2026 Equal Justice Conference

Across the United States, immigrants are facing profound barriers to accessing justice. At the same time, many attorneys, students, and community members are eager to help but are unsure how to get involved or cannot commit to full representation. Innovative volunteer models are emerging that allow supporters to contribute meaningfully through “light-touch” engagement that still produces powerful impact. This panel will highlight two initiatives - a court observation project and a legal screening hotline - that expand access to justice through creative volunteer engagement models.

Across the country, most people face civil legal problems alone. Legal Hand, developed in New York and expanded to North Carolina, reimagines access to justice by training community volunteers—not lawyers—to provide free legal information and referrals. New York operates a virtual network of regional centers and North Carolina runs a statewide Call-In Center serving all 100 counties. Together, they demonstrate how community-driven innovation can expand reach, build trust, and deliver justice without walls.

Legal Action of Wisconsin’s Overdose Prevention Project has spent two years integrating outreach and civil legal aid into the harm reduction community, especially in Milwaukee. We especially focus on some of the most vulnerable and underserved communities. Learn about our three-pronged approach that incorporates outreach, education and advocacy (in legal proceedings and with appropriate officials and organizations) to address individual client needs and seek systemic change and support for persons and communities affected by substance use disorder.