Neota’s Commitment to Addressing the Justice Gap in America & Beyond

At Neota, we believe that access to justice is a fundamental right that should be available to all, regardless of financial circumstances. This conviction drives our commitment helping law students and nonprofits create innovative technology-based solutions that provide legal assistance to people in need. One of the key champions of this mission is Kevin Mulcahy, our VP of Community Programs, who leads our programs with law schools and nonprofits that develop both justice solutions and next-generation lawyers.

Understanding the Justice Gap

The justice gap refers to the disparity between the legal resources available and the needs of individuals and organizations, particularly those who are financially challenged. This issue is especially pronounced in the United States, where many low-income people face big barriers when navigating the legal system. Without adequate resources, they are often left to fend for themselves, which can lead to unjust outcomes. 

At Neota, we understand that leveraging technology can be a powerful way to address the justice gap. By creating legal automation systems — also known as justice solutions — we can enhance access to legal information and help to close the justice gap.

Innovative Solutions Leading the Charge

Under Kevin’s leadership, Neota has developed a range of innovative justice solutions, including these:

• Interactive Guides of California Civil Rights Department: With over 140,000 sessions run to-date, this set of justice solutions provides narrowly tailored information to Californians seeking to understand their rights and options regarding civil rights issues.
• Elder Law Risk Detector: This justice solution has been used more than 100,000 times by social workers who work with at-risk seniors. It helps the social worker identify legal and financial issues of the vulnerable seniors – and facilitates timely assistance to the seniors as needed.
• Texas Fresh Start Advisor: More than 100,000 sessions have been run with this justice solution for Texans seeking to clear their criminal records. This solution provides narrowly tailored guidance based on the user’s situation and suggests next steps to get the user’s conviction history cleared and make a fresh start in life.

Each of these justice solutions – and the many others developed with law students and nonprofits under Kevin’s leadership – show how technology can bridge the gap between legal expertise and people in need. As Kevin notes, “My job is to help legal and non-profit leaders leverage their skills and passions through technology to help vulnerable people and reduce the justice gap.” 

A Shared Responsibility

Closing the justice gap requires collaboration and a shared commitment from all stakeholders in the legal community. At Neota, we pride ourselves on our role as a partner in this mission. By supporting law schools, we help cultivate a new generation of lawyers equipped with the skills and tools necessary to innovate and serve the world effectively.

Students and nonprofit professionals who build justice solutions with the Neota platform often describe their experience as “amazing,” “very satisfying,” and “inspiring” – which reinforces our commitment to empowering people who want to leverage their skills to help people in need.  

Conclusion

At Neota, we recognize that the justice gap is a multifaceted issue that requires innovative work, collaboration, and a passion for justice.  With leaders like Kevin Mulcahy at the forefront, Neota will continue to help legal practitioners build solutions that support access-to-justice and help close the justice gap in America and beyond.