Students in the DAS Communication digitale program at the University of Geneva can harness digital communication skills to help communities find resources to address family law issues. By using web expertise and social media to promote online legal information, aspiring professionals can connect legal practitioners with those seeking assistance in a variety of ways.
The importance of integrating digital skills and social media in promoting legal resources Consumers have many opportunities to discover new online resources through social media and search engines. While many lawyers promote their services through mainstream marketing, digital communication skills provide additional means to enhance exposure and build relationships. Consumers may not know how to find or even what to look for when seeking a family law attorney.
For example, the website Neighborhoodsquare.com features information about locating pro bono family law attorneys in contra costa county. This online resource is helpful for individuals, couples, and families seeking affordable representation. However, consumers may not be aware that this resource exists or how to navigate the interface. Pro bono family law attorneys can help by raising awareness of this tool and similar ones. This process involves two important components:
Creative ways to use social media to connect people with legal services
Social media platforms can be used to share valuable information with those seeking legal assistance. Pro bono family law attorneys can use community hashtags to cultivate community engagement. For example, needed information about free legal resources for divorce, child custody, child support, and spousal support can be disseminated to the public in fun and relatable posts. Sharing personal stories about how residents can solve a particular legal problem is also helpful.
Pro bono family law attorneys Can Make A Significant Difference In Contra Costa County
Pro bono family law attorneys can help alleviate the backlog of family law cases in Contra Costa County. It can take a long time for litigants to have their cases heard by a judge. Additionally, litigants may encounter hardship due to the nature of their case without representation.
Based on documentation provided by the Contra Costa County Superior Court, judges are currently able to hear 225 family law cases per day. This equates to approximately as many as 70,000 cases per year. With an average estimate of five appearances per litigant for each matter, there can be as many as 350,000 court appearances annually. Based on this projection, there are still tens of thousands of family law cases on the court’s docket.
While the court is able to hear approximately 225 family law cases per day, the backlogs are serious. Pro bono family law attorneys can work with conservative estimates of disagreed upon matters in addition to litigant financial hardships. For example, one party may seek representation in order to establish paternity. Another litigant seeks representation to secure a change in child support. Yet another litigant may seek to establish the lawful father and decision maker for his or her child.
Real-life examples of pro bono success stories
Real-life examples of pro bono success stories can help to show how helping others truly makes a difference. One example is a story about two attorneys who helped a father to establish paternity. After he was hired by the father, the pro bono attorney assisted him with establishing paternity through a DNA test, representing him throughout the process. The story illustrates how having the support of an attorney makes a difference in the outcome of a pro se matter.
Building a supportive online community around free legal assistance
Having an online community of supporters around what can be a painful topic can be very helpful. Additionally, it can help to connect individuals with others facing similar experiences. For example, consider how a common experience was illustrated in the video below about how to get guardianship without a lawyer. Sharing a common experience can be therapeutic for litigants.
Strategies for improving the online visibility of legal aid resources
A few strategies can be used to increase the online visibility of legal aid resources:
The role of web expertise in enhancing access to justice
Consumers have many tools available for accessing free legal information online. For example, the legal information for free legal applications from NeighborhoodSquare.com is free. Consumers also have many other options available, including low-cost online guidance. Online presentation of free legal resources and assistance is vital for access to justice.
Encouraging digital avocations as a means of community service
Encouraging the use of outreach and digital avocations as means towards community service. Many students may have the opportunity to digitally participate in compliance training or even produce public notifications. Online learning through a course such as a massive open online course (MOOC) help students obtain the skills needed to provide digital communication and marketing services.
Student-led initiatives that have successfully promoted social causes
Student-led initiatives that have successfully promoted social causes include the WeCanDoBetter.org initiative. Students distributed flyers and brochures that raise awareness of the access to justice gap. The work of students has helped many from disadvantaged communities obtain needed legal services. Having a good support team is vital. For example, volunteers help to create the content and format provided on WeCanDoBetter.org.
Integrating SEO best practices to amplify the reach and impact of legal information
SEO best practices can be integrated into websites providing free legal information. For example, integrate the “Five Affordable and free legal information resources for those seeking a divorce” into internal links and anchor text. This is how websites can drive additional online traffic to their published resources.
For more information on family law resources, you can visit Nolo’s Family Law Overview.