The groundbreaking Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) Innovation Clinic—a partnership between Suffolk Law and the American Arbitration Association (AAA)—has begun sharing its vision with the legal community. As the clinic launches this fall with designs for a new user-friendly digital tool to address the critical needs of unrepresented family law litigants, Suffolk Law’s team is engaged in a series of presentations to spread awareness of this important work.

International Debut

On April 29, Suffolk's ODR Innovation Clinic project took the international stage when Professor Christopher Gibson shared insights from his Spring 2025 ODR Design Lab course at the 25th International Forum on Online Dispute Resolution (ODR2025) in London. His virtual presentation, "ODR Systems to Settle Divorces: How Clinical Legal Education Can Play a Role Using Online Technologies," highlighted Suffolk’s ODR Design Lab course’s planning for  a digital divorce resolution platform for Massachusetts, drawing significant interest from both in-person and online international audiences.

Spotlight on Social Justice

In mid-May, Jacqueline Harvey, a Clinical Fellow for Family Advocacy at Suffolk Law, will bring the clinic's innovative vision to San Francisco at the Equal Justice Conference, co-hosted by the American Bar Association and the National Legal Aid and Defender Association. Harvey will contribute to the "Advancing Social Justice Initiatives Through Alternative Dispute Resolution" panel, showcasing how digital dispute resolution tools can transform the experience of vulnerable individuals navigating the family courts.

Shaping the Future of Family Law with Legal Innovators

Later in May, Harvey will join a virtual think tank hosted by the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System (IAALS) at the University of Denver. This invitation-only gathering brings together forward-thinking legal minds to reimagine systems in the family law space for greater accessibility and effectiveness. Harvey's contribution will highlight how Suffolk’s ODR Innovation Clinic will pursue community-centered “smart” digital designs to create replicable models that can help revolutionize the family court experience—potentially impacting thousands of families, even beyond Massachusetts, currently struggling without representation in an overwhelmed legal system.