Democratizing Justice: Why I Built Law Answers AI to Tackle America's Access to Justice Crisis
Where I demonstrate how AI can responsibly bridge the gap between complex legal systems and the 92% of Americans who can't get adequate legal help
For the past decade, I've had the privilege of building AI tools that help legal aid organizations serve their communities better. From automating the delivery of legal information in North Carolina to automating court forms in Tennessee, I've watched talented attorneys and advocates make incredible impacts with limited resources.
But there's been a persistent limitation that's nagged at me: SCALE.
Each project helped one county, one state, one organization at a time. While we could make a meaningful difference for thousands of people in a specific jurisdiction, we weren't addressing the systemic nature of America's access to justice crisis.
What about the millions of Americans who face the same barriers? What about the 92% of low-income Americans who can't get adequate legal help, or the 15 million people each year who face legal proceedings without representation?
The mathematics of the crisis are unforgiving. There simply aren't enough legal aid lawyers, pro bono hours, or local resources in the world to meet the need through traditional approaches, no matter how efficiently we optimize them.
That's why I built Law Answers AI — a nationwide platform that allows me to finally work at the scale the problem demands. For the first time, I can help people across all 50 states simultaneously, providing a technological bridge to legal information that transcends geographic and economic barriers.
If this sounds interesting to you, please read on…
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The Scope of the Crisis
The statistics are staggering, but they barely capture the human cost. According to the Legal Services Corporation's 2022 Justice Gap Study, 74% of low-income households experienced at least one civil legal problem in the previous year. These aren't minor inconveniences, they're issues involving housing, healthcare, family safety, employment, and basic human dignity.
Picture Maria, a single mother facing eviction who can't afford an attorney. Or James, a veteran struggling with disability benefits who doesn't understand why his claim was denied. Or Sarah, whose ex-husband stopped paying child support, leaving her unable to afford both groceries and legal representation.
Civil legal aid, can only help about 1 in 2 people who seek their services. The other half are turned away due to insufficient resources. That's not a failure of the legal aid system, it's a mathematical impossibility. There simply aren't enough legal aid lawyers to meet the need.
But here's what shocked me most: this crisis isn't limited to low-income Americans. Recent research from the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System found that 66% of all Americans experienced at least one legal issue in the past four years, with only 49% of those problems reaching complete resolution.
We're not just failing the poor: we're failing the missing middle, small business owners, rural communities, and anyone who can't afford to pay hundreds of dollars per hour for legal guidance.
Why Traditional Solutions Aren't Enough
For decades, the legal profession's response to the access to justice crisis has been admirable but inadequate. Legal aid organizations do heroic work with limited resources. Pro bono efforts by private attorneys help thousands. Law schools run clinics that provide excellent training while serving communities.
But these approaches can't scale to meet the magnitude of the problem. You can't train enough lawyers, fund enough legal aid organizations, or mandate enough pro bono hours to close a gap that affects tens of millions of Americans annually.
The legal profession has also been constrained by unauthorized practice of law (UPL) rules that, while well-intentioned, often prevent innovative solutions. These rules were designed to protect the public from unqualified practitioners, but they've created a monopoly that prices out ordinary Americans from accessing basic legal help.
Meanwhile, technology solutions have been piecemeal. Some startups offer form completion. Others provide legal document templates. A few attempt to match users with attorneys. But none address the fundamental problem: most people just need to understand their rights and options before they can decide whether professional legal help is necessary.
The AI Opportunity and Challenge
Artificial intelligence presents the first realistic opportunity to democratize legal information at scale. AI can process vast amounts of legal text, understand complex regulatory frameworks, and provide personalized guidance based on specific circumstances and jurisdictions.
But building responsible legal AI is extraordinarily complex. Legal accuracy matters in ways that other AI applications don't. A wrong answer about statute of limitations deadlines could cost someone their legal rights. Biased AI could perpetuate discrimination against vulnerable populations. Poor implementation could violate unauthorized practice of law rules in all 50 states.
That's why most legal AI efforts have focused on helping lawyers rather than serving the public directly. It's safer to build tools for legal professionals who can spot errors and provide oversight. But safety can't be an excuse for inaction when 92% of people aren't getting help at all.
How Law Answers AI Works
Law Answers AI is built on a simple premise: legal information should be accessible, accurate, and transparent about its limitations.
Here's how we've approached the core challenges:
Accuracy Through Model Agnostic AI: Instead of relying on a single AI model, Law Answers dynamically selects based on the specific query. This approach reduces the risk of model-specific biases and improves overall accuracy.
Jurisdiction Awareness: Legal requirements vary dramatically by state, county, and municipality. Law Answers provides jurisdiction-specific information, ensuring that guidance about tenant rights in California doesn't mislead someone in Texas.
Source Verification: Every response includes citations to actual legal websites, court decisions, and statutes. Users can verify information independently and understand where guidance is coming from.
Transparent Limitations: Law Answers prominently discloses that users are interacting with AI, not attorneys. The platform clearly explains the difference between legal information and legal advice, and strongly encourages users to consult with licensed attorneys for specific legal matters.
Mobile-First and Read Aloud Design: Recognizing that many people seeking legal help primarily use smartphones, often in crisis situations, we've optimized the entire experience for mobile devices. Answers can also be read aloud using lifelike voice synthesis to expand accessibility.
Privacy Protection: The platform includes in-browser PII filtering to prevent users from accidentally sharing sensitive information, and all data handling complies with emerging state AI laws.
The Legal Information vs. Legal Advice Distinction
The most critical aspect of Law Answers AI is maintaining the distinction between legal information and legal advice. This isn't just semantic, it's legally and ethically essential. Legal information explains what the law says. Legal advice applies the law to specific circumstances and recommends particular courses of action. Only licensed attorneys can provide legal advice.
Law Answers provides legal information: explaining tenant rights, describing the divorce process, outlining employment law protections, or clarifying criminal procedure. It does not tell users what they should do in their specific situations.
Think of it like WebMD for legal issues. WebMD provides medical information that helps people understand symptoms and conditions, but it consistently directs users to consult healthcare professionals for diagnosis and treatment. Law Answers follows the same model for legal information.
This approach serves multiple purposes. It complies with UPL regulations. It manages user expectations appropriately. And it actually provides more value than many users realize, often, people just need to understand their rights before they can make informed decisions about whether to seek professional legal help.
Addressing the Regulatory Landscape
Building AI that serves the public directly requires navigating a complex and rapidly evolving regulatory landscape. In 2024 alone, 45 states introduced AI-related legislation, with over 100 measures enacted.
Law Answers AI is designed to comply with emerging AI regulations, including:
Colorado AI Act: Colorado's law specifically covers AI systems used in legal services and requires measures to prevent algorithmic discrimination.
California AI Laws: California has enacted multiple AI laws covering transparency, data privacy, and consumer protection.
State Privacy Laws: The platform complies with comprehensive state privacy laws and provides users with appropriate rights regarding their data.
Federal Requirements: Law Answers adheres to federal consumer protection laws and maintains documentation required for AI system compliance.
This regulatory compliance isn't just about avoiding legal problems, it's about building trust. Users need to know that their interactions are protected and that the AI system operates transparently.
The Path Forward
Law Answers AI isn't a silver bullet for the access to justice crisis. No single technology could be. But it represents a meaningful step toward democratizing legal information and empowering people to understand their rights.
The platform launches with basic legal information capabilities, but the roadmap includes expanded coverage areas, integration with legal aid organizations, and partnerships with bar associations to provide seamless referrals to qualified attorneys when professional help is needed.
Most importantly, Law Answers is designed to complement, not replace, the legal profession. By providing accessible legal information, the platform can help people understand when they need professional legal help and come to attorney consultations better prepared.
For lawyers, this creates opportunities to focus on higher-value work while potentially expanding access to clients who previously couldn't afford any legal assistance. For legal aid organizations, it provides a force multiplier that can help them serve more people with limited resources.
A Moral Imperative
Building Law Answers AI has reinforced my belief that technology companies have a moral obligation to address systemic injustices when they have the capability to help.
The access to justice crisis isn't someone else's problem to solve. When we have the technology to provide legal information to millions of people who have nowhere else to turn, choosing not to act is itself a choice.
That doesn't mean rushing to market with inadequate solutions or ignoring legitimate concerns about AI safety and accuracy. It means taking on the hard work of building responsible AI systems that serve the public interest while complying with legal and ethical requirements.
The legal profession has always been about more than making money. It's about upholding justice, protecting rights, and ensuring that everyone has access to the legal system. Law Answers AI is an effort to extend those values into the age of AI.
We're not replacing lawyers, we're trying to ensure that more people can access the legal information they need to protect their rights and make informed decisions. In a country that promises equal justice under law, that's not just a business opportunity.
It's a responsibility.
Law Answers AI is now available nationwide. The platform provides legal information only and encourages users to consult with licensed attorneys for legal advice specific to their situations.
Now, if you liked my article about Law Answers AI, then you’re going to love this!
🎁 A bonus for you — as a LawDroid Manifesto subscriber, you are invited to attend:
In 12 days!! Attend the Access to Justice Panel on Tuesday, September 23rd!
I'm thrilled to invite you to the Access to Justice Genius Panel, hosted by the American Legal Technology Awards. 🏆
📆 Date & Time: Tuesday, September 23rd at 9am Pacific Time / 11am Central / 12pm Eastern
🌎 Location: Zoom Webinar
🎟️ Lock down your tickets (free but limited supply):
Professor Cat Moon will be moderating a fascinating discussion featuring three leading experts in the field of access to justice:
Scheree Gilchrist, Chief Innovation Officer at Legal Aid of North Carolina
Amanda Brown, Executive Director at Lagniappe Law Lab
Shellie Reid, Manager at Legal Services National Technology Assistance Project
Together, we'll explore the transformative potential of AI in enhancing access to justice, discuss emerging trends, and uncover new opportunities for innovation. Whether you're a legal professional or tech enthusiast, this session is designed to offer valuable insights and thought-provoking discussions.
Secure your spot now:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_MMnxVaV5TBmuFizQ0lUluA
Let's redefine the future of access to justice and technology together!
Tom Martin, Co-founder
American Legal Technology Awards