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Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System

Justice we can believe in.

Too many people cannot effectively access our legal system to protect their rights and resolve their disputes. But if we want to make legal services more accessible, we must re-envision how they are delivered. This project is about taking a bold step forward into a consumer-centered regulatory system—one that is competitive, broadly accessible, and better meets the needs of the people.

US Justice Needs

People of all socioeconomic backgrounds face problems every day with unclear paths to resolution, and 120 million legal problems do not reach a fair resolution every year. With the launch of our findings, we have not only uncovered the justice needs of our diverse populations nationwide—we are paving the way for meaningful progress to close the justice gaps in our society.

Judicial Performance Evaluation 2.0

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.

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

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New IAALS Report on State Court Civil Filings: The Trends, Drivers of Change, and Importance of Data

IAALS' new report analyzes the evolving role of courts in resolving cases and the factors impacting future filings, providing courts with the necessary data for planning, policymaking, and reform efforts.

large group of people forming the United States

Law Day 2023: Stronger Solutions Together

This year, the American Bar Association is celebrating Law Day with the theme “Cornerstones of Democracy: Civics, Civility, and Collaboration.” These sentiments are at the heart of IAALS—what we do, how we do it, and why this work is so critical.

National Study Finds Expedited Action Rules Can Ease Civil Case Backlogs

A new report from the NCSC and IAALS highlights how enforcing court rules that require expedited actions can improve fairness, cost, and efficiency in the civil justice system while also relieving case backlogs exacerbated by the pandemic.

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.