In the U.S., over 90% of civil legal needs go unmet, leaving millions without representation in matters such as eviction, domestic violence, and wrongful conviction. This justice gap often determines whether individuals experience safety or harm, or whether they keep their homes or lose them. To help address this crisis, Thomson Reuters launched the AI for Justice program a year ago, giving legal aid groups access to CoCounsel, its AI legal assistant, along with training and support. The initiative has enabled lawyers to save up to 15 hours a week, serve 50% more clients, and prepare urgent documents 75% faster — translating into faster protection orders, timely tenant relief, and earlier exoneration filings.
In a LawNext episode, host Bob Ambrogi interviews Laura Safdie, head of legal innovation at Thomson Reuters and cofounder of Casetext, and Pablo Ramirez, executive director of the Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino. They discuss how AI empowers small legal aid organizations to be more efficient and impactful. The conversation covers the program’s three pillars — access, support, and scale — and explores ongoing challenges, including skepticism toward AI and the fragmentation of legal aid networks. Ultimately, they consider whether AI can meaningfully close the justice gap or merely lessen its effects.
Source:Law Sites
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