Legal Aid of North Carolina (LANC) is proud to announce the launch of LIA 2.0, the next generation of its groundbreaking Legal Information Assistant. First introduced in 2024, LIA has already transformed how North Carolinians access reliable legal information. With this major upgrade, LIA 2.0 expands capability, speed, and accessibility, setting a new standard for how civil legal aid organizations use technology to close the justice gap.
Developed by LANC’s Innovation Lab in collaboration with LawDroid, LIA 2.0 builds on the success of the original LIA by introducing a modernized architecture designed for faster, more dependable performance, enhanced data protections, and smarter analytics that help LANC measure real-time impact and client needs.
For the first time, LIA 2.0 also includes an intelligent voice agent that allows people to speak naturally with LIA. This feature significantly expands accessibility for users with limited literacy, limited English proficiency, disabilities, or those who simply prefer speaking over typing.
“LIA 2.0 represents the next chapter in our work to deliver high-quality legal information to every North Carolinian who needs it,” said Scheree Gilchrist, Chief Innovation Officer at LANC. “The justice gap remains profound in our state and across the country. Innovations like LIA help us meet people where they are—quickly, safely, and in multiple languages. This launch is the first of many innovations the Innovation Lab will debut in the coming months, including a redesigned AI-powered Get Help page and JusticeHub, our new client portal and intake system.”
The original LIA launched in 2024 to provide reliable legal information, multilingual explanations of legal processes, and referrals to resources on LANC’s website. Designed to support people facing civil legal issues such as domestic violence, child custody, eviction, housing discrimination, and consumer scams, LIA uses advanced natural language processing to interpret and answer general legal questions with accuracy and clarity.
“LIA has already made our website more user-friendly and our educational resources more accessible,” said Helen Headrick, Chief Communications Officer at LANC. “In its first year, it supported more than 50,000 conversations with people seeking legal information. With LIA 2.0, we are expanding that accessibility even further, especially with the new voice assistant. This is about removing barriers and helping people get trustworthy legal information fast.”
For LawDroid, LIA 2.0 is also a major milestone.
“LIA 2.0 marks a major leap forward for LANC and LawDroid,” said Tom Martin, CEO of LawDroid. “We have introduced a modernized architecture for speed and reliability, stronger protections for sensitive data, intuitive dashboards that make impact measurement effortless, and for the first time, an intelligent voice agent that makes interacting with LIA as natural as a conversation.”
LIA 2.0 supports LANC’s mission to close the civil justice gap, where 92 percent of substantial civil legal needs for low-income Americans go unmet. By expanding access to clear, accurate information and offering self-service tools for simple legal issues, LIA 2.0 helps individuals navigate legal challenges with greater confidence and ease.
LIA 2.0 is available now at legalaidnc.org.
Please note: LIA provides general legal information and does not offer legal advice. Individuals should consult with an attorney for guidance on specific legal matters.