Get to Know the Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable

Today, the White House and Department of Justice released the 2022 White House Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable report, Access to Justice Through Simplification, a Roadmap for People-Centered Simplification of Federal Government Forms, Processes, and Language.  The Report’s focus is on simplifying government forms and processes so the American people can access federal programs, services, and benefits, reducing the need for legal help, as a step towards closing the “justice gap” in the U.S. today.  The 2022 Justice Gap Report by the Legal Services Corporation found that low-income Americans did not receive any or enough legal help for 92 percent of their civil legal problems. For many Americans, legal help is hard to find or afford.  The legal aid programs that provide free legal assistance play a critical role in addressing the justice gap, but they are only able to help a small portion of those in need of their services.  

In response to this persistent, immense, and urgent justice gap, in May 2021 Attorney General Garland and White House Counsel’s Office reinvigorated the White House Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable (Roundtable) that was first established in 2015. The Roundtable convenes 28 federal agencies to improve coordination among federal programs and increase the availability of meaningful access to justice for individuals and families, regardless of wealth or status. The Office for Access to Justice, reestablished at the Department of Justice in October 2021, staffs the Roundtable, and I am honored to be named the Executive Director of the Roundtable. 

In December 2022, the Attorney General, the Deputy White House Counsel, and leaders from of over twenty federal agencies gathered to discuss their commitment to expanding access to justice for Americans and shared examples of various federal programs and initiatives that aim to bridge the justice gap. It was a momentous occasion that encapsulated the promise of the Roundtable, prompting federal agencies to examine their roles in removing barriers to equal access to justice and spurring action to refine their work or adopt new approaches based on innovative, best practices. And particularly inspiring was the Roundtable’s acknowledgement that this work must be pursued through a people-centered lens. Agency officials made commitments to regularly engage with legal aid organizations and impacted communities to understand where the barriers lie in accessing federal government resources and to inform efforts to improve access. 

We are thankful for the many partners and collaborators who helped shape this year’s Roundtable Report. In addition to our member agencies, we appreciate the ideas and support from many legal aid and advocacy organizations and State Access to Justice Commissions.  Also, we extend special thanks to The Lab at the Office for Personnel Management for their partnership in designing the 2022 report and compiling information on many of the federal resources listed in the report. 

The Roundtable will continue to build on member agencies’ collaboration and commitments to continue their efforts to simplify government forms and processes. It will also work on additional priorities to fulfill the Roundtable’s mandates. We invite you - government agencies, legal aid and advocacy organizations, local and state leaders, and individuals and communities directly impacted by the justice gap - to be our partners in this work. If you want to learn more about listening sessions and other engagement activities with member agencies, you can visit our website at www.justice.gov/lair or contact us at accesstojustice@usdoj.gov to stay updated on our activities.