Allied legal professionals hold a key to bringing more accessible and affordable legal help where it is needed most, and IAALS is working to standardize and grow these successful programs nationwide.
IAALS is analyzing existing and proposed paraprofessional programs, the existing empirical research on them, and similar experiences and programs from other countries and other professions (like nurse practitioners). This data and landscape assessment will serve as a foundation for a convening among diverse leaders in this space.
Held at Penrose House and the historic Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the convening provided a venue for experts and national partners to develop recommendations and best practices for states developing allied legal professional programs. In June 2023, IAALS published and disseminated the results as well as a framework for a new national model for allied legal professionals based on best practices; see Allied Legal Professionals: A National Framework for Program Growth. This national model will ease burdens for states looking to adopt such paraprofessionals and help reduce barriers to legal representation.
More information about IAALS' Allied Legal Professionals project is available here.