Leadership

Legal Aid of North Carolina: Inspiring Bold Ideas with the Innovation Olympics

sierra-chacona@lsc.gov — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 16:09:29 +0000

Legal Aid of North Carolina: Inspiring Bold Ideas with the Innovation Olympics sierra-chacona… Tue, 04/22/2025 - 12:09

In this project brief, learn how Legal Aid of North Carolina hosted an "Innovation Olympics" for its staff to propose ideas that improve efficiency and service delivery.

Inspiring Bold Ideas with the Innovation Olympics

Grantees will learn how Legal Aid of North Carolina (LANC):

1. Empowered staff to see themselves as problem-solvers

2. Facilitated its Innovation Olympics submission, judging, and staff voting process

3. Used these ideas to improve internal and client-facing systems.

Hear from LANC management how the Innovation Olympics captured and elevated game-changing ideas, tools, and processes that staff use on a day-to-day basis.

View Project Brief

"We wanted to find a way to harness the creativity of our staff and turn their ideas into actionable projects."

Scheree Gilchrist

Chief Innovation Officer, LANC

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North Carolina

Leadership Transitions: Key Elements in Legal Aid Succession Plans

sierra-chacona@lsc.gov — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 15:41:50 +0000

Leadership Transitions: Key Elements in Legal Aid Succession Plans sierra-chacona… Tue, 04/22/2025 - 11:41

Learn about the key elements that LSC grantees include in their succession plans to guide them through executive leadership departures.

Key Elements in Legal Aid Succession Plans

Grantees will learn the key elements that LSC grantees, Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County (NLSLA) and Colorado Legal Services (CLS), included in their organizational succession plans:

1. Organization-wide leadership development

2. Internal and external stakeholder engagement

3. Examples of legal aid stakeholders to include in executive leadership searches.

NLSLA, CLS, and other LSC grantees have shared their succession plans as examples on MPI's Succession Planning webpage here.

View Infographic

"Creating strong succession plans helps legal aid organizations protect client services during leadership changes."

Excerpt from the infographic

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Leadership Leading and Managing an Organization Strategic Planning

The Evolution of Legal Aid

sierra-chacona@lsc.gov — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 19:08:28 +0000

The Evolution of Legal Aid sierra-chacona… Tue, 03/25/2025 - 15:08

In this video series, hear from experienced LSC grantee executive directors about their impact on legal aid and advice for their peers.

A Fireside Chat with Experienced Executive Directors

Grantees will hear from current and retired LSC grantee executive directors (EDs) about:

1. Where they believe their leadership had the greatest impact

2. How did they adapt their organizations to legal aid's evolution throughout their careers

3. What advice they wish to pass on to current and future EDs.

LSC's Office of Training and Technical Assistance (OTTA) recorded this panel interview in April 2024 during its 50th Anniversary Celebration. This valuable opportunity allowed OTTA to capture and share the EDs' insights widely.

Watch on YouTube

"I think that's what I've done for the organization: identifying our key leadership so that when I transition out, I will be passing the torch to a new generation of leadership and legal services."

Yvonne Mariajimenez

President & CEO, Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County

Featured Contributors

Vicki Schultz

Moderator

Executive Director, Maryland Legal Aid

César Torres

Executive Director (retired), Northwest Justice Project

Colleen Cotter

Executive Director, The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland

David Neumeyer

Executive Director, Virginia Legal Aid Society

Jon Asher

Executive Director Emeritus, Colorado Legal Services

Rhodia Thomas

Executive Director, MidPenn Legal Services

Yvonne Mariajimenez

President & CEO, Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County

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Leadership Leading and Managing an Organization Strategic Planning

Leveling Up Staff as a Strategy for the Future

sierra-chacona@lsc.gov — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 16:56:02 +0000

Leveling Up Staff as a Strategy for the Future sierra-chacona… Wed, 08/07/2024 - 12:56

Learn about developing and revising comprehensive strategic plans with Utah Legal Services.

Utah Legal Services: Leveling Up Staff as a Strategy for the Future

Grantees will learn how Utah Legal Services (ULS):

1. Used innovative planning strategies to structure key tasks and timelines;

2. Adopted a staff leveling strategy to develop staff and promotion paths; and

3. Identified yearly goals and professional development opportunities.

Former ULS Deputy Director Amy Morgan shared how ULS developed a strategic plan with staff development in mind and key takeaways and tips on getting started.

Read Case Study

“As part of the organization’s strategic planning process, ULS adopted a staff leveling strategy to fulfill staff development needs, which helps staff identify professional goals and opportunities based on their interests and organizational needs.”

Excerpt from Case Study

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Utah

Veteran Legal Aid Leaders Share Their Insights

sierra-chacona@lsc.gov — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 16:49:53 +0000

Veteran Legal Aid Leaders Share Their Insights sierra-chacona… Tue, 07/02/2024 - 12:49

Read insights from executive directors on pressing issues facing legal aid organizations.

“I thought my job was planning, budgeting, board relationships, hiring, disciplining on occasion, and fundraising. That’s not really my job as director. Those are simply tasks. My one job was to try to model the behavior I expect of others.”

Jon Asher

Executive Director Emeritus, Colorado Legal Services

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Leadership Leading and Managing an Organization Strategic Planning Technology

Talk Justice: Episode 79

richardsons@lsc.gov — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 17:09:43 +0000

Talk Justice: Episode 79 richardsons@lsc.gov Tue, 04/16/2024 - 13:09

Talk Justice: Episode Fifty Nine

richardsons@lsc.gov — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 15:35:20 +0000

Talk Justice: Episode Fifty Nine richardsons@lsc.gov Wed, 06/21/2023 - 11:35

2022 Year-End Message from LSC Board Chairman John G. Levi

richardsons@lsc.gov — Wed, 04 Jan 2023 17:39:22 +0000

2022 Year-End Message from LSC Board Chairman John G. Levi richardsons@lsc.gov Wed, 01/04/2023 - 12:39

Talk Justice: Episode Thirty Three

richardsons@lsc.gov — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 16:21:42 +0000

Talk Justice: Episode Thirty Three richardsons@lsc.gov Tue, 04/26/2022 - 12:21

LSC Executive Director Conference

riversj@lsc.gov — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 20:21:53 +0000

LSC Executive Director Conference riversj@lsc.gov Thu, 03/17/2022 - 16:21

September 12, 2022 | 12:00am - September 15, 2022 | 11:59pm •

Washington, DC

In-Person

Topics

Grant Program

Leadership

Training

Leadership

Legal Aid of North Carolina: Inspiring Bold Ideas with the Innovation Olympics

Inspiring Bold Ideas with the Innovation Olympics

Lone Star Legal Aid: Juris: The Legal Research Chatbot

Nevada Legal Services: Building a Statewide Legal Kiosk Network

Considerations for Integrating Generative AI into Legal Aid

More on Legal Aid Management

More Model Practices & Innovations

Leadership Transitions: Key Elements in Legal Aid Succession Plans

Key Elements in Legal Aid Succession Plans

LSC Asks Executive Directors: What Has Meant the Most to You about Your Career in Legal Aid?

The Evolution of Legal Aid: A Fireside Chat with Experienced Executive Directors

The Importance of Succession Planning

More Management Resources

More Model Practices & Innovations

The Evolution of Legal Aid

A Fireside Chat with Experienced Executive Directors

Featured Contributors

Seasoned Wisdom: Veteran Legal Aid Leaders Share Their Insights

LSC Asks Executive Directors

The Importance of Succession Planning

More Management Resources

More Model Practices and Innovations

Leveling Up Staff as a Strategy for the Future

Utah Legal Services: Leveling Up Staff as a Strategy for the Future

“As part of the organization’s strategic planning process, ULS adopted a staff leveling strategy to fulfill staff development needs, which helps staff identify professional goals and opportunities based on their interests and organizational needs.”

A Culture of Systems Change

Veteran Legal Aid Leaders Share Their Insights

Capital Fundraising Campaign

More on Strategic Planning

More Model Practices & Innovations

Veteran Legal Aid Leaders Share Their Insights

Seasoned Wisdom: Veteran Legal Aid Leaders Share Their Insights

“I thought my job was planning, budgeting, board relationships, hiring, disciplining on occasion, and fundraising. That’s not really my job as director. Those are simply tasks. My one job was to try to model the behavior I expect of others.”

Capital Fundraising Campaign

Allied Legal Professionals Increasing Access to Justice

More on Management

More Model Practices & Innovations

Talk Justice: Episode 79

Talk Justice: Episode Fifty Nine

2022 Year-End Message from LSC Board Chairman John G. Levi

Talk Justice: Episode Thirty Three

LSC Executive Director Conference