Penny Driver

Legal Innovation + Technology Certificate
Class of 2021

This year, I am a 2L at Chicago-Kent, and I am pursuing the Public Interest and Legal Innovation and Technology certificates. This past summer, I had the wonderful opportunity to be a Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) Intern for Trans Legal-Chicago House. This internship was enlightening and enriching for my legal career. I know for sure that I want to work with a nonprofit.

During my fall semester, I am taking the Justice and Technology Practicum course, and I have really enjoyed myself. I had volunteered with the Student Help Web Center last year, but now I get to see the behind-the-scenes. I am certain now that I want to assist those who cannot afford legal services by helping them utilize programs such as A2J Author to handle their legal needs. For example, this past congress election there was a lot of voter suppression especially in Georgia. I would like to create a program where people could register to vote with no interruptions. Also, I want to develop software where people can vote from their phones or computers so they do not have to take time off work, leave work early, or travel out of their way to stand in line for a substantial amount of time because “there are only two working machines.” I believe all this can be done because of the times we are in-where now we can be virtual lawyers.