Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and legal technology design and development company Theory and Principle today (3 March) announced the launch of a pro bono collaboration hub, which has been rolled out by early adopter Simpson Thacher, and will soon be available to firms more widely.
ACCESS by Simpson Thacher is a digital tool that enhances pro bono collaboration among clients, volunteers and legal services organizations. The platform, which creates a hub for training, client matter management and communication, has been deployed by Simpson Thacher’s pro bono team for clinics since February.
“We wanted a platform that could replicate the ease of our in-person pro bono clinics where, for example, the pro bono client hands us their documents and our volunteer attorneys work together to complete a benefits application. ACCESS by Simpson Thacher does this and more, allowing our lawyers to work together and communicate virtually, enabling clients to provide documents through accessible technology and facilitating the review of the work by the legal services partner, all in one secure location,” said Harlene Katzman, Simpson Thacher’s pro bono counsel and director.
The product is built on Theory and Principle’s Virtual Law Clinic platform, which is now in beta and will soon be available to law firms, corporate pro bono teams, universities and legal service organizations on a subscription basis beginning in March 2022. It makes it easier to train and onboard lawyers, assign matters to lawyers, monitor case statuses and document outcomes and impact. For lawyers, the program provides a hub for forms, templates and training material.
Bradick said: “This product will level up pro bono work dramatically. Not only can the administrators manage clients and assign matters, but they can also create and deploy training materials, forms, draft letters and more to be used by volunteer lawyers. This makes the lawyers significantly more efficient in providing pro bono services and will be a boon to recruiting more pro bono attorneys.”
