• Image of Zachariah DeMeola
    Zachariah DeMeola
July 30, 2020
Studies show that up to 80 percent of Americans’ civil legal needs go unmet—and that will likely grow due to the pandemic. Change cannot wait any longer. It is time for us to reimagine the ways in which legal services in our country are delivered, and leaders across the profession are calling for immediate action.
  • Image of Maddie Hosack
    Maddie Hosack
July 28, 2020
Last month, the NCSC commissioned a survey of one thousand registered voters to gauge levels of public trust and confidence in the state courts. Many of the questions focused on the coronavirus pandemic and how respondents felt about remote court processes, protective measures for in-person courthouse appearances, and other new realities.
  • head shot photo of Michael Houlberg
    Michael Houlberg
July 23, 2020
Last month, it was announced that reforms to Canada’s Divorce Act will be delayed due to COVID-19, highlighting just how important it is that courts prepare for this and other types of possible disasters. There are a number of practical steps courts must take now in order to meet people’s needs in a world where going to a physical courthouse is even more difficult—and dangerous.
  • Image of Maddie Hosack
    Maddie Hosack
July 21, 2020
On June 25, IAALS and the University of Denver Sturm College of Law co-hosted a virtual discussion with William Henderson, law professor and an ABA Journal Legal Rebel, who laid out how and why the current legal regulatory system is no longer working and why state supreme courts are best positioned to pioneer new regulatory models.
  • Image of Natalie Anne Knowlton
    Natalie Anne Knowlton
July 16, 2020
The California Board of Trustees is meeting today to consider the charter and composition of the Closing the Justice Gap Working Group. We at IAALS applaud the board for creating the working group and committing to move forward with important and innovative legal services solutions, but we strongly encourage them to significantly diversify its membership.
  • Image of Zachariah DeMeola
    Zachariah DeMeola
  • Image of Andrew Arruda
    Andrew Arruda
July 14, 2020
The regulatory reform signal shines brightly over Utah and your help is needed—will you answer the call? The public comment period on Utah's proposals to expand the delivery of legal services is open until Thursday, July 23. It is imperative for all those who are committed to making justice available for all to submit comments in favor of these important advancements.
  • Image of Zachary Willis
    Zachary Willis
  • Image of Kelsey Montague
    Kelsey Montague
July 13, 2020
IAALS has announced that Scott Bales, its Executive Director, will step down effective July 31, 2020. Sam Walker has been appointed by the IAALS Executive Committee to serve as Interim Executive Director while IAALS conducts a nationwide search for the position.
  • Image of Scott Bales
    Scott Bales
July 9, 2020
The legacy of racism that blights our criminal justice system also creates inequities in our society more broadly. IAALS joins others in this process of listening, reflecting, and recommitting ourselves to the goals of equity and inclusion, because they are central to our vision of a justice system that works for all people.
  • Image of Brooke Meyer
    Brooke Meyer
July 8, 2020
For the second year in a row, Ohio is on track to make significant amendments to its Rules of Civil Procedure and to pilot a second civil justice case management reform project. These amendments align with national recommendations for reform and reflect similar reforms made in Idaho, Maine, Missouri, and Texas.
  • Image of Zachariah DeMeola
    Zachariah DeMeola
  • Image of Natalie Anne Knowlton
    Natalie Anne Knowlton
July 6, 2020
Unauthorized practice of law rules grant lawyers a monopoly on providing legal advice and prevent “nonlawyers” from providing any meaningful legal assistance. This mindset codified in the UPL rules, along with our country’s staggering racial wealth gap, have a chilling effect on Black Americans' access to the legal system.
  • Image of Jordan M. Singer
    Jordan M. Singer
June 30, 2020
Professional ethics rules have long prevented judges from speaking about their rulings and opinions. However, beginning next month, California state judges will be able to comment directly on pending cases—their own or those of a judicial colleague—in connection with a judicial election or recall campaign.
  • Image of Kelsey Montague
    Kelsey Montague
June 29, 2020
IAALS has released a new report that reveals valuable insights into how the public views court systems and processes, judges and the judiciary, and information about the legal system. The report is the culmination of IAALS' two-year project on public trust and confidence in the courts.