The LAWRS Foundation has been working diligently to assist under-served and underrepresented populations for the last 12 years in civil/human rights, and social justice advocacy.
Since COVID-19, we have re-developed our program and have trained a group of individuals as "Legal Navigators," to assist with the influx of civil litigation cases and to provide further access to legal assistance for pro se litigants.
Legal Navigators, which is the first program of its kind in Ohio. Studies have shown that access to assistance from the inception to the end of a court case is a predicator for more favorable outcomes, and offers individuals moral support during a legal crisis.
Legal Navigators are trained in court process & procedure, document preparation, legal intake, case review, legal research, and other critical skills. Their background includes, social work, law students, counseling, attorneys, laypersons and others who volunteer their time. Legal navigators DO NOT offer advice, but we can and do offer Legal Information.
We are currently in the process of launching an online program to offer certification classes and employing legal navigators in our courtrooms as civil advocates.