Forum: Assisting Parties in Federal Administrative Adjudication

A joint event from the Administrative Conference of the United States and Legal Services Corporation

Millions of people each year navigate adjudication processes to access critical benefits and services administered by federal agencies or provided under federal programs. According to the Justice Gap study published by LSC earlier this year, 92% of the substantial legal problems facing low-income Americans—including problems accessing federally administered benefits—receive no or inadequate legal assistance. This public forum, which will feature multiple panel presentations over the next several months, will examine ways to improve support for parties in adjudication processes in which they are frequently self-represented. 

Panel 1: Expanding Access to Representation

December 6, 2022 – 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm ET

This panel examined why many parties, especially members of historically underserved communities, do not have professional representation and address whether and how self-representation impacts procedural fairness, substantive outcomes, and administrative efficiency. Panelists addressed potential strategies that public- and private-sector institutions can implement to expand access to representation in federal adjudication processes and challenges for implementing them.

Remarks:

• Ronald Flagg, President, LSC
• Andrew Fois, Chair, ACUS

Panelists:

• Nancy Griswold, Deputy Director, Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs, U.S. Department of Labor 
• Deedee Peterson, Executive Director, Legal Action of Wisconsin, Inc.
• Richard Prebil, Supervising Attorney, Veterans Advocacy Project at Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania
• Ashley Tabaddor, Chief Counsel, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

Moderator:

• Jeremy Graboyes, Acting Research Director, ACUS

Future Panels

Future panels will address ways to promote effective representation of parties by lawyers and nonlawyers and to expand services for self-represented parties. Dates and panelists will be announced when details are available.