Justis Connection, a pioneering legal initiative, is excited to unveil its innovative Black lawyer referral platform in Georgia, marking a significant milestone in enhancing access to quality legal representation for Black individuals across the state.
The grand opening reception, scheduled for May 16 in Atlanta, promises to usher in a new era of legal services by providing a comprehensive resource for connecting with premium Black attorneys.
Georgia serves as the first state the transformative network is going to be operating in. “Our lawyers are barred in ten states, and Georgia is our first state that we’re officially expanding to.
“We’ve already gotten inquiries over the past two or three years from 40 different states. But we don’t have lawyers in all those states,” Kisha A. Brown, Esq., Founder and CEO of Justis Connection said. “Georgia is such a perfect place for us to go to first. Atlanta is the Mecca. I’m excited to connect with just the richness of Black people that are in Atlanta.”
In an exclusive interview with ADW, Attorney Brown shares the inspiration behind Justis Connection, highlighting her personal journey as a lawyer and the persistent need she observed for a centralized network of Black attorneys.
“I got to a point in my life where I was sort of at a crossroads and I had a choice. I said, you know, I’m going to build this network that I wish existed,” Brown said. “That means creating a network of Black attorneys who were ready, available and interested in serving their community in a variety of different ways.”
As the first of its kind in the nation, the network addresses the long-standing disparities in access to quality legal representation for Black individuals. With attorneys specializing in various practice areas, including criminal defense, business law, estate planning, personal injury, and civil rights, Justis Connection offers a one-stop destination tailored to the specific needs of the Black community.
Attorney Brown emphasizes the critical role Black lawyers play in advancing justice for the Black community. “Black lawyers are one of the most critical gateways to justice for Black people. We’re not getting justice from folks who have been historically and continuously marginalizing and oppressing us in and out of the legal system,” Brown continues, “We’ve got to really look to the person who is culturally competent.”
She added: “You’re not taught every law that’s out there and new laws are made every year. So how do you know how to use the law? That is the lawyer,” Brown said. “The lawyer is the one who knows the law. They practice the law. They’ve been trained in the law, and they have developed a business to serve their community in accessing the law. A great deal of the work of Justis Connection is educating and empowering our community in the law so that we feel more comfortable and confident in connecting with an attorney who can best serve our needs, who can best protect our families, who can best defend us and represent us. That’s the Black lawyer.”
Furthermore, Brown discusses the challenges faced by Black lawyers in building their practices and the importance of supporting their business development efforts. Justis Connection aims to empower Black lawyers by promoting their services, facilitating networking opportunities, and providing resources for professional growth.
“What Justis Connection does for Black lawyers is support the business aspect so that they can focus more on the legal part of their practice. They can focus on their clients and not on the business development side. We promote them on social media. We promote them for awards. We allow them to have space to do some thought leadership so people can hear their own voice, for example blogging and publishing. We book them for speaking opportunities,” Brown said. “We just launched and we’re super excited about a church estate planning series we’re doing.”
Looking ahead, Justis Connection envisions global expansion and the integration of AI technology to enhance access to justice. By leveraging technology, the platform seeks to bridge gaps in legal representation and empower individuals who may not afford traditional legal services.
“I see Justis Connection going global, easy. People are everywhere. If you’re doing business in Lagos, you should be able to connect with a Black attorney. You’re doing business in Aruba, you should be able to connect with Black attorney,” Brown said.
She added: We’re also focused on expanding our AI capabilities, and it’s so important for us to be able to leverage the power of technology to increase access to justice. That is a big part of our mission. And, the AI technology that we have in development now is looking at specific areas, not only fostering more personalized connections with people, but also how we take deep dives into particular areas of the law to better serve folks, even those who cannot afford an attorney.”
Justis Connection’s vision is not only to connect individuals with top-notch legal representation but also to empower Black lawyers and bridge the gap in access to justice.
Through its innovative approach and commitment to community engagement, Justis Connection is poised to make a lasting impact on the legal landscape, ensuring that Black individuals have the support and resources they need to navigate the legal system effectively.
“One of the most heartbreaking and consistent stories I receive from both lawyers and people is how sometimes Black people will go to a non-Black lawyer, pay a lot of money, and still have a problem. Go to a Black lawyer with a bigger problem and less money and get the help they need,” Brown said.