From fall to summer
Choose 2L, add experience, and confirm availability. Carry those inputs into matches and a shared demo introduction.
Try the connected journey ↗California’s next generation of advocates.
A future in legal aid.
A clear way to begin.
The ambition is statewide.
The first step is personal.
Help law students and recent graduates understand their options, find relevant legal-aid employers, and take the next step. Give LAAC the tools to keep that guidance current.
Complete first-year maximum$30,000
Target launchJanuary 15, 2027
Included after launch12 months of support
A FOCUSED HANDS-ON INTRODUCTION
Follow one journey. Inspect the work.
Start with a student, follow a confirmed introduction to the employer, and see how LAAC keeps the guidance current.
Make rural recruiting practical
Reuse an organization profile. Review travel, supervision, compensation, and role-specific requirements.
Explore rural employer tools ↗Keep LAAC in control
Approve a fictional revision, inspect its public preview, and restore a previous draft.
Try staff publishing ↗No account needed. All recruitment and publishing actions remain local demonstrations.
The people behind the brief
Clearer paths.
Earlier connections.
The pipeline starts early: fall interviews in a student’s second year can shape the summer work that leads to a career. Bring preparation, eligibility and employer needs together while those decisions are being made.
01 / A CLEAR START
“Where do I begin?”
Explain fellowships, summer work and routes before bar admission. Put eligibility, preparation and deadlines beside a clear next step.
02 / A WIDER HORIZON
“Could I belong here?”
Help rural organizations show the work, supervision and community behind an opening, so students can consider opportunities beyond the employers they already know.
03 / LASTING CONFIDENCE
“Can we keep it useful?”
Give LAAC a repeatable way to review sources, update deadlines and oversee matching, backed by staff training and twelve months of support.
Walk through the student, employer and LAAC workspaces
Their question
Where do I start?
Fellowship rules, summer timing, pre-bar opportunities, and employer expectations live across disconnected sources.
- 01Clarify timing and interests
- 02Compare relevant pathways
- 03Understand each recommendation
- 04Save and plan the next move
And a practical partner for career-services staff. A dedicated toolkit connects student conversations to pathways, deadlines, and source-backed resources.
Explore the toolkitThe working examples use synthetic records. Production identity, data, matching, and permissions are part of the contracted implementation.
The RFP, answered
Your brief.
Built into the experience.
Each response connects an RFP requirement to a proposed workflow and a clear acceptance check. The linked prototype shows the approach; implementation includes the production services and validation.
LAAC’S EVALUATION CRITERIA / §5
01§4 · Career guidanceFellowships, explained
Fellowships, explained
Our response
Compare fellowship types, candidate and host responsibilities, preparation steps, and official sources. Treat dates and eligibility as reviewed content with named owners.
How we will demonstrate itA student can identify a route, find the source, and describe the next step.
02§4 · Entry-level pathwaysAlternatives and pre-bar routes
Alternatives and pre-bar routes
Our response
Separate fellowships, bridge opportunities, direct employment, and other pathways. Show verified bar-status and supervision requirements on organization and opportunity records.
How we will demonstrate itUsers can distinguish a relevant pathway from a role for which they are not yet eligible.
03§4 · AI-supported matchingFocused, secure matching
Focused, secure matching
Our response
Build a login-gated, AI-supported matching tool around students’ experience, skills and interests and employers’ stated needs. Integrate a LAAC-approved service, role permissions, understandable match reasons and editable preferences. Keep eligibility separate from ranking.
How we will demonstrate itLAAC reviews representative matches and exceptions. Document role-access tests, including attempts to view or change another user’s private records.
04§4 · Employer resourcesA practical recruiting workflow
A practical recruiting workflow
The need
Reduce the effort of finding emerging talent, especially in rural California.
Employer experienceOur response
Give hosts structured profiles and opportunities, supervision fields, rural-service visibility, recruiting guidance, and a reviewable publishing workflow.
How we will demonstrate itA host can describe its needs, publish an approved opportunity, and understand suggested connections.
05§4 · Advisor supportTools for career-services staff
Tools for career-services staff
Our response
Bring pathway comparisons, planning questions, source-backed resources, and deadlines into one advisor toolkit. Pilot it with LAAC-selected career-services staff.
How we will demonstrate itAn advisor can find relevant guidance and give a student a concrete action plan.
06§4 · Implementation & continuityA platform LAAC can maintain
A platform LAAC can maintain
The need
Deliver integration, migration, testing, training, and twelve months of support.
Complete delivery responseOur response
Move approved content into structured records, validate workflows with volunteers, train staff, transfer documentation and source, and maintain the platform with defined response targets.
How we will demonstrate itDocumented user acceptance testing, staff task completion, an accepted handoff and milestone records for grant reporting.
Accessibility is a delivery gate.
Target WCAG 2.2 AA. Test real tasks with keyboard and assistive technology, document findings, and resolve launch-blocking barriers.
Confidentiality has a workflow.
Role-based access, consent, data minimization, breach escalation, and documented return or destruction of confidential information.
Approach, timeline & support
Confidence at
every milestone.
Ari leads delivery from kickoff through handoff. Each milestone has work to review, a decision for LAAC and a documented acceptance record. Progress reports arrive at least every other week.
Built with the people who will use itListen early.
Listen early.
Test together.
Hand over with confidence.
LAAC-selected volunteers test real tasks: finding a pathway, understanding a match and updating content. Include rural providers and record the changes made in response to feedback.
- 01By November 15, 2026
Align
Kickoff, LAAC focus-group findings, content inventory, migration plan, security model, acceptance criteria, and an agreed scope.
Acceptance evidenceLAAC approves requirements and rollout plan.
- 02By December 1, 2026
Make it tangible
Present the responsive design and working functions. Review the student, employer, career-services, and administrator journeys with LAAC staff.
Acceptance evidenceLAAC reviews the draft website.
- 03December to January
Prove it with people
Pilot with LAAC-selected volunteers, including rural organizations. Document task success, accessibility, cross-browser behavior, and feedback resolution.
Acceptance evidenceDocumented user acceptance testing (UAT) and launch-readiness approval.
- 04By January 15, 2027
Launch with confidence
Validate migration and configuration, train staff, deliver recordings and reference guides, and hand over source, documentation, and a closeout report.
Acceptance evidenceLAAC accepts deliverables and ownership transfer.
- 05Twelve months after launch
Keep it useful
Maintain functionality, fix bugs, apply security patches, monitor SEO and AI-search performance, and meet quarterly to review priorities.
Acceptance evidenceSupport records, quarterly review notes and grant-reporting evidence.
RFP section 8 milestones. Final scheduling is agreed with LAAC after selection, including content access and consolidated feedback. Progress reports are provided at least every other week.
The year after launchSupport with
Support with
clear expectations.
Bug fixes, security patches, functionality and search monitoring, and quarterly reviews. Virtual training, recordings, quick references, and an operating runbook are included.
Monday–Friday, 9 AM–5 PM Pacific
Excluding federal holidays. Response and restoration targets apply within these service hours.
| Priority | Response | Restoration target |
|---|---|---|
| Critical | 1 business hour | 4 business hours |
| High | 4 business hours | 1 business day |
| Standard | 1 business day | 3 business days |
| Request | 2 business days | By agreement |
Restoration may be a workaround. Complex resolutions receive a documented plan and updates. Suspected breaches are promptly escalated to LAAC under the incident plan.
Agree what success
looks like.
Student clarityCan a student identify a relevant pathway and explain the next step?
Recruiting usefulnessCan a host publish its needs and understand the proposed connections?
Staff independenceCan LAAC update, verify, report, and resolve routine content issues?
Agree task-success criteria with LAAC before the pilot. Record results, resolve barriers and document acceptance; placement outcomes require longer-term measurement.Complete, itemized pricing
A complete commitment.
A clear investment.
One itemized first-year maximum covers implementation, training, twelve months of support and the third-party service allowance. Included quantities and renewal costs are stated below.
PROPOSED FIRST-YEAR MAXIMUM$30,000
$23,000 implementation and handoff
$5,500 twelve-month support
$1,500 third-party service allowance
| Component | Price |
|---|---|
| Discovery & implementation planning | $2,500 |
| Design & frontend implementation | $8,500 |
| Backend & matching integration | $6,500 |
| Content migration & configuration | $1,800 |
| Pilot, UAT & launch | $2,200 |
| Training & handoff | $1,500 |
| Twelve months of support | $5,500 |
| Third-party service allowance | $1,500 |
| Total maximum | $30,000 |
Included quantities, recurring fees & change control
Content and migration. Up to 40 content pages, 100 organizations, 150 opportunities, and 150 resources. Two consolidated design-review rounds. Required functions and correction of our defects remain included.
Integrations and services. One identity provider, one transactional email service, and one matching service. The $1,500 allowance covers documented third-party costs such as hosting, identity, matching, email, and monitoring. Service choices and usage limits are itemized with LAAC before activation.
Beyond the first year. Optional support renewal is $5,500 annually. Third-party renewals are separately itemized. Additional scope is $150/hour only after written authorization; no automatic service overages are assumed.
Pay against progress.
Itemized invoices tie to completed milestones and accepted deliverables. Payment is due within 30 days of receipt of an approved invoice.
Own the outcome.
Project-specific work transfers upon payment. Source, documentation, exports, and training make ownership practical.
Keep the terms clear.
No exceptions are proposed to the RFP contract terms. Applicable insurance will be obtained, with certificates supplied when requested.
Need clarity on what is included?
Ask about scope or investment
The DesignFactory.Creative That Gets Results
Independent. Family-led.
Dallas, Texas. Working nationally.
The Design Factory
Thoughtful design.
Personal accountability.
Work directly with the people designing and building the platform. Our nonprofit experience connects clear public-facing websites with the publishing tools, guidance and ongoing support staff need to maintain them.
- Agency established
- 1996
- Employees
- 3
- Nonprofit clients in the past 3 years
- 6
Confirmed nonprofit experience: Dallas-Fort Worth Urban League, St. Luke Community UMC, Code Enforcement Association of Texas, Project Unity, Abounding Prosperity, and A Chance To Learn.
Your core project teamThe right people
The right people
stay close to the work.
Ari is your principal contact for scope, design and delivery. Sederrick supports creative direction and review. Any specialist involvement is disclosed and approved as required.
- 01Ari RaphielProject, design & development lead
Principal contact for discovery, experience design, implementation, accessibility coordination, testing, and handoff. Works across the public website and staff workflows so the experience and day-to-day operation are designed together.
- 02Sederrick RaphielCreative collaboration & oversight
Brand direction, visual communication, creative review, and consistency across the public experience and supporting materials.
1409 Botham Jean Boulevard, Loft 222
Dallas, TX 75215ari@thedesignfactory.com
Dallas, TX 75215ari@thedesignfactory.com
Relevant work & references
The work behind
the promise.
These nonprofit and membership projects demonstrate relevant work in public communication, program discovery and staff publishing. Each example identifies the connection to LAAC’s needs.
01 / Dallas-Fort Worth Urban LeaguePublic programs.
Public programs.
Staff tools behind them.
The need: make programs easier to find and keep public information current. Our work: public website experiences and staff publishing tools delivered in 2026, with ongoing support.
Relevant to LAACConnect public program information to the staff workflows that keep it accurate and actionable.
Explore the delivered websiteEvidence: linked live site and the named client reference below. No recruitment outcomes are claimed.
02 / Code Enforcement Association of TexasUseful information.
Useful information.
Built to stay current.
The need: help members find training, resources, and job information. Our work: a website launched April 2026, supporting training discovery and registration, followed by content updates.
Relevant to LAACApply the same structured publishing approach to LAAC’s fellowship guidance, deadlines and employer resources.
Explore the delivered websiteEvidence: linked live site and the named client reference below. No recruitment outcomes are claimed.
03 / St. Luke Community UMCCommunity information.
Community information.
Kept in sync.
The need: keep community and event information coordinated. Our work: the community website, event and calendar communication, and staff guidance connecting the calendar workflow with Planning Center.
Relevant to LAAC: Keeping public information useful depends on how it is maintained.
Explore the delivered websiteThree client referencesReference contact details are included in the formal proposal. These examples demonstrate nonprofit and membership work; they are not prior legal-aid deployments.
More work from The Design Factory Robbie DouglasDallas-Fort Worth Urban League
Sharon FlanaganCode Enforcement Association of Texas
Ronnie HughesSt. Luke Community UMC
Explore the prototype
See the approach.
Test the decisions.
Follow the connected student and employer journey, then inspect staff publishing and the proposed acceptance evidence. All recruitment records are fictional.
01Why this opportunity?
See how a rural-service preference changes a recommendation.
Why this opportunity?
See how a rural-service preference changes a recommendation.
ONE CONNECTED COMPARISONYour choices.
Your choices.
Visible reasons.
This example uses the same student profile and matching logic as the workspace. Required criteria are checked first; preference overlap orders the remaining examples.
Current sample: 2L student · Housing, Rural justice
2examples remain after confirmed exclusions. 2 need a required detail confirmed.
Rural Justice Summer Law Clerk
Needs eligibility confirmation
Interest: Housing · Interest: Rural justice · Preference: rural serviceInspect requirements and reasons →Immigrant Justice Law Clerk
Needs eligibility confirmation
No preference overlap declaredInspect requirements and reasons →Inspect the comparison method
Career stage and summer availability are example requirements. Explicitly unmet requirements exclude a role; unknown requirements are shown separately. Within each group, count declared interest, skill, experience, location, rural, and language overlaps equally, with stable ID ordering for ties. These are explanatory signals, not probabilities or measured hiring suitability.
No AI service is running in this demonstration. Production matching would use an LAAC-approved, narrow service behind authenticated access.
02Who keeps it current?
Try a source review, deadline edit and approved publication.
Who keeps it current?
Try a source review, deadline edit and approved publication.
Staff ownership / connected exampleOne reviewed update.
One reviewed update.
Visible on the public preview.
Edit a fictional fellowship, check the sample source, and approve a revision. Changes persist in this browser and never alter official program information.
Read the sample source and staff instructions
Fictional bulletin: Community Justice Fellowship. No real program or deadline is represented.
- Confirm the title and date with the program owner’s source.
- Enter the change, then check the public preview.
- Approve only after both reviews. Recheck the public result.
- To correct an error, restore a revision as a draft and repeat approval.
Production records retain the official source, reviewer, verification date, and change history.
Explore the full review guide
- 01
Follow a student into summer work
Choose 2L, declare skills and experience, and confirm availability. Notice that the same inputs follow the student into matches and an employer introduction. RFP §4: summer matching.
Connected student journey - 02
Inspect rural recruiting
Reuse profile details in a new role. Notice which fields carry forward and which practical terms still need review. RFP §3–4: employer effort and rural access.
Rural employer demonstration - 03
Clarify the pre-bar route
Inspect supervision, bar-study arrangements, and unconfirmed terms. Notice the difference between unknown information and unavailable support. RFP §4: graduate pathways.
Pre-bar planning - 04
Give staff the controls
Approve a fictional revision and open its public preview. Restore an earlier revision as a draft without bypassing approval. RFP §4: updates and training.
Staff publishing - 05
Review the acceptance evidence
Inspect proposed tasks, criteria, evidence, reviewer roles, and LAAC signoff. RFP §4: pilot testing and documented acceptance.
Proposed pilot scenarios - 06
Connect delivery to grant records
Review the sample report alongside the milestone evidence packet. RFP §2 and §11: deliverable confirmations and itemized invoices.
Reporting and evidence
Explore without an account. All workspace records and exported metrics are synthetic. Saved examples remain in your browser. No real application, hiring decision, or support request is submitted.
Clear answers
Confidence comes
from specifics.
01What is working now, and what happens after selection?
The public experience and role demonstrations are available to explore now using synthetic records. Production authentication, permissions, live employer data, the approved matching service, and operational integrations will be configured and tested with LAAC during implementation. The prototype does not accept real applications or make hiring decisions.
02How will you evaluate the matching?
We will agree representative student profiles and employer needs with LAAC, inspect the reasons behind recommendations, test missing or conflicting information, and compare results with reviewers’ judgment. The pilot will include rural providers. Students can change their inputs, and people remain responsible for application and hiring decisions.
03Will accessibility be tested, or only designed for?
Both. Our delivery target is WCAG 2.2 AA, supported by semantic structure, keyboard access, visible focus, clear forms, and reduced-motion behavior. Before launch, we will combine automated checks with keyboard, screen-reader, browser, and device testing, then document remediation and acceptance. This is a proposed delivery standard, not a claim of certified compliance.
04What does LAAC own, and can another partner take over?
Project-specific deliverables, configurations, documentation, and content become LAAC’s property upon payment, consistent with the RFP. Handoff includes source, content and data exports, an operating runbook, and virtual training recordings. Third-party software retains its own licenses. The system will be documented for ongoing maintenance and a practical future transition.
05How are scope and recurring costs controlled?
The first-year maximum is $30,000, including implementation, training, twelve months of support, and a $1,500 third-party service allowance. Included migration quantities and integrations are stated below the pricing schedule. Additional scope requires written authorization at $150 per hour. Optional support renewal is $5,500 annually; future third-party service costs are separately itemized before renewal.
06How will the project support the grant?
At least every other week, progress reports will show completed work, decisions, risks, and next steps. Each invoice will be itemized against a completed milestone and its deliverable confirmation. Pilot results, UAT signoff, training records, quarterly support reviews, and the final closeout report create a traceable record for LAAC’s reporting.
A stronger future for California legal aid.Let’s build LAAC’s
Let’s build LAAC’s
next chapter.
We’d welcome the opportunity to build this with LAAC: clear pathways for emerging advocates, useful recruiting tools and a platform your staff can manage. Let’s discuss your priorities and next steps.
Let’s work together Request a 20-minute walkthrough Opens an editable email to Ari.
Preview or copy the starter email
To: ari@thedesignfactory.com
Subject: LAAC + The Design Factory | Next steps
Hi Ari, Thank you for sharing your proposal. We’re interested in discussing working with The Design Factory on LAAC’s New Attorney Pipeline Project. Could we connect about our priorities and next steps? Looking forward to hearing from you,