• head shot photo of Michael Houlberg
    Michael Houlberg
February 17, 2020
The National Self-Represented Litigants Project has released its 2018/2019 report on the demographics of SRLs in Canada, including their income, education level, party status, and experience with legal services. While some of the results may come as no surprise, others are more eyebrow-raising.
  • Image of Zachariah DeMeola
    Zachariah DeMeola
February 13, 2020
Efforts to re-regulate and innovate legal services took a major step forward last week at the Conference of Chief Justices’ midyear meeting, where members adopted Resolution 2. With the adoption of this resolution, CCJ adds its voice to the chorus calling for solutions to close the justice gap and rethinking the current regulatory framework to improve and expand the legal services offered to the public.
  • Image of Maddie Hosack
    Maddie Hosack
February 12, 2020
Technology has always been a key component of efforts to expand the realm of legal services. Yet, Ontario's former Attorney General Chris Bentley argues that the biggest roadblock to the development of direct to consumer legal technology tools is the lawyer monopoly on legal services.
  • Image of Zachariah DeMeola
    Zachariah DeMeola
  • Image of Natalie Anne Knowlton
    Natalie Anne Knowlton
February 6, 2020
Next week, the American Bar Association kicks off its 2020 Midyear Meeting, and the ABA Center for Innovation has submitted Resolution 115 for passage by the ABA House of Delegates. Resolution 115 would encourage jurisdictions to consider innovative approaches to increase low- and middle-income Americans’ access to justice and to collect and assess data before and after the adoption of any regulatory innovations.
  • Image of David Christensen
    David Christensen
February 5, 2020
On January 1, 2020, Michigan implemented its first major overhaul of its civil discovery rules in nearly forty years. A State Bar Association Committee was formed in 2017 to evaluate the current rules and recommend amendments that could help increase access to the courts; as a foundation to its work, the Committee looked to the 2015 federal civil rule amendments, the discovery innovations in other states, IAALS’ research and recommendations, and the Conference of Chief Justices’ national recommendations for state reform.
  • Image of Andrew Arruda
    Andrew Arruda
February 4, 2020
As a member of the California State Bar Task Force on Access Through Innovation of Legal Services, I’m often asked how things are going with ATILS and what is coming next. Considering the recent increase in news coverage of our efforts, the critical feedback received to date, and with the Task Force recently being named to the 2020 American Bar Association’s list of Legal Rebels, I thought it was the right time to put together this quick blog post to provide everyone with an update from the Golden State.
  • Image of Scott Bales
    Scott Bales
  • Image of Zachariah DeMeola
    Zachariah DeMeola
January 31, 2020
This spring, IAALS and the Sturm College of Law will host a three-part speaker series, bringing together perspectives from the legal profession, academia, and state supreme courts. How people access legal services not only profoundly affects justice, but also has important implications for those who study, teach, or practice law. Join us in this stimulating series of talks about changes that can help us move towards the goal of justice for all.
  • Image of Maddie Hosack
    Maddie Hosack
January 27, 2020
On the final day of 2019, U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts issued his annual year-end report on the federal judiciary. In the report, he stresses the importance of civic education to ensure public trust and confidence in our country’s legal system.
  • head shot photo of Michael Houlberg
    Michael Houlberg
January 23, 2020
More and more courts are working to address backlogged cases and court users' dissatisfaction. In just the last few months, several Midwestern courts have taken steps to introduce more technology into their courts, removing barriers that many litigants face, especially those who represent themselves.
  • Image of Maddie Hosack
    Maddie Hosack
January 22, 2020
Artificial intelligence is no longer just the stuff of science fiction, as more and more entities globally—courts included—are exploring how AI can be utilized to improve processes and help customers solve problems more efficiently. The introduction of AI into courtrooms is exciting, yet it also raises numerous concerns and questions from the legal community.
  • Image of Jordan M. Singer
    Jordan M. Singer
January 16, 2020
In Ohio, state judges are currently chosen in nonpartisan general elections (although they do compete in partisan primaries). But House Bill 460 would allow judicial candidates to place their party affiliations directly on the general election ballot. If the measure becomes law, Ohio would be the second state in recent years to move from nonpartisan to openly partisan elections.
  • Image of Maddie Hosack
    Maddie Hosack
January 9, 2020
Last month, Australia’s Attorney-General announced he would continue with a plan to merge the specialist Family Court of Australia with the lower-level Federal Circuit Court, with the aim to improve efficiency, but not everyone is convinced.