To build support for civil legal aid you need to be able to tell people why it matters.
Our message: Equal justice under the law is a right, not a privilege
Nine second soundbite: “Civil legal aid helps ensure fairness for all in the justice system, regardless of how much money you have.”
Two-minute soundbite: Civil legal aid assures fairness for all in the justice system, regardless of how much money you have. It provides access to legal help for people to protect their livelihoods, their health, and their families. Civil legal aid makes it easier to access information — whether through easy-to-understand forms, including online forms; legal assistance or representation; and legal self-help centers — so people can know their rights.
Civil legal aid also helps streamline the court system and cuts down on court costs. When we say the Pledge of Allegiance we close with “justice for all.” We need programs like civil legal aid to ensure that the very principle our founding fathers envisioned remains alive: justice for all, not the few who can afford it.
Important advice
Simplify your message. Cut down on the legal jargon and tell people why your work matters.
Give examples of the services provided. Another key in describing civil legal aid is to offer real-life examples of the types of services advocates and organizations provide, including:
- easy-to-understand forms, including online forms, that people can use in civil legal proceedings.
- legal assistance, including legal self-help centers, so people can know their rights.
- legal representation to those who cannot afford it — because justice should not depend on how much money you have.
Lead with shared values. In order to create messages that not only spotlight the importance of civil legal aid but also persuade and motivate your audience to take action, you need to start by connecting over shared values. Learn how to craft powerful messages using the Value, Problem, Solution, Action (VPSA) model pioneered by the Opportunity Agenda.
Here’s how it works:
- Begin with shared values.
- Introduce the problem and frame it as a threat to our values.
- Present your supporting evidence: one or two facts that people can digest.
- Pivot quickly to solutions and then concrete actions your audience can do.
Take it to the next level
Civil Justice Reform Talking Points
Read Anat Shenker-Osorio’s language analysis report: Prosecuting Our Pitch: An Analysis of Language on Civil Legal Aid