Presentation that gives an overview of Tennessee's OnlineTNJustice website. The site allows lower-income persons to confidentially email pro bono lawyers regarding civil legal issues. Pro Bono lawyers can log in from anywhere and select a question and answer it on the go. Visit www.onlinetnjustice.org or http://www.tals.org/online-help for more information.

1. Technology to Assist Veterans with Unmet Legal Needs
1/26/12
Erik Cole, Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services
ecole@tals.org

2. Background
OnlineTNJustice.org: Free Legal Advice and Counsel for Low-
income Tennesseans
• Website where qualifying Tennesseans can ask a
lawyer for help with a legal issue.
• For low-income (<250% below Federal Poverty
Guidelines) Tennesseans, who are not
incarcerated, and have <$5,000 total assets
• Qualifying users can post questions on the
website about their civil legal needs and receive
basic legal information and advice from approved
volunteer attorneys.

3. Goals and Approach
• Goals
– to enhance access to justice for low income and rural pro se litigants
and
– to remove barriers to providing pro bono services for attorneys.
• Approach
– Clients
• Free
• Easy-to-use
• Can access at any time of day from anywhere with internet access
• Anonymous
– Volunteer Attorneys
• Provide pro bono any time of day from anywhere with web access
• Requires minimal commitment to clients
• Receive CLE credit for service

4. How it Works: The Day to Day
• Clients and attorneys login to use the site at any time of day from any computer
with Internet access and either ask or answer a question through the anonymous
email platform. Emails notify clients and attorneys when they receive responses or
follow-up questions.

5. OnlineTNJustice.org Data
• Volunteer Attorneys
– 280+ volunteer attorneys are registered
• Clients
– 555 people have been determined eligible to use the site.
– 516 questions posted as of 9/8/11
• Questions by Category
– Questions are posted in one of 11 areas of substantive law
– Top categories thus far:
• Family Law Matters
• Other
• Housing
• Debt and Purchases
• Work
– Most answered within 48 hours, though attorneys have up to three days to
respond.
– On average 5.7 questions are posted per day.

6. Important Web Addresses
OnlineTNJustice.org:
• http://www.onlinetnjustice.org/
Printed Materials for Download:
• http://www.tals.org/files/F-Posters.pdf
Online Explanation of site:
• http://www.tals.org/otj

7. Early Successes
What's being said about OnlineTNJustice.org?
"Thank you so much for the advice! This service is a vital
asset to our community! God bless you all!"
- OnlineTNJustice.org Client
"Thank you! I have lupus and can no longer walk, but I have
kept my law license active. I was nervous that I might be
asked to represent clients in court, which I cannot do, but
now that I understand all my contact with clients will be via
the Internet, I can be a part of it. This is wonderful!"
- Volunteer Attorney