New Venture Fund / Self-Represented Litigation Network

Eighty percent of people in civil cases go to court without a lawyer. SRLN connects lawyers, judges and allied professionals who are creating innovative and evidence-based solutions so that self-represented litigants have meaningful access to the courts and can get the legal help they need.

Founded in 2001, SRLN is a network of innovative lawyers, judges, court staff, legal technologists, librarians and other allied professionals who believe everyone deserves access to justice. We are working to transform the American legal system so that every person who faces a civil legal issue can get the legal help they need, understand court proceedings and get a decision on the merits. We accomplish this by advancing innovative access-oriented solutions such as comprehensive court and legal aid self-help services, simplified court rules and procedure, and integrated systems that efficiently and effectively connect people who need lawyers to lawyers. SRLN has coordinated numerous services and activities to shape the national conversation. These include:

·        Hosting a robust online resource center that includes training curricula, best-practice manuals, toolkits, email lists and events calendar.

·        Monitoring trends and events, and providing updates and analysis.

·        Coordinating substantive working groups with reform agendas chaired by national leaders in the areas of courtroom services and case management, federal courts, forms and technology, and other areas.

·        Publishing scholarly articles, studies and reports that are distinguished by their innovative thought leadership and analysis of emerging practices.

·        Conducting research and evaluation to support evidence-based practice, innovation and sustained excellence.

·        Providing training and education through regular conferences and webinars.

The Self-Represented Litigation Network is a project of the New Venture Fund, a 501(c)(3) public charity that incubates new and innovative public-interest projects and grant-making programs. Please visit srln.org and selfhelpsupport.org to learn more about our organization.