In Spring 2014, IAALS held its annual Rebuilding Justice Award Dinner, which recognizes individuals who exemplify the spirit of innovation and leadership that we champion across all of our work toward building a legal system that is fair, accessible, reliable, efficient, and accountable.

This year, we are thrilled to be honoring two longtime supporters of IAALS and our work: Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael L. Bender (Ret.) and University of Denver Chancellor Robert D. Coombe.

Chief Justice Bender served on the Colorado Supreme Court for 17 years and was the Chief Justice from 2010 until January 2014. He was on IAALS’ Board of Advisors during our first few years of existence. We learned from him as we shaped our approach and our mission, and were then able to provide materials and ideas for some of his many successful initiatives as Chief Justice. We celebrate his accomplishments in the Colorado Courts, and his national leadership.

Chancellor Coombe began his 33-year association with the University of Denver in 1981, and became the 17th chancellor of the university in 2005. He has served on the Executive Committee of IAALS from the beginning and helped us forge the initial vision for IAALS, and then build it over the last eight years. We are profoundly grateful to him, and celebrate his steadfast, visionary, and evenhanded leadership of IAALS, as well as of the University.

The first recipient of the IAALS Rebuilding Justice award was United States Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor (Ret.) in 2007. IAALS has given the award to former chief justices of state supreme courts, legislators, federal district court judges, and legal educators.