activities · 18
what they do
direct service · 14
- Bilingual legal education programs Legal Education & Public OutreachOffers targeted community education programs in both English and Spanish, including RENT (Renter Education), MAPP (Mobile Home Asset Protection), WORK (Workers’ Rights), BEACON (Bankruptcy & Consumer Outreach), End of Life Planning, and Adult Guardianship education.
- Community legal education and outreach Legal Education & Public OutreachDevelops and delivers community education presentations, videos, and downloadable resources to inform low-income individuals about their legal rights and responsibilities. Conducts outreach to prevent legal problems before they arise.
- Community legal education and outreach Legal Education & Public OutreachDevelops and delivers community education presentations, online materials, videos, and downloadable resources to educate low-income individuals about their legal rights and responsibilities, with programs targeting specific populations and offered in both English and Spanish.
- Community legal education programs Legal Education & Public OutreachDevelops and delivers community education presentations, videos, and online materials on legal rights and responsibilities, with targeted programs including RENT (Renter Education), MAPP (Mobile Home Protection), WORK (Workers’ Rights), BEACON (Bankruptcy and Consumer Outreach), End of Life Planning, and Adult Guardianship, offered in English and Spanish.
- Delivering community legal education Legal Education & Public OutreachStep Up To Justice develops and delivers community education presentations, online materials, and downloadable resources to educate low-income individuals about their rights and responsibilities, covering topics such as renter education, mobile home asset protection, workers' rights, bankruptcy, end-of-life planning, and adult guardianship, available in both English and Spanish.
- Free legal assistance and representation Pro Bono Legal Representation & AdviceProvides free legal services and high-quality pro bono representation to low-income individuals who cannot afford legal help, including direct representation in civil legal matters such as family law, bankruptcy, evictions, consumer protection, employment disputes, immigration, and SSI/SSDI appeals.
- Legal clinics and self-representation support Pro Bono Legal Representation & AdviceOperates virtual and in-person legal clinics where volunteer attorneys provide one-on-one coaching and legal advice to self-represented clients, helping them navigate the legal system effectively.
- Legal clinics and self-represented client support Pro Bono Legal Representation & AdviceOperates virtual and in-person legal clinics where volunteer attorneys provide one-on-one coaching, legal advice, and support to self-represented clients facing civil legal issues.
- Operating legal clinics Pro Bono Legal Representation & AdviceThe organization operates virtual and in-person clinics where volunteer attorneys provide one-on-one coaching and legal advice to self-represented clients.
- Operation of legal clinics and attorney coaching programs Pro Bono Legal Representation & AdviceOperates virtual and in-person legal clinics where volunteer attorneys provide one-on-one coaching, legal advice, and support to self-represented clients across multiple practice areas.
- Pro bono legal services and direct representation Pro Bono Legal Representation & AdviceProvides free legal assistance and high-quality pro bono legal services to low-income individuals who cannot afford representation, including full case representation in civil legal matters. Volunteer attorneys are assigned to represent approved clients throughout their legal cases.
- Providing free legal assistance and representation Pro Bono Legal Representation & AdviceStep Up To Justice provides free legal assistance and high-quality pro bono legal services to low-income individuals who cannot afford legal representation, covering areas such as family law, bankruptcy, evictions, minor guardianship, employment, consumer protection, wills, probate, SSI/SSDI appeals, and immigration matters.
- Provision of free legal services to low-income individuals Pro Bono Legal Representation & AdviceProvides free legal assistance and high-quality pro bono legal services to low-income individuals who cannot afford representation, including direct representation, legal advice, and support in various civil legal matters.
- Specialized legal services by issue area Family Law Legal AssistanceProvides legal assistance across a range of civil legal issues including family law (divorce, paternity, child support, custody), bankruptcy, landlord-tenant disputes (including mobile home issues), employment disputes, consumer protection, immigration, SSI/SSDI appeals, wills, probate, powers of attorney, and adult guardianship.
capacity building · 4
- Attorney recruitment and capacity buildingRecruits and supports volunteer attorneys by offering free Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminars and engaging over 280 attorneys to provide pro bono legal services.
- Providing Continuing Legal Education (CLE) for volunteer attorneysThe organization offers free Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminars to volunteer attorneys and attorneys willing to volunteer, supporting their professional development and encouraging pro bono service.
- Recruitment and training of pro bono attorneysRecruits volunteer attorneys and provides them with free Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminars and ongoing support to deliver pro bono legal services; has recruited over 280 volunteer attorneys to assist clients.
- Volunteer attorney recruitment and trainingRecruits and supports volunteer attorneys by offering free Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminars and assigning them to represent approved clients or assist in clinics, with over 280 attorneys recruited to date.
strategies · 20
how they think
Theories of action extracted from this org's own source material. Click any to see the full field of orgs running the same approach.
- Addressing the Civil Justice Gap addressing_justice_gapFocuses on reducing disparities in access to civil legal services for low-income populations by providing targeted legal support and resources.
- Advancing access to justice through skilled resource deployment access_to_justiceGrounds its mission in advancing access to justice by strategically deploying professional skills and resources to serve underserved populations.
- Community Legal Education and Outreach community_education_and_outreachExpands awareness of legal rights and responsibilities through on-site and online education, in collaboration with community partners, to empower individuals to navigate the legal system.
- Community Legal Education and Outreach community_education_and_outreachStep Up To Justice provides community education through presentations and online materials, and collaborates with partners to inform individuals about their legal rights and responsibilities, aiming to expand access to legal education for underrepresented communities.
- Community Legal Education and Outreach community_education_and_outreachStep Up To Justice provides community education through presentations and online materials, and collaborates with partners to inform individuals about their legal rights and responsibilities, expanding access to legal education for underrepresented communities.
- Community legal education and outreach community_education_and_outreachExpands awareness of legal rights and responsibilities through community education initiatives delivered via on-site presentations, online materials, and collaboration with community partners.
- Incentivized Volunteer Attorney Participation volunteer_incentive_programIncreases attorney participation in pro bono work by leveraging State Bar of Arizona rules that allow volunteers to count service hours toward mandatory CLE credit, removing barriers to sustained engagement.
- Incentivized volunteer attorney participation volunteer_incentive_programLeverages State Bar of Arizona rules to incentivize attorney participation in pro bono work by allowing volunteer hours with the organization to count toward mandatory CLE credit requirements.
- Incentivizing Volunteer Participation volunteer_incentive_programThe organization incentivizes volunteer attorneys by leveraging State Bar of Arizona rules, allowing pro bono hours to count towards CLE credit, thereby encouraging participation in providing legal services.
- Internship Program for Legal Skill Development internship_programThe organization provides practical client development skills and tools to interns, enabling them to assess and attend to clients' legal needs, which contributes to building future legal capacity.
- Internship Program for Legal Skills Development internship_programTrains law interns in practical client service skills and legal needs assessment, building capacity for future legal service delivery while supporting current operations.
- Legal Advice for Client Empowerment legal_advice_provisionProvides individuals with legal advice to help them achieve clarity, closure, or actionable next steps in their legal matters, promoting self-efficacy and informed decision-making.
- Leveraging Pro Bono Legal Services pro_bono_legal_servicesStep Up To Justice addresses the justice gap by coordinating and expanding pro bono legal services, utilizing volunteer attorneys' specialized skills and professional expertise to provide legal assistance to low-income individuals and families.
- Leveraging Volunteers and Community Partnerships leveraging_volunteers_and_partnershipsCloses the civil justice gap by combining volunteer legal professionals, technology, and strategic partnerships with courts and social service providers to extend reach and impact.
- Leveraging volunteers, technology, and partnerships to close the justice gap leveraging_volunteers_and_partnershipsCloses the civil justice gap by combining volunteer legal professionals, technology, and strategic partnerships with courts and social service providers to expand reach and impact.
- Private Funding for Inclusive Service Delivery privately_funded_service_deliveryOperates independently of government funding, enabling service to all financially eligible individuals—including undocumented migrants—without restrictions imposed by public funding requirements.
- Privately Funded Service Delivery for Broad Access privately_funded_service_deliveryOperating as a privately funded nonprofit allows the organization to serve all financially qualified individuals, including undocumented migrants, without the constraints of government funding, thereby addressing gaps in civil legal services.
- Privately funded service delivery model privately_funded_service_deliveryOperates as a privately funded nonprofit to maintain flexibility in serving financially qualified individuals, including undocumented migrants, without restrictions tied to government funding.
- Pro Bono Legal Services Coordination pro_bono_legal_servicesCoordinates and expands access to legal assistance for low-income individuals by engaging volunteer attorneys who provide pro bono services, leveraging their professional expertise to address unmet civil legal needs.
- Pro bono legal services model pro_bono_legal_servicesCoordinates and expands access to civil legal assistance for low-income individuals by engaging volunteer attorneys who provide pro bono legal services, leveraging their professional expertise to address unmet legal needs.
named programs · 3
what they call their work
Community Education
Educates low-income individuals about their legal rights and responsibilities through various outreach initiatives.
Legal Clinics
Provides virtual and in-person clinics for direct representation and legal advice.
Pro Bono Legal Services
Offers free legal assistance in areas such as family law, bankruptcy, evictions, and consumer protection.
relationships · 10
who they work with
- Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education’s Modest Means Project Partner — Refers individuals to the Modest Means Project for legal services not provided by Step Up to Justice.
- Brian Longenbaugh Partner — Volunteer attorney who provides legal services through Step Up to Justice.
- Morris. A. Hazan Family Foundation Funder — Provides financial support to Step Up to Justice to advance access to free legal services.
- Pima County Bar Association (PCBA) Partner — Refers individuals to PCBA for legal services not provided by Step Up to Justice.
- State Bar of Arizona Government — Allows pro bono hours with Step Up to Justice to be counted as CLE credit.
- Tucson Electric Power Funder — Supports Step Up to Justice through community investment and philanthropy.
- University of Arizona Partner — Collaborates with the University of Arizona for legal education and outreach initiatives.
- Walsh Gallegos Trevino Klye & Robinson, P.C. Partner — Employer of a former intern, Stephanie Mendivil.
- courts Partner — Forms strategic community partnerships with courts.
- social service providers Partner — Forms strategic community partnerships with social service providers.