NLADA Welcomes DOJ’s Relaunch of the Office for Access to Justice

NLADA Statement

NLADA Welcomes DOJ’s Relaunch of the Office for Access to Justice

NLADA welcomes today’s announcement by U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to relaunch the Office for Access to Justice (ATJ) along with the releases of the Attorney General’s September 15, 2021, Report to the President and the Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable (LAIR) 2021 Report, Access to Justice in the Age of COVID-19. The two reports clearly demonstrate the necessary role of civil legal aid and public defense in providing justice in our courts, advancing equity and protecting the basic human needs of low-income people.

These reports illustrate that DOJ recognizes the urgency to center access to justice across government and in our communities. Civil legal aid, public defenders and client community advocates have been and continue to stand at the forefront of our nation’s response to the pandemic. NLADA and NLADA members applaud the Biden administration’s commitment to taking bold concrete actions to achieving equal justice for all including the reopening of ATJ.

The Attorney General’s September 15, 2021, Report to the President describes DOJ’s plan to reestablish ATJ after its closure in 2018 and outlines several new priority areas of focus for the reinstated office, which would again exist as a standalone component reporting through the office of the Associate Attorney General. Many of these priorities reflect recommendations made by NLADA during the Presidential Transition and throughout DOJ’s development of this report.

Access to Justice in the Age of COVID-19 affirms access to justice as a priority concern for the entire federal government. It documents the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on civil legal aid and public defense, highlights the different ways federal agencies have supported legal services during the pandemic and provides an encouraging summary of LAIR’s focus moving forward.

NLADA is grateful to the White House and DOJ for drawing renewed attention to access to justice, and we commend DOJ for its positive intentional approach towards the partnership with stakeholders during this process.

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The National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA), founded in 1911, is America’s oldest and largest nonprofit association devoted to excellence in the delivery of legal services to those who cannot afford counsel. NLADA has pioneered access to justice at the national, state and local levels, playing a leadership role in the creation of public defender systems and other important institutions from The Sentencing Project to the Legal Services Corporation. A leader in the development of national standards for civil legal aid and public defense, NLADA also provides advocacy, training and technical assistance for equal justice advocates across the country.