Covid lockdowns have placed a massive strain on people’s financial circumstances, and in some cases, their ability to pay their rent.  Created as part of Justice Connect’s Homeless Law program, Dear LandLord is a free legal tool specifically designed for Victorian renters to help people in this situation.  Whether you need help writing a letter, information or advice on rental reduction agreements, or assistance on how to avoid being evicted, Dear Landlord is a simple and easy to use tool that helps renters stay in their homes. Head to https://apps.justiceconnect.org.au/dear-landlord/ to learn more 

Did you know that a staggering 18% of Australian mothers have been made redundant or had their jobs restructured, been dismissed or not had their contract renewed during their pregnancy, when they requested or took parental leave, or when they returned to work?  Newly crowned winner of the ALTACON21 pitch competition, Bumpd is a legal automation solution designed to help Australian mothers suffering from this type of discrimination. Co-Founded by Daniel Yim and Erin Kanygin, and supported by employment law experts, Bumpd will be free to use and available as a web application.  To support Bumpd, follow them on LinkedIn.

Legal Tech Helper’s aim is to provide a platform to centralise legal information that assists every day people in locating relevant and practical information that can be used to solve their legal problems.  Co-founded by Samantha Lovrich, the platform uses design thinking principles and agile methodology to deliver web-based, secure, private, open sourced software that assists not for profits, community legal centres and government agencies to reimagine how they present their legal information online. Their initial focus has been on assisting vulnerable women to access justice.  To find out more, head to https://legaltechhelper.com.au

Australian law firm Piper Alderman is leading the way in regards to the utilisation of block chain-based technology for bank payment guarantees.  Partnering with Lygon, a global leading platform that digitised bank guarantees for the first time in the world in February this year, Piper Alderman has recently executed the first bank payment guarantee in a commercial contract, and the implications could be transformative in improving and modernising legal practice in Australia and the world.  To read more, head to  https://piperalderman.com.au/piper-alderman-first-australian-legal-firm-to-sign-blockchain-based-legal-agreement/

US based, Just uses VR-powered technology to enable lawyers to sharpen their court room skills in a fully immersive virtual courtroom.  Not all lawyers regularly appear in court before judges and juries, but with Just, lawyers can practice their court room skills and then replay and review their performance from all aspects of the court room, including the bench, jury box etc.  Built by immersive content creators at Funnel 33 in collaboration with legal experts, Just takes away the anxiety and stress for lawyers preparing for court room trials and hearings.  To learn more, head to https://justlegalvr.com

This platform is an accessibility to legal services game changer!  Founded by James Dorman and Josh Cordova in the USA, Pro Help Legal is a secure, 256-bit encrypted video platform that connects clients to lawyers in less than 5 minutes.  In 3 easy steps, clients pay an affordable ‘connection credit’ fee, then select a lawyer with the right legal expertise in the right location to receive immediate legal help.  Easy, instantaneous and saving clients loads of time, clients pay the lawyers direct via a third-party, enabling lawyers to deliver legal services to those in need anytime, anywhere! www.prohelplegal.com