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Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System

Justice we can believe in.

Unbundled legal services, also called limited scope representation, is a service delivery model that holds promise for the growing numbers of self-represented litigants. IAALS advocates for and publishes resources to aid in the implementation of unbundling in order to increase access to justice.

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Allied Legal Professionals

Up and down the income scale, the legal needs of Americans are going unmet. Allied legal professionals hold a key to bringing more accessible and affordable legal help where it is needed most. Like nurse practitioners, allied legal professionals show great potential, and this project is working to grow these successful programs nationwide.

The Cady Initiative for Family Justice Reform

The Cady Initiative for Family Justice Reform involves assessing and implementing best practices in domestic relations cases, with the objective of improving the way family courts handle them nationwide—by making courts less adversarial, more efficient, and more responsive to the needs of families involved in litigation.

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.

people gathered to improve the legal system

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.

dad and daughter walking into courthouse

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

Denver Law Firm Coalition for Racial Equity Makes Strides, Looks to Future

Representatives of the Denver Law Firm Coalition for Racial Equity recently sat down to discuss the coalition's efforts to date, what lies ahead this year, and how IAALS has played an integral role in this important work.

Momentum for Change: Read the 2022 IAALS Annual Report

Over the course of its history, IAALS has sparked undeniable momentum to change the status quo. Read more about our work to reshape our justice system in our 2022 Annual Report.

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Paralegal Regulation in Ontario, Canada: A Northern Experience

In Ontario, paralegals have established themselves to be competent legal service providers in many practice areas and are now entrenched in the legal services landscape. Here's what the United States can learn from our experience.

Event

15th Annual Rebuilding Justice Award Dinner

IAALS’ 15th Annual Rebuilding Justice Award Dinner will be held on Thursday, April 20, at the Cable Center in Denver. We're excited to celebrate this year’s Rebuilding Justice Award and Alli Gerkman Legal Visionary Award honorees, and to thank you—and many others—who have joined together with IAALS to advance justice we can believe in.