client to
LAWO/ABLE office for ongoing representation
» Private attorney
» Court/public defender
» Lawyer referral program
» Pro bono program
» Social service agency
Refers to protocols for each county
Consults the on-line case referral protocols
Accesses resources/research
V. AttorneysRoles/Assignments
F .No call backs(unscheduled)
• 40% of the eligible callers are no call backs
• letter or self-help materials sent to the client
• Managing Attorney can reverse certain call backs and no call backs,
depending on volume.
• Examples / no call backs
– Driver license suspended for driving without insurance
– Non emergency bad conditions in tenant’s home or apartment
– Expungement of criminal records
• letters prepared by attorneys / processed by the screeners in Toledo office
• Over 100 self-help packets available for clients
G. Contemporaneous case notes
H. Time keeping features
• Daily timeslips
• Monthly reports
III. INTAKE PROCESS FOR LEGAL
AID LINE
F. ADVICE LETTERS
1.Every client receives some type of letter
a.whether call back(scheduled)
b. no call back (unscheduled)
c. Advice/ information related query or problem.
2. Ineligible clients:
a.Reason for ineligibility
b.Income or assets
c. Seek private attorney
III. INTAKE PROCESS FOR LEGAL
AID LINE
• REFERRAL OF CASES
• Attorney completes the interview
• Refers for ongoing representation to
ABLE, LAWO, or to Pro Bono
• Refer according to protocols for each
county
• Consult the on-line case referral protocols
V.PIKA
A. web-based case management system to
•
•
•
complete client intake applications
track ongoing cases
Electronic record of each client’s case
B. Document assembly feature to integrate the topic
materials into client letters
C. PIKA uses PHP “open source” web-coding software
to make its screens and data accessible to
authorized staff from anywhere that there is an
internet connection, as well as from within Legal
Aid Line office.
V. PIKA Password protected log in
• Hit the Log In Button
• Enter user name and
password
The Pika Welcome Screen
V.PIKA: COMMON TASK ACCESSIBLE ON
HOME SCREEN
• Options on Pika
home screen
• Common tasks
V.PIKA: New Client Intake link
• New client intake link
• Add new case info
• Hit the yellow
“continue” button
V.PIKA: Checks for existing names
• Click on the individual
names in this screen
for more details
• If same person hit the
“Use” button
• Transfers data into a
new case file
• Avoid duplication
• If not the same
person hit continue
V.PIKA: Adds New Case
V.PIKA: Opens New Case
• ID # created
• Next assets screen
V.PIKA: Checks for Conflict
• Before financial data
– Enter names of each
opposing party
V.PIKA: Allows ADDITITIONAL CLIENTS, OPPOSING
PARTIES, HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS
Case Info Screen
V.PIKA: Flags Conflicts
• Hit the “Conflict” link
• Flag appears
V.PIKA: Checks Financial
Eligibility(Assets)
V.PIKA:Calculates Financial
Eligibility(Liabilities)
V. PIKA: Allows Case Notes Input
• Contemporaneous Case
notes
•
Identify the problem
– Notes of conversation
– Documenting significant
factors
– Brief description
– Special circumstances
• Warning
– Hit the “Save” button
V. PIKA: PROVIDES DOCUMENT
ASSEMBLY LETTERS
• After the conversation
– Prepare closing letter to
confirm the advice
• Use Pika’s “Form Letters”
– Confirm clients name
– Hit the “Make Document”
button
– Document should
appear
– Edit for client’s individual
circumstances
V. PIKA: III.CASE CLOSING FEATURES
• “paperless” office
• In electronic format
• Completed by the attorney handling the case
V.PIKA:TIMEKEEPING
• Built-in time keeping features
– Daily timeslips
– Monthly reports
VI.VOLUME AND QUALITY
CONTROL
A.
•
B.
1.
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•
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Teamwork
Attorneys function as co-counsel within the unit, sharing
Coordination of work flow
Managing and supervising attorneys monitor case loads
duties to serve
clients timely .
Restrict intake during staff shortages
300.000 poverty population
XXXXXXX calls
Staff development
work group
task force
cle
lexis nexis account
d.
Effective Utilization of resources
resouce manual
website links
Agency links
e.
f.
g.
Community input
pro bono
Discerning trends
run queries
Survey Results
independent company
75.3% satisfaction rate
77.7% return business
expertise and knowledge of various areas of law
intake levels and adjust assignments of