Florida’s legal community is closely watching a high-tech experiment designed to steer legal services to the poor.
The Florida Legal Access Gateway website helps Clay County residents with evictions and divorce.
The Florida Bar opposed raising member dues for legal aid, arguing a commission needed more time to study the problem. Florida Bar president Bill Schifino says FLAG is just one potential answer.
“The Bar met and talked about it, and was concerned that compelling and mandating that bar members make 501-C3 contributions was not the right way to go and that we needed a much bigger solution to the problem.”
The website refers users to local legal aid societies or low-cost consultations with an attorney. The Clay County Court Clerk says an average of 10 people a day are using the site.
