• Image of Rebecca Love Kourlis
    Rebecca Love Kourlis
April 10, 2019
It was IAALS’ honor to know and work closely with Justice Daryl Hecht of Iowa, who passed away last week. His was a life well-lived, and we are all lucky to have had him in our midst.
  • Image of Brittany Kauffman
    Brittany Kauffman
  • Image of Heather
    Heather Buchanan
April 9, 2019
Last October, the Federal Judicial Center released a second report on the Pilot Project Regarding Initial Discovery Protocols for Employment Cases Alleging Adverse Action, which sets forth a set of pattern discovery protocols developed by a task force of plaintiff and defense attorneys working in conjunction with IAALS.
  • Image of Rebecca Love Kourlis
    Rebecca Love Kourlis
April 4, 2019
“Justice for all.” It is a promise of American democracy and enshrined in our Pledge of Allegiance. And yet, it is not a reality. IAALS wants to change all of that. We are proud to present you with our 2018 Annual Report, which highlights our work and accomplishments within this important context.
  • Image of Natalie Anne Knowlton
    Natalie Anne Knowlton
April 3, 2019
Divorce is a highly stressful experience for all those involved, but the impacts on children can be especially profound. A Parent’s Guide to Understanding the Effects of Conflict and Divorce is a new, must-read resource for parents at any stage of the divorce process—whether they are simply contemplating divorce, in the middle of the legal process, or working on co-parenting afterward.
  • Image of Brittany Kauffman
    Brittany Kauffman
April 2, 2019
This month IAALS is co-hosting the third in a series of webinars with the National Center for State Courts focused on providing practical information and guidance on implementing civil justice reform, titled, "Civil Justice Reform: Making Motions Practice More Effective and Efficient." The webinars are part of our three-year Civil Justice Initiative implementation project focused on providing support for on-the-ground reform through education, expert assistance, regional action planning summits, demonstration projects, and a variety of tools.
  • Image of Rebecca Love Kourlis
    Rebecca Love Kourlis
March 28, 2019
We have been very fortunate to have Mark Nadeau on our Board of Advisors. Mark’s depth of thought, intellect, and candor—and his deep generosity—have been valuable assets at IAALS, and we count him among our blessings.
  • Image of Brittany Kauffman
    Brittany Kauffman
March 27, 2019
Next month IAALS will participate in an American Bar Association webinar, titled Hurricanes, Floods, and Fires, Oh My!: How to Improve Discovery in a Flood of Post-Disaster Property Insurance Lawsuits, which will also feature IAALS' initial discovery protocols for first-party insurance cases arising from disasters.
  • Image of Heather
    Heather Buchanan
March 26, 2019
Given the large number of people who navigate the legal system without any representation, justice system stakeholders have a duty to cut through the legalese and ensure that the system is more understandable to laypeople. To further that goal, IAALS is proud to co-sponsor a conference later this month at Hofstra University Maurice A. Deane School of Law, entitled Plain and Simple: Making the Legal System Accessible to All.
  • head shot photo of Michael Houlberg
    Michael Houlberg
March 21, 2019
The National Self-Represented Litigants Project (NSRLP), recently announced the launch of their rebranded blog, “The Access Revolution Blog: Dispatches from the Frontlines.” The goal of the blog is to serve as a collaborative platform, breaking down the disconnect between users of the court and legal stakeholders, and to offer practical solutions to address the access to justice problem in Canada.
  • Image of Zachary Willis
    Zachary Willis
March 7, 2019
After 13 years of growing IAALS from a fledgling idea to a nationally recognized force for change and evolution on the legal landscape, Rebecca Love Kourlis will retire from her role as Executive Director in September. The Chancellor of the University of Denver, Rebecca Chopp, and the Executive Committee of IAALS have opted to fill Kourlis’ formidable shoes with another national leader, Scott Bales, who recently announced he will step down as Chief Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court.
  • Image of John Montgomery
    John Montgomery
February 28, 2019
In an article for The Atlantic, Deborah Copaken gives us an unvarnished account of what it is like to go through the divorce process without a lawyer and exposes the difficulties faced by many litigants who choose to represent themselves in divorce court.
  • Image of Rebecca Love Kourlis
    Rebecca Love Kourlis
February 27, 2019
Alan Carlson has been a pivotal part of IAALS over the last few years, leading us on strategic planning, helping us with projects, and connecting us to new board members. Alan is the epitome of a can-do person, and we are incredibly fortunate to have had him as part of our board.