Accessible legal assistance is crucial to ensuring access to justice for all and essential for the rule of law and a functioning democracy. Many people in the Netherlands, especially vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, rely on frontline legal services at a local level for access to justice. Frontline legal assistance provides information and advice, while secondary legal assistance offers procedural assistance. When people face barriers, for example due to limited language proficiency or limited digital skills, in seeking assistance from frontline professionals, they may not be referred to a lawyer or a court, and thus be limited in their access to justice. Based on recent (empirical) research on the accessibility of (frontline) legal assistance, the authors reflect on the question how research can contribute to access to justice and the rule of law in the Netherlands.
