2026 Equal Justice Conference

The access-to-justice world has long found community organizing too unfamiliar or risky to integrate fully into lawyer-dominated change-making strategies. But, the present injustices our client communities face call for bold, collective action beyond what lawsuits alone can win. Using leading edge advocacy against AI-related injustices as a backdrop, this session will explore the ways that organizations can integrate lawyering and organizing in advocacy campaigns to secure lasting social change for low-income communities.

The State Bar of California Office of Access and Inclusion, with the Legal Aid Association of California and the California Access to Justice Commission, are pioneering a model replicable in any state or area by fostering innovative collaboration between legal aid organizations and state agencies. Attendees will learn about groundbreaking collaboration efforts yielding new partnerships, more effective systems, and streamlined materials in critical areas such as housing, immigration, seniors, and veterans. Attendees will also learn about innovative, similar work ongoing in Arizona.

This session will address the importance of connecting and learning how to communicate effectively with people in marginalized communities. Skills for identifying barriers to communication and connection and ways to overcome them will be discussed.

Legal aid and pro bono professionals face unique pressures that put them at high risk of burnout.This session explores what burnout is, the biology of the stress cycle, and how to spot early signs. Participants will learn practical ways to prevent and address burnout, including tools to close the stress cycle and create a personal red flags and response plan for greater well-being.