SALT LAKE CITY, UT – The Utah Supreme Court’s Office of Legal Services Innovation, in partnership with Innovation 4 Justice (i4J), an access-to-justice lab associated with both the University of Arizona and the University of Utah, announce a groundbreaking project. The project aims to empower community-based organizations (CBOs) to provide free, reliable, limited-scope legal advice on housing issues to the people they serve by participating in the Court’s legal regulatory sandbox (the Sandbox). Housing instability is a significant challenge in Utah and across the nation, and many people facing eviction and foreclosure have difficulty accessing legal help. The new Housing Stability Legal Advocate (HSLA) Pilot Program will train and certify nonlawyers working within CBOs as HSLAs, bridging the gap in access to justice for vulnerable populations. i4J will offer a free HSLA curriculum and certify individuals who complete the program with satisfactory scores. Once certified, HSLAs will provide free, limited-scope legal advice on housingrelated issues through CBOs authorized to practice in the Sandbox. i4J will also continue to support participating CBOs with legal mentoring and assistance in complying with the Sandbox’s regulatory requirements. The Utah Supreme Court has issued a Standing Order authorizing the HSLA Pilot Program. This order allows i4J-certified HSLA providers and their CBO employers to operate within a safe harbor, protecting them from enforcement actions based on the unauthorized practice of law, provided they comply with the Standing Order, the regulatory requirements of the Office of Legal Services Innovation, and all other applicable state and federal statutes and regulations. The HSLA Pilot Program will focus on four key areas: ● Issue spotting for housing stability issues during CBO client intake ● Providing legal advice and assistance with identified housing issues before they advance to court ● Providing legal advice and assistance with post-judgment procedures ● Providing legal advice and assistance related to other state and federal assistance programs It is important to note that HSLAs are not authorized to represent others in any Utah state court at this time. This innovative approach to addressing housing issues is a significant step forward in the Supreme Court’s efforts to bridge the access to-justice gap. By leveraging the expertise of CBOs and providing necessary training and support, the HSLA Pilot Program has the potential to make a real difference in the lives of those facing housing instability in Utah. For more information about the Housing Stability Legal Advocate Pilot Program please visit https://www.innovation4justice.org. # # #
Dear Committee: Thank you very much for your recent letter expressing interest in the operations of the Court’s Office of Legal Services Innovation. We are most appreciative of the Utah State Bar’s support of the Utah Supreme Court’s historic initiative to explore regulatory reform to increase access to justice. As the Court’s delegates implementing that effort, we certainly welcome the opportunity to address the Committee’s questions.
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Allowing lawyers to enter intonewand variedbusiness arrangements to increase innovationandefficiencyinUtah’slegalmarketandtherebyincreaseaccesstojusticeis acentralgoalof theCourt’sregulatoryreformefforts.Permittinglawyerstosharefees withnonlawyers isanaspectof theseefforts.Thus, theCourt,onSeptember1,2020, authorizedthesharingof reasonable feeswithnonlawyerswithintheoversightof the regulatory reformSandbox. It has become apparent, however, that thepayment of referral fees—compensationpaid tononlawyers for thesolepurposeof ensuring the referraloflegalwork—presentspotentialethicalchallengesforlawyersandneedsfurther informed consideration by the Court.
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Salt Lake City, UT— The Utah Supreme Court voted unanimously last week to extend the term of the Utah legal regulatory Sandbox to seven years. The Sandbox allows entities to use new business structures and service models to provide legal services in Utah after going through a review and approval process. The Sandbox was originally authorized for a period of two years, running from the end of August 2020 through the end of August 2022. The extension now means that the Sandbox will run through the end of August 2027, thereby providing a longer period in which the impact of the regulatory reforms may be felt. “The Court’s objectives for regulatory reform are significant and need sufficient time to truly work and create real change in the legal services market in Utah,” said Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice Matthew Durrant. “We have already seen innovations in legal services in the short two years. We are eager to see even more.” The Court has revised Standing Order No. 15 to reflect the extended Sandbox term.
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Salt Lake City, UT—April, 2021 will mark the first year since the Utah Supreme Court’s passing of Utah’s legal regulatory “sandbox” reform, and it is already starting to reshape Utah’s legal landscape. The Office of Legal Services Innovation provides a safe environment where nontraditional legal service providers can innovate. One of the first providers approved under the new office is Rocket Lawyer, which offers à la carte legal services at a competitive price.
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