LivePerson Pro lets remote Specialists provide visitors with links to relevant legal information, and escort them to online resources.
Satisfaction levels are high, with users consistently awarding the service the highest score.
In 2004, Montana Legal Services Association, Iowa Legal Aid, and Pro Bono Net received a grant from the federal Legal Services Corporation (LSC) to launch the LiveHelp Pilot Project, a service that enables site visitors to ask remotely-located Specialists for help in finding online legal information and resources.
LiveHelp was launched in June 2006 on MontanaLawHelp.org and IowaLegalAid.org using LivePerson Pro, LivePerson's award-winning live chat service. The LiveHelp feature allows visitors to click a button, connect with a Specialist, and ask for information about a legal problem. The Specialists provide visitors with links to relevant information or, using the collaborative features of LivePerson Pro, "escort" visitors to needed online resources, including information on how to find a free legal aid lawyer, court information and materials for people who are going to court without a lawyer. If a Specialist is unavailable, the visitor can choose to leave a message and receive the information via email. Specialists help people find legal information and do not provide legal advice. In situations where legal advice may be needed, the Specialist will inform the visitor how they can apply for help from their local legal aid program or contact a lawyer referral service.
In October 2007, Louisiana became the third state to implement LiveHelp, though LawHelp.org/LA. And in December 2007, with support from LSC, the Georgia Legal Services Program and Pro Bono Net launched a statewide LiveHelp initiative to assist attorneys handling pro bono cases and help them find the information they need on GeorgiaAdvocates.org to assist their clients quickly and efficiently. Most recently, LiveHelp was launched on ARlegalservices.org, Arkansas' statewide guide to free and low cost legal help.
"The LiveHelp feature makes using the Internet less intimidating and frustrating for visitors to LawHelp, and may encourage people to be more assertive about seeking the information they need."
Lisa Stansky,
website coordinator
with New Orleans Legal Assistance Corporation,
an office of Southeast Louisiana Legal Services