Learning Lab

When the Law is Complicated, Lawyers Make an Out-Sized Difference

Only available as part of a package

In this session we discuss the role that legal services play in addressing fundamental needs. Using record-clearing as an example, we explore current findings from an evaluation completed by the Access to Justice Lab at Harvard Law School and Kansas Legal Services and supported by the National Institute of Justice. We evaluate the effect of record-clearing on recidivism, housing security, employment stability, perceptions of individual identity and well-being. We hypothesize that clearing a criminal record reduces instances of recidivism and improves the other metrics. There is reason to suspect this hypothesis is true, and reasons to doubt it. Together, this team fielded an RCT that hinged on the suspicion that the law in the study site was too complicated for an individual to successfully clear their record on their own, requiring lawyer assistance. That suspicion proved true, allowing this team to understand the effect of record-clearing on quality-of-life outcomes. We will discuss the role of lawyers in ensuring fundamental needs are met, the theory of change using record-clearing as an example, and the results of the evaluation. This evaluation provides causal evidence regarding impacts of legal services on record-clearing and impact of record-clearing on quality of life.

  • Upon completion, participant will be able to articulate the impact of legal services on record-clearing & the impact of record-clearing on quality of life.
  • Participants will be able to articulate the benefit of including legal representation in record clearing cases.

Renee Danser, n/a

Associate Director of Research & Strategic Partnerships

the Access to Justice Lab at Harvard Law School

Renee Danser is the Associate Director of Research and Strategic Partnerships at the Access to Justice Lab at Harvard Law School. After a career as a lawyer and court administrator, Ms. Danser now draws on her knowledge of justice system operations and the pressures on the justice system, to incorporate rigorous research into improving access to justice. Ms. Danser believes that for our research to be impactful, we must recognize the strengths and weaknesses of the communities incorporating it. Using her court management and non-profit leadership experience, Ms. Danser encourages courts and the justice community to think about their needs and the needs of their users and how to successfully balance those interests. Reach Ms. Danser at rdanser@law.harvard.edu

Marilyn Harp, JD

Retired attorney

Kansas Legal Services

Marilyn Harp spent 43 years as attorney with Kansas Legal Services, 16 years as Executive Director. Retired in 2022. Oversaw 100+ staff, $9 million budget and services to 20,000 low income people annually. She was a research collaborator with Harvard access to justice lab on Expungement outcomes for represented and self represented persons.
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