Who Speaks for the Unrepresented? Exploring New Models for Legal Access

A Question of Ethics: A Conversation on Courts and EthicsNovember 20th, 2025Across America, many communities are in what scholars call “legal deserts,” areas with few, if any, available attorneys to meet the legal needs of local citizens. Rural towns and poorurban neighborhoods often lack affordable access to lawyers, leaving residents without practical guidance for solving their legal problems. This shortage frustrates individuals seeking justice, and undermines confidence in the justice system itself.  It widens the gap between those who can afford representation and those who cannot. To help bridge this gap, a few states (for example, Utah, Alaska, and now Oregon), are experimenting with using non-attorney legal advocates. These are trained professionals, often known as Community Justice Workers, who work under the guidance of a practicing attorney. Others, in Arizona for example, are called Certified Community Legal Advocates. They are untethered from a practicing lawyer. These non-attorney advocates can assist people in certain specific legal areas including:·        family law·        landlord-tenant disputes·        employment issues·        government benefits·        domestic violence, or·        debt collection defense. These advocates work within the limitations prohibiting non-lawyers from offering what is defined as “legal advice,” a boundary carefully guarded by the laws governing the unauthorized practice of law. This prohibition is also codifiedin NACM’s Model Code of Conduct for Court Professionals. Canon 1.7 states, “A court professional is responsive to inquiries regarding standard court procedures but does not give legal advice unless required as part of one’s official position.”While these restrictions safeguard the public from unqualified guidance, they also constrain non-lawyers from fully helping individuals through complex legal processes. These restrictions raise difficult questions about the balance between consumer protection and access to justice. In this episode we are talking about communities that are “legal deserts,” where residents lack access to affordable legal help. Some states are experimenting with non-attorney legal advocates to bridge this gap. Is this a model for thefuture? Today’s PanelMaggie Humm Executive Director of the Alaska Legal Services Corporation in Anchorage.Sarah Carver Co-director of the Alaska Legal Services Corporation’s Community Justice Workers Resource Center.Creadell Webb Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer for the 1st Judicial District Court, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,Liz Rambo Trial Court Administrator for the Lane County Circuit Court, in Eugene, Oregon