The Legal Information Institute, or LII, provides access to legal information sources, research assistance, and the technologies needed to effectively express the law. LII fosters social justice and community service through a flexible presence. Located in the heart of San Francisco, LII is an essential part of every community. In addition to its educational mission, the LII also provides free 20-minute consultations to those who need legal advice. As the nation’s largest legal information provider, LII is the only law library in the country with a volunteer attorney on staff.
Free 20-minute consultations
If you have a legal problem and don’t have the time to consult a private attorney, you can take advantage of the Lawyers at Your Library free legal advice clinic. These sessions, which are conducted in person or by phone, are held on the first Thursday of every month. The library has a list of participating lawyers, and you can sign up by filling out a simple online form. To schedule an appointment, you must complete and submit a hold-harmless form by noon on the day of your consultation.
Volunteer attorneys are available to answer legal questions at a library in the Los Angeles area. The consultations are offered at no charge and are limited to 20 minutes each. To register, simply complete an intake form and provide a copy of your legal documents. Once you have submitted your legal documents, a volunteer lawyer will call you back to discuss your case. If the lawyer is unavailable to take your case, you can also email your question in advance.
Legal databases
If you’re researching a specific legal issue, you should use a legal database. While you can find a lot of information on your own, databases like LexisNexis, Westlaw, and Loislaw can help you narrow down your choices. For instance, LexisNexis and Westlaw have access to millions of pages of case reports and other legal documents. However, searching for specific volumes before 1923 can be a challenge. You can also use LLMC-Digital or HeinOnline, which provide better access to printed volumes of case reports in their original published form.
LexisNexis is another legal database that many libraries have access to. The Law Library Microform Consortium provides access to millions of page images of legal history documents. It focuses on the United States and other jurisdictions, including Haiti and the British empire. LexisNexis Academic contains case reports from the U.S. federal courts and state supreme courts. If you’re researching a specific case, LexisNexis Academic should be your first choice. It contains a wealth of case material dating from the mid-twentieth century to the present.
Volunteer lawyers
If you are considering a legal clinic at your local library, you may be wondering where to begin. If you don’t know where to start, you can start by creating a formal policy about the service. The policy should outline the expectations for library patrons, set up the hours for consultations, and specify what information is available. This policy should also determine whether clients should make an appointment or walk-in. The library legal team should also develop a schedule for the clinic so patrons can expect when they can visit.
One of the ways that librarians can get involved with volunteer lawyers in their community is by hosting a legal clinic at their local branch. Having a dedicated space in your library for such a service can help make a big difference. While obtaining volunteer attorneys shouldn’t be difficult, contacting your local bar association and advertising your service should help you make the most of your time and resources. This program can provide invaluable legal advice to people who need it most.
Cost
To be profitable, law libraries need to charge about $34 an hour to cover their overhead. Lawyers, however, aren’t their core service, which is free. Adding them as a fee diverts funds away from core services. Therefore, there are some alternatives. If you’re a lawyer, here are some ways to reduce your legal library expenses. First, avoid charging a premium for legal research.
If you’re a recent law school graduate, consider joining a local law library. There, you can utilize public computers and subscriptions to Westlaw and Fastcase. You can use these computers for research and the preparation of legal documents. You must present a photo ID to access the computers. You can also use photocopiers in the library. You can purchase copy cards for each page you print. The law library also offers typewriters, but you’ll need to provide your paper.