The legal profession is not serving the needs of the vast majority of people with legal problems. While legal consumers are struggling to find the legal help they need, lawyers are struggling to find business models that allow them to deliver legal services more effectively. Without change, the justice system will continue to be out of reach for most Americans. While many factors drive this significant problem, one solution to this challenge lies in the way legal services are regulated. Many in the profession, which is currently both the regulator and the regulated, would say the regulatory framework has been developed and perpetuated to protect consumers. Critics, including those within the profession, would say that the objective should be to serve consumers and society and that many current provisions stand between people and access to justice. Fortunately, all major stakeholders agree that we must find a way to ensure greater access to legal services for the people and organizations that need it. This session is part of an ongoing effort to make meaningful change, including SRLN webinars/teleconferences and aligned proposals for in-person dialogue at TIG, SRLN, and EJC. This session will provide an opportunity to learn about how current regulations and access to justice interact, how that dynamic might be changed, and what efforts are currently being pursued, through the lens of multiple perspectives that form the access to justice continuum.
