On January 20 and 21, 2023, the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law hosted the inaugural Legal Paraprofessional Summit. Arizona is one of the first four states to implement an allied legal professional (ALP) program, alongside Washington, Utah, and Minnesota, with Oregon set to implement its own program later this year. The university
In February, the American Bar Association published Design Your Law Practice: Using Design Thinking to Get Next Level Results. I served as co-editor on this project, which is intended to be a one-stop resource to learn the basics of design thinking, gain insight into how design thinking principles have been successfully applied in the
In December, Congress passed the Daniel Anderl Judicial Security and Privacy Act, which will protect judges’ personally identifiable information from resale by data brokers. The act will also permit federal judges to redact personal information displayed on federal government websites, as well as prevent the publication of personal information by other businesses and individuals
In November 2022, IAALS hosted a convening of subject-matter experts to review and provide feedback on its report, The Landscape of Allied Legal Professional Programs in the United States, prior to publication. Paraprofessionals, court leadership, and bar leadership from states that have adopted allied legal professional (ALP) programs joined the convening, along with faculty
Editor’s Note: Judge Jeremy Fogel, executive director of the Berkeley Judicial Institute, is a member of IAALS’ board of advisors and executive committee. Trusted partners are key to IAALS’ process, and we’re excited to showcase their passion and expertise. In this Q&A, Judge Fogel discusses access to justice, IAALS’ key strengths, and the traits he
IAALS, the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System, announced today that it is awarding Ariadna M. Godreau-Aubert, founder and executive director of Ayuda Legal Puerto Rico, the third annual Alli Gerkman Legal Visionary Award. The award is designed to encourage and showcase innovators, risk takers, visionaries, and emerging leaders who bring
Since 2009, the ABA Journal has recognized lawyers who are pushing the legal profession forward, whether that’s by leveraging technology, improving systems, or imagining new ways of practicing law. Last week, it was announced that several friends of IAALS—including alumni Natalie Knowlton and Zack DeMeola—made the 2023 Class of Legal Rebels. “These forward thinkers aren’t
IAALS is pleased to announce a promotion and new hires who will bring their leadership and years of expertise to our team. Former manager Michael Houlberg has been promoted to director of special projects, and Jessica Bednarz has joined IAALS as director of legal services and the profession along with Kirk Jones as senior director
Editor’s Note: James (Jim) Sandman, president emeritus of the Legal Services Corporation, is chair of IAALS’ board of advisors and executive committee. Trusted partners are key to IAALS’ process, and we’re excited to showcase their passion and expertise. In this Q&A, Jim discusses access to justice, why IAALS’ work is essential, and the one thing
In October 2022, the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) commissioned its ninth State of State Courts survey of one thousand registered voters to gauge levels of public trust and confidence in our judiciary and broader institutions.Results revealed that public trust and confidence across a swath of governmental and societal institutions—from local police departments to
When I joined IAALS in 2012, I knew I was joining an organization that was critical to solving the toughest problems in the American legal system. Over time, I have come to understand much more about the scope of those problems, as well as the urgency with which they need to be addressed. And I
Author’s Note: the views and opinions presented here reflect those of Ralph Baxter’s essay on regulatory reform and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the author or IAALS. Part 1 in this series explores the other side of this debate.The reform of key provisions in the regulatory scheme governing the practice of
Author’s Note: the views and opinions presented here reflect those of Stephen Younger’s essay on regulatory reform and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the author or IAALS. Part II in this series will explore the other side of this debate.There is a growing debate on regulatory reform happening across the United
In November, several law schools made the decision to withdraw from the U.S. News & World Report rankings, reigniting conversation about the publication’s role in perpetuating inequality in legal education. Yale Law School was the first to announce its decision to no longer participate in the rankings, followed by Harvard, UC Berkeley, Georgetown, Columbia,
IAALS, the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System at the University of Denver, announced today that it released its new Allied Legal Professionals landscape report, along with an accompanying online Knowledge Center. With generous support from the Sturm Family Foundation, this project seeks to help standardize a new tier of
This November, thousands of judges across 38 states find themselves on the ballot. Some are engaged in partisan races to secure their seats, while others face nonpartisan races or uncontested retention elections. And while judicial elections are often characterized as low-salience, “sleepy” affairs, there is reason to believe that this year judicial races will capture