Blog

Help Wanted: An Update on Washington's Limited License Legal Technician Program

Jul 21, 2016
Mark Staines
Last summer, the Washington State Bar Association held its first round of exams in a new Limited License Legal Technician program (LLLT) aimed at bridging the access to justice gap by allowing non-lawyers to provide legal advice and assistance in limited areas, like domestic relations/family law. Now, a recent article...

Self-Represented Litigants in Canada Find Less Success in Court According to New Data

Jul 14, 2016
Natalie Anne Knowlton
The National Self-Represented Litigants Project (NSRLP) recently released Canadian data on case outcomes for self-represented litigants (SRLs) . These new figures come shortly after NSRLP published research showing that in cases where a self-represented litigant faces a motion for summary judgment brought by a...

Colorado's Civil Court Crisis: 5280 Mag and IAALS on Aiding Self-Represented Litigants

Jul 6, 2016
Natalie Anne Knowlton
The June edition of 5280 Magazine highlights the reality of self-representation in Colorado’s civil courts . Referencing the first-hand experience of a litigant who navigated her way through the family court process without an attorney, the article discusses how more and more Coloradoans are without legal...

On Campus, In the Community: IAALS Model Proves There is a Better Way to Divorce

Jun 30, 2016
Logan Cornett
We are pleased to announce the results of our evaluation of the Resource Center for Separating and Divorcing Families (RCSDF)—the first manifestation of the IAALS Honoring Families Initiative ’s out-of-court model for separation and divorce . This non-adversarial model is designed to guide families through the process...

Redefining Access to Justice: Kourlis and Schepard on Denver’s Divorce Alternative

Jun 28, 2016
Mark Staines
For separating and divorcing families, access to justice can be hard to come by. Our traditional, court-driven model de-emphasizes parents’ (and children’s) long-term interests, fosters expensive legal fees, and lacks important services that can help families reorganize in a well-rounded way. But, in a recent article...
Press Release

Family Law Attorneys Leading the Charge for Child-Focused Legal Reforms

Jun 21, 2016
Carolyn A. Tyler
Zachary Willis
Today, IAALS released a new report that finds family law attorneys, as stewards of the justice system, are uniquely positioned to best drive much needed change within the system. The Family Law Bar: Stewards of the System, Leaders of Change provides a blueprint for attorneys to help lead change in the system for their...

Colorado Looks to New York for Ways to Level the Playing Field for Litigants

Jun 17, 2016
Natalie Anne Knowlton
Deputy Chief Administrative Judge Fern Fisher of the New York City Courts recently addressed the Colorado Supreme Court Advisory Committee and its Limited License Legal Technician (LLLTs) Subcommittee. Judge Fisher spoke to the Committee and Subcommittee members about New York’s Court Navigator Program, which provides...
Press Release

Latest IAALS Reports Give Voice to Growing Numbers of Self-Represented Litigants

Jun 8, 2016
Carolyn A. Tyler
Zachary Willis
Today, IAALS unveiled two new reports—one of which captures the experiences of litigants navigating U.S. family courts without attorneys, and the other makes recommendations for courts and others to help better serve these litigants. There is broad consensus that, in some courts, upwards of 80–90% of family cases...

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