Every day in America, thousands of people are at risk of losing their family, home, safety, or livelihood because they can't access the legal help they need. Together, we are changing that.

Carol's Story

Through Pro Bono Net’s collaborative legal access initiatives, many individuals are finally getting the help they need.

Carol had been a victim of domestic violence for over 40 years and in the wake of the #MeToo movement, she found the courage to file for divorce. Her husband ramped up his attacks in retaliation in the following months and Carol recognized she needed to protect herself further. Luckily, she was screened and referred to Legal Services of Northern California (LSNC) through our Risk Detector program. LSNC advocates assisted Carol in obtaining a restraining order to get her the protection she needs.

Over the last two years we have been expanding our Legal Risk Detector tool which allows nurses, social workers and allied professionals to screen at risk and homebound elderly for potential legal risks related to housing, consumer debt and financial exploitation. The tool proactively identifies issues that often go undetected or unreported among older adults, and facilitates an immediate referral for legal services.

Our Risk Detector has equipped organizations like LSNC with an effective tool in their community community lawyering strategies. Now in use in seven states, the Risk Detector screened and connected more than 1,500 low-income older adults to trusted legal help in 2023 to address issues such as financial instability, housing instability, and access to health care. 

“The Risk Detector is working how we want it to, getting people I’m sure we
wouldn’t have otherwise. That’s what we signed up for: to reach people who
weren’t getting help, who needed the help, who were too scared to contact
anyone for the help, and they are in better shape than they were before.”   
          -  Risk Detector Partner