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Networking in the Shadow of the Law: Informal Access to Legal Expertise through Personal Network Ties
Author(s) -
York Cornwell Erin,
Taylor Poppe Emily S.,
Doherty Bea Megan
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
law and society review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.867
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1540-5893
pISSN - 0023-9216
DOI - 10.1111/lasr.12278
Subject(s) - shadow (psychology) , economic justice , legal profession , legal research , law , action (physics) , representation (politics) , sociology , public relations , political science , law and economics , business , psychology , physics , quantum mechanics , politics , psychotherapist
Civil legal problems are common in everyday life, but the costs of obtaining legal representation create barriers to legal action and contribute to disparities in access to justice. Some individuals, however, may have informal access to legal assistance through personal network ties with lawyers, enhancing their responses to justiciable problems. In this study, we draw from theories of social capital and network formation to examine the distribution and mobilization of network‐based legal expertise. Using nationally representative survey data, we find that network‐based access to lawyers is widespread, and most people who have ties to lawyers expect to informally mobilize legal assistance when facing a problem. But people who are most likely to afford formal legal representation are also most likely to have informal access to lawyers. Thus, while informal access to lawyers may shape responses to legal problems, it may also exacerbate inequalities in experiences with civil justice events.