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
On October 6, 2022, IAALS co-hosted the eighth session of the Redesigning Legal Speaker Series, which dove into the innovative and creative changes judges have applied to make courts more accessible. “Redesigning Legal: Improving Access to Courts and Judges” featured a panel including Judge Jeanne Robison, Salt Lake City Justice Court, Utah; and Judge
Utah and Arizona are pioneers in the regulatory reform space. In Utah, the state supreme court and the Utah Bar Association worked together to launch the first legal regulatory sandbox, where authorized entities can offer products and services that would not have been permitted under the traditional rules of professional conduct. The Arizona Supreme Court
Resources for consumers, lawyers, and courts included in one of the most robust information databases on limited scope legal representation.IAALS, the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System at the University of Denver, released Unbundled Legal Services in the New Normal—a new report highlighting key takeaways from the national 2021 conference—in
On July 28, IAALS co-hosted the seventh session of the Redesigning Legal Speaker Series. This panel’s discussions delved into alternative lawyer licensing programs, how they differ from the current bar exam, what some jurisdictions are already testing, and how these alternatives might impact the profession. “Redesigning Legal: Redesigning How We License New Lawyers” featured
IAALS has opened the nomination window for the 2023 Alli Gerkman Legal Visionary Award, which recognizes innovators who have made significant impacts early in their legal careers toward making the American legal system work better for everyone. Nominations will be accepted through December 1, and the award will be presented in April 2023.The award
Over two hundred years ago, on September 17, 1787, members of the Constitutional Convention signed the United States Constitution. Each year on this day, we celebrate Constitution Day and the establishment of our government and the guarantee of our rights. The preamble to the Constitution begins with the important first words: “We the people of the
The comment below was submitted by IAALS to the Colorado Supreme Court on September 14, 2021, in support of the Colorado Licensed Legal Paraprofessionals Program.On behalf of IAALS, the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System, we wish to commend the Colorado Supreme Court, the Advisory Committee on the Practice of Law, and
The State Bar of California’s foray into legal regulatory innovation has a relatively long history.To start, the State Bar Task Force on Access Through Innovation of Legal Services (ATILS) worked for years to explore three focus areas:
Strategic Review Process Charts a Strong Future for IAALS and its Next LeaderIAALS, the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System at the University of Denver, announced today that it has named Brittany Kauffman as its new chief executive officer, effective immediately. Kauffman has been serving as interim CEO since May 2022,
In January, the Innovation for Justice (i4j) Program at the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law published its Report to Arizona and Utah Supreme Courts: Expanding Arizona’s LP and Utah’s LLP Program to Advance Housing Stability. The report proposes expanding existing legal paraprofessional programs in Arizona and Utah to include a
Today, the American Bar Association Center for Innovation released the inaugural issue of the Innovation Trends Report, which explores innovation within the ABA, in legal technology, and in legal regulatory reform. Innovation within the ABA
Within the ABA, sections are working on new, innovative projects with an eye toward shaping and advancing the U.S. justice
Last week, the Oregon Supreme Court approved a program that will license individuals who aren’t lawyers to provide limited legal services in family law and landlord/tenant issues, two areas with the greatest unmet need for legal assistance in the state. This makes Oregon the fifth state in the country to enlist a new tier of
The COVID-19 pandemic forced unprecedented modifications to nearly every profession across the globe—among them, the legal profession and its bar exam. While some jurisdictions adjusted test dates and methods, with some administering the exam remotely, others—such as Utah, Louisiana, and Washington—created or expanded opportunities for new law school graduates to enter the profession. These new
IAALS, the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System, continues its commitment to ensuring fair, impartial, transparent, and accessible courts through JPE 2.0—a project that will help judicial performance evaluation (JPE) programs nationwide update their approaches to reflect modern realities, while remaining accurate, trusted, and relevant.JPE processes—first developed in the 1980s—provide a