Conference: New York State Judicial Institute Eastern Regional Conference on Access to Justice for the Self-Represented (New York 2006)

The following four webcasts were from the Eastern Regional Conference on Access to Justice for the Self-Represented, which took place in White Plains, New York on May 11-12, 2006.

Session 1: Creating Access to the Courts Across Cultures and Languages

Self-represented litigants come from diverse cultural backgrounds that influence their perceptions of and interactions with the courts and court assistance programs. What cultural issues must judges, court staff and court assistance programs. What cultural issues must judges, court staff and court assistance center staff understand in order to best serve the self-represented?

Presenter:
Professor Sue Bryant, City University of New York Law School, Flushing, New York

Session 2: The Ethics of Providing Assistance: The Difference Between Legal Information and Legal Advice

This presentation will explore the difference between providing legal information and legal advice, and significant issues involved with both. It also will explore the impact of technology-based services on drawing the line between the two. 

Presenters:
William Hornsby, Esq., Division of Legal Services, American Bar Association, Chicago, Illinois
Bill Trotman, New York Unified Court System, New York, New York

Session 3: Unbundled Legal Services and the Self-Represented

Many litigants who decide to represent themselves will at some point benefit from and/or require an attorney's assistance. In this session, panelists will discuss unbundled or limited scope representation, and its practicality for assisting the self-represented. 

Moderator:
William Hornsby, Esq., Division of Legal Services, American Bar Association, Chicago, Illinois

Presenters:
Elizabeth Scheffee, Esq., Portland, Maine
Virginia Martin, Associate Executive Director for Legal Services, New Hampshire Bar Association
Hon. Jane Harper, 26th Judicial District Court, Charlotte, North Carolina

Session 4: Foundations: The Obligations and Benefits of Programs for the Self-Represented

Jurisdictions across the United States are experiencing growing numbers of self-represented litigants. Many are struggling with how to address the needs of these litigants. Panel members will discuss the obligations of the courts and the civil justice community to assist the self-represented, and the benefits of such assistance to both litigant and court.

Moderator:
Katherine Mays, Esq., National Center for State Courts, Williamsburg, Virginia

Presenters:
Hon. Judy Kreeger, Eleventh Circuit Court, Family Division, Miami, FL
Michael Arrington, Esq., Wilmington, Delaware
Professor Russel Engler, New England School of Law, Boston, Massachusetts