CASE STUDY
Justice Technology Association and the Social Impact Institute
At heart, Thomson Reuters is a content-driven technology company powering the world’s most informed professionals, institutions, and society; thus, we have a unique ability to leverage our people, products, and partnerships to pursue justice, truth, and transparency.
Access to justice, one of the core pillars of the Thomson Reuters Social Impact Institute, is a fundamental right, but it remains elusive for many due to financial, social, and technological barriers. Ninety-two percent of people with civil legal problems did not receive any or enough legal assistance in 2022, up from 86% in 2017[1] . At the Social Impact Institute, we are committed to breaking down barriers, making justice more equitable, and empowering individuals to access the legal support they deserve.
In August 2022, Natalie Runyon, Director of ESG Content and Advisory Services, Thomson Reuters Institute, published a story on the human-centered approach to justice technology, defining justice tech as the technology-enabled innovation that supports people affected by the US criminal and civil justice system.
“The business opportunity [within justice tech] is enormous because it aims to disrupt an antiquated system via technology.” Runyon said.
About Justice Technology Association
One organization we are proud to support in this effort is the Justice Technology Association (JTA). Formed in February 2022, JTA is the first and only organization bringing together like-minded tech entrepreneurs in pursuit of equity in the justice system. They support innovative solutions designed to modernize interaction with the legal system, making it more accessible, efficient, and fair for everyone. They believe that technology can and should be part of the solution.
The power of pro bono
As a newly formed and 100% volunteer-led organization, JTA wanted to ensure their messaging was clear and their value proposition was well-defined, and we were apt to lend our functional-area expertise to help. After a thorough vetting and scoping process to further understand their needs, we recruited a team of Thomson Reuters marketing and communications teammates to harness their skillsets and deliver on a pro bono Key Messaging consulting project.
Over a few months, the team of 5 consultants interviewed key stakeholders, drew up an environmental scan of the justice tech field, and analyzed their positioning. Through an iterative process, the consultants crafted a robust strategic key messaging document and a full pitch deck for JTA for potential members and investors.
“Ben Vickers and his team quickly got their arms around the concepts and our challenges and helped us develop a critically needed strategy and positioning revamp that took into account our growth since launch and set the stage for a significant fundraising campaign.” Maya Markovich, Executive Director of the Justice Technology Association, said.
One pro bono consultant, Claire Dolney, reflected on her time with the project.
“I had a great experience working on the pro bono project. I was able to collaborate with other passionate, smart colleagues from our organization and together, we harnessed our collective expertise to make a meaningful impact for JTA and support their mission of increasing access to justice for all,” Dolney, Product Marketing Manager, Outbound, Thomson Reuters, said.
Refreshed messaging and a new website
One evident next step coming out of the project was for JTA to update its marketing materials and website with its refreshed messaging. Once again, the Social Impact Institute was pleased to continue our pro bono support. We sourced another team of pro bono consultants – this time, 7 digital solutions experts from the FindLaw team. Instead of simply replacing the messaging on the site, the consultants took a deep dive into the greater needs of JTA in terms of its web presence, reach, and SEO.
“Our goal with the new website was to convey the important impact of this organization. The team who worked on this was phenomenal – they were collaborative and built solutions in a way that pushed beyond our typical limits. It felt good to be a part of something that is making the legal system more accessible and fairer for everyone,” Heidi Larson, Manager - Digital Solutions at FindLaw, Thomson Reuters, said.
The site launched in April 2024 and JTA has been thrilled with the results.
“The entire team was a dream to work with and has become part of our extended family. They really challenged us to think more deeply about the impact we want to have and will help us communicate a more unified vision to the larger access to justice ecosystem through our site and beyond,” Sonja Ebron, founding member of JTA and CEO/Founder of Courtroom5, said.
"We want to thank to the Thomson Reuters team for guiding us on everything from content and SEO, to web design and project management. We now have a beautiful and modern public online presence for JTA, which will enable us to increase awareness, attract new members and partners, and propel our growth. The team took the time to really understand our value proposition and nuances of our target audiences, and their excitement was infectious," Markovich said.
Join us in our pursuit of access to justice
Between the 2 projects, our TR employees volunteered over 850 hours which is valued at $166,140 in pro bono consulting services – all at no cost to JTA and with a huge social return on investment.
Our collaboration with the Justice Tech Association is driven by a shared vision and is a testament to the power of collaboration in pursuit of a more just society by fulfilling our purpose of informing the way forward. Together, we are working towards a future where justice is truly accessible to all.
Hear how one team used their professional skills to help Justice Tech Association tackle their challenge.
Learn more about our pro bono projects and how Thomson Reuters is progressing on key ESG activities.