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Unlocking
Justice
Innovation

Current judicial performance evaluation (JPE) processes—which are like job evaluations for judges—no longer fully capture the experience of modern court users, the needs of modern judges, or the expectations of modern voters. Our JPE 2.0 project is helping JPE programs update their approaches to reflect modern realities, while remaining accurate, trusted, and relevant.

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People-Centered Legal Regulation: Grassroots Engagement with the Public

States at the forefront of legal regulation efforts understand that public engagement is a critical piece of the puzzle, but states have difficulties engaging with everyday people on these complex and nuanced issues. This project is developing strategies and tools that states need to facilitate meaningful public participation in these vital efforts.

Above the Line Network

With the middle class Americans lacking quality and affordable legal services, a more concerted national effort is needed to address this distinct and alarming access gap. The Above the Line Network aims to do just that by expanding successful middle class-focused legal services and building support for larger policy and systemic changes.

What We Do

IAALS is changing how our system serves people today, while anticipating and preparing for future needs—delivering justice all of us can believe in.

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For the People

What good is the promise of “justice for all” if costs, complexity, and inaccessibility make it impossible for so many? Our system is designed to serve the people, so IAALS places them at the center of all we do.

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Through the Courts

At IAALS, we’re identifying innovations that make the court system easier to navigate for everyone, while also helping courts increase efficiency, reduce procedural complexity, and make the most of the often limited resources they have.

With the Profession

The legal profession must evolve to put client and consumer needs first. IAALS is helping do just that—through improved legal education, better lawyer licensing, and re-regulation of legal services to make them more available and responsive to all.

We work across five broad areas of reform in our legal system:

Civil Justice Reform

Family Justice Reform

The Judiciary

Legal Education

Legal Profession

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Recent News and Updates

News and Updates

What Is the Rule of Law, and Why Should We Be Concerned when it's Under Attack?

The legal controversies surrounding many of the current administration's policy initiatives have included calls to impeach judges who have ruled against the government, and defenders of the judiciary frequently have characterized these events as attacks on the rule of law.

News and Updates

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Alternative Business Structures in the U.S.: What We Know and What We Still Need to Learn

Alternative Business Structures offer a promising, though still evolving, path toward expanding access to legal services in the United States. Early data from Utah and Arizona show encouraging signs, but critical questions remain.

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IAALS Launches Groundbreaking Multi-State Study on Legal Licensure Reform

IAALS has launched Pathways to Legal Licensure, a landmark empirical study examining multiple approaches to attorney licensure across the United States. The project will assess how different licensure pathways measure and uphold minimum competency in the legal profession.

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New National Blueprint Aims to Restore Trust in the Courts through Judicial Evaluation Reform

IAALS has released recommendations for modernizing judicial performance evaluation, including a set of reforms designed to help states strengthen judicial accountability, promote public trust, and ensure the courts meet the needs of today’s society.