As we step into 2024, I’m filled with gratitude for the team here at IAALS and all those who are putting our work into practice nationwide. The past year presented us with opportunities to innovate, evolve, and advance our mission, and we’re more ready than ever to open new paths to legal services, strengthen public trust and confidence in the courts, and ensure civil justice is within reach for everyone. The world is more complex than ever, and cross-system solutions are needed to address the challenges that exist in our system. Yet we enter the new year with resolve and a renewed commitment to this work, because advancing innovations in our justice system—and ensuring a trusted and trustworthy system of justice—is more important than ever.
Thank you for your ongoing dedication to IAALS’ mission. If you didn’t have a chance to support us with a gift in 2023, we’d be incredibly grateful, as we cannot do this work without you. Wishing you and your loved ones a prosperous and fulfilling new year.
Brittany Kauffman, CEO
January 2024
2023 Impact Recap and the Path to Transformative Change: Throughout the past year, IAALS has been at the forefront of advancing justice by broadening access to legal assistance, rethinking regulation, and redefining legal licensure. As we step into 2024, we remain dedicated to bringing about transformative change within the justice system.
The Supreme Court’s Code of Ethics and the Road Ahead: The U.S. Supreme Court recently adopted a code of ethics to enhance transparency and trust. However, critics note its reliance on self-enforcement, vagueness, and similarity to existing practices, raising concerns about its impact on justices’ behavior and public confidence.
The Role of the Committee of Paralegal Assessors for Oregon Licensed Paralegals: Oregon has introduced a licensing system for legal professionals known as Licensed Paralegals to tackle the access to justice crisis. The Committee of Paralegal Assessors will review applications to ensure they meet the regulatory requirements for admission to the Oregon State Bar.
Be sure to read all of the news from IAALS on our blog.
Program Associate: This full-time position will work closely with IAALS’ program directors in execution of IAALS’ projects across the areas of civil justice, family justice, the judiciary, legal education, and the legal profession. Responsibilities include coordinating and maintaining regular communication with project participants, collaborating with internal and external teams on IAALS’ project tasks, doing legal research, drafting reports, engaging in research and evaluation of reforms, and staying abreast of developments around the country regarding enhancements and improvements to the legal system. Read more and apply here.
IAALS’ Building a Better Bar and Foundations for Practice cited in the State Bar of California Alternative Pathway Working Group’s Proposal for a Portfolio Bar Examination.
IAALS’ Foundations for Practicefeatured and cited in the Bar Examiner.
