"Although the LLLT experiment has just begun in earnest, states like California, Oregon, and Utah are considering adopting the model, making it urgent to project how the model’s design will affect who gains access to justice—and who does not.

This article answers that question through original surveys and interviews conducted with LLLTs and LLLT Candidates (“Candidates”) (see “Methodology” below). The belief that the LLLT model can lower the cost of legal services to the point that low-income clients can afford them rests on at least one of several major assumptions: First, by tackling simpler aspects of the law, LLLTs can differentiate the legal market and create legal services options that lead to lower, more competitive prices overall. Second, LLLTs will not simply work for law firms charging slightly lower prices than attorneys. They will innovate legal service delivery models in the public sector, in the private sector with businesses outside of law, and by starting and sustaining their own practices using lean business models. Finally, LLLT licensing will attract talent committed to addressing the unmet civil legal needs of low-income populations. Accordingly, the analysis weighs anticipated pricing, intended service delivery models, and self-reported motivations to discern who will—or, more accurately, who will not—benefit from LLLTs’ services. The findings in this article challenge these assumptions, leaving doubt that the LLLT model will deliver an access-to-justice solution for low-income populations."