Harvey Introduces Pro Bono Programme to Enhance Access to Legal Services
Harvey has announced the launch of a pro bono programme across the UK, Australia, and the US, aimed at addressing the significant issue of access to affordable legal assistance. The initiative responds to the alarming statistic that in the US, approximately 1.4 million civil legal problems, which account for 71% of all cases, remain unaddressed due to insufficient resources.
A spokesperson for Harvey indicated that the programme will concentrate on developing custom AI agents tailored for high volume casework. This includes areas such as housing support, veterans services, and social welfare claims, as well as the establishment of shared resources and workflows.
Harvey has committed to providing legal engineering support in both the US and the UK and plans to assess the programme's effectiveness in improving outcomes and enhancing lawyers' capacity to assist clients.
Furthermore, Harvey intends to launch a pilot project later this year, which will offer free access to a select group of frontline legal services organisations.
The rapidly expanding legal AI platform, which recently secured $550 million in funding, will collaborate with senior pro bono leaders from prominent law firms, including Ashurst Perkins Coie, DLA Piper, and Nelson Mullins, during the initial phase of the programme.
Sarah Morton Ramwell, Global Pro Bono and Social Impact Partner at Ashurst Perkins Coie, remarked on the firm’s commitment to advancing access to justice through pro bono initiatives that target systemic change. She expressed confidence that the partnership with Harvey will lead to transformative AI solutions that address the needs of vulnerable users within the justice system and the pro bono teams representing them.
Christopher Hook, Global Head of Responsible Business at Harvey, noted that this pro bono initiative is part of the company's broader Responsible Business Programme, which began in February and focuses on ethics, integrity, inclusion, governance, and sustainability.