Request for Proposals for the Access to Justice Clinical Course Project (A2J Clinic)

The A2J Clinical Course Project is a coordinated effort by the Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction, the Center for Access to Justice & Technology at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, and Idaho Legal Aid Services. This project will support clinical faculty who will produce course kits for law school clinics to create A2J Guided Interviews® using the A2J Author® software. Training and course planning will begin in early Spring 2013 with the expectation that course kits will be ready by Fall 2013.

The Program:

Selected faculty will create a new clinical course (or modify a current one) that teaches core technical competencies using A2J Author® and other software tools to develop self-help resources for legal aid organizations. A2J Author® uses a web-based user interface to walk self-represented litigants though a legal process by asking a series of questions to create a document that can be filed with the court. More information about A2J Author® is at www.a2jauthor.org.

The A2J Clinical Course Project aims to develop a series of course kits that will facilitate the growth of courses teaching technical tools that support legal aid and establish the teaching of these tools as a permanent part of the law school curriculum. Faculty will develop a teachers manual, evaluate the use of the software tools in a clinical setting and provide feedback. The courses will develop A2J Guided Interviews®, tying classroom learning to a legal practice application while lowering the barriers to justice for low-income people by creating locally-relevant A2J Guided Interviews.®

Benefits:

Selected faculty will receive $5000 for creating the course kit and providing feedback on course materials and structure, plus travel expenses for two meetings (software training and course development). No technological experience is required. Full training and support on A2J Author® will be provided in addition to up to $3000 to hire a technical consultant to assist students.

Application Process:

Submit a course proposal with a resume/CV to jmayer AT cali.org by November 15, 2012. Submissions should include a proposed course name and description; number of credits to be offered; whether the course will be a new offering or a modification of an existing course; and whether the faculty member intends to develop the course as a permanent part of the law school’s curriculum. Follow up phone interviews will be conducted in November and December. Selections will be announced in January 2013 at the CALI Membership Meeting during the AALS Annual Meeting in New Orleans.

More Information:

A model course website can be viewed at A2JClinic.classcaster.net.   A fact sheet with more information about the Access to Justice Gap, the deficiencies in legal education and how this initiative can ameliorate both can be found here.  Questions may be directed to John Mayer, Executive Director of CALI® at 312-906-5307 or jmayer AT cali.org.


Terms

A2J