Equity, Access & Justice: Read the 2020 IAALS Annual Report
The last twelve months have been an unforgettable crucible. At IAALS, we have taken a hard look at our work and what it will take to build a better legal system for everyone. In the end, our mission remains the same, but our vision for that system has been reframed.
As America reckons with institutional racism, IAALS commits to ensuring that our work directly improves the lives of those who historically have not been treated fairly. We at IAALS—and we as a nation—must make the clarion call to address the manifest inequality in the legal system our own. Hand in hand with racial justice must come a renewed commitment to imagining access to justice in the broadest possible terms; much innovation was achieved by courts and legal service providers in response to COVID-19 and we must push even further.
The accomplishments of IAALS, as described in our 2020 Annual Report, illustrate not only the organization’s ability to foster the change we need in our system—but also its capacity to do even more.
IAALS’ work is more important than ever. We are leaders in research, in innovation, and in action. We are nimble, responsive, and reliable. And we are a convener of ideas and a force for change.
Fifteen years ago, IAALS opened its doors on the University of Denver campus. While this year was mostly spent away from that home, in many ways we became closer: closer to each other, closer to our partners, and closer to a vision of an inclusive and accessible legal system.
Together, we can make that vision a reality.