The Legal Hub Project

In early September 2023, our organization developed a new system for the delivery of pro bono legal services that organizes Hawaiʻi volunteer lawyers by legal specialty. Through collaborating with our Hawaiʻi-based partners, including Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation, Legal Aid Society of Maui, Maui County Bar Association, and Hawaii State Bar Association, we strive to help as many impacted individuals as possible, while at the same time reducing duplication of legal assistance efforts and the waste of resources. 

In practice, our new system works in the following manner. First, the individual meets with a representative of one of PONO Legal’s partner organizations, and the representative analyzes the individual’s legal needs. Once the representative understands the individual’s needs, they will then contact the hub coordinators to locate attorneys with the appropriate specialties. Once contacted the hub coordinator will target suitable attorneys that have availability, and will match the individual with a specialized attorney that can provide the appropriate legal services.

We created this system to address the unique challenges associated with delivering pro bono legal services following a disaster. One of these challenges is providing pro bono legal services in an efficient manner to individuals who are needing help with multiple issues all at the same time. Individuals may be facing issues with insurance, housing, working with FEMA and the SBA, mortgages, probate, real estate titling, employment, immigration and family law, among other issues. Through our system, as well as the legal specialty hubs that exist within it, individuals  with complex legal needs are provided with a multi faceted hub that has the capability to provide a wide range of legal services to impacted individuals in a manner that is both timely and efficient.