Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc. Awarded $195,527 Technology Initiative Grant to Support Legal Aid Website and Innovative Programs

Press Release

The Legal Services Corporation announced today that Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc. (LawNY) will receive $195,527 through the Technology Initiative Grants (TIG) program to enhance its statewide legal aid website and develop innovative programs that engage clients through text messaging and reach out to non-traditional access-to-justice partners in different ways.

The TIG program supports legal aid organizations in developing, testing, and replicating technologies that improve efficiency and provide greater access to high-quality assistance in the full range of legal services for low-income clients.

LawNY will use its TIG grants for three projects:

$28, 737 to develop a reminder system that will notify clients of upcoming office appointments, clinics, court appearances, and deadlines through text message integration with LegalServer, the program's case management system.
$82,895 to use technology to support innovative programs, including the Court Navigator program, LiveHelp, and community-based pilots that engage non-traditional justice partners. This project will provide high-quality, critical information, and referrals to thousands of people in need.
$83, 895 to enhance LawHelpNY.org, the statewide legal information website for low-income New Yorkers, by targeting key improvements to the site's extensive provider referral system, its overall content organization, and other key areas.
Rep. Brian Higgins (NY-26) said, "We are living in a time of ever-changing technological advancements. These advancements allow for increased and improved access to necessary information and services. Thousands of Western New Yorkers in need of legal services will benefit from the improvements put in place through this grant."

Rep. Tom Reed (NY-23) said, " This technology initiative is great news for Western New York. It's another way for us to care for low-income members of our community, and provide high-quality, critical information to those in need."

Rep. Louise Slaughter (NY-25) said, "Court action can be costly and intimidating, and we need to ensure that everyone in America has equal access to justice. That's why I'm proud to support the Legal Services Corporation and Legal Assistance of Western New York who help to ensure that Americans' constitutional rights to a fair trial and equal protection under the law are upheld."

LawNY is one of 38 recipients of 2014 LSC-TIG funding totaling nearly $3.5 million.

"This latest round of grants continues LSC's history of leadership in expanding access to justice through innovations in technology," said LSC president James J. Sandman. "The grants reflect the creativity and resourcefulness of legal aid programs in using technology to get assistance to people when and where they need it."

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