IAALS Report: Meet IAALS' Next Legal Visionary, Q&As with IAALS Executive Committee Members, and More

The work of IAALS is critical and urgent, and how we do that work is essential to our influence. As a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to data-driven solutions to the toughest problems facing our civil justice system, we bring a unique and necessary approach to reform—and seek to include every voice at the table.

In that vein, we’re excited to include two new voices on our team, whose expertise will bolster our future impacts; Jessica Bednarz has joined IAALS as director of legal services and the profession, along with Kirk Jones as senior director of operations.

We have much work to do in 2023. I am excited about the momentum we have built nationally and as an organization, and this year I look forward to working together with all of you, our partners and friends, to accomplish even more.

Brittany Kauffman, CEO
February 2023

Ariadna M. Godreau-Aubert Named 2023 Recipient of IAALS’ Alli Gerkman Legal Visionary Award: IAALS is awarding Ariadna M. Godreau-Aubert, founder and executive director of Ayuda Legal Puerto Rico, the third annual Alli Gerkman Legal Visionary Award. "Ariadna’s vision for a better justice system, and her efforts on the ground to turn this vision into reality, is an inspiration for us all," said Brittany Kauffman, IAALS CEO.


Q&A with Jim Sandman, Chair of IAALS' Executive Committee: IAALS Board of Advisors member Jim Sandman recently became chair of our executive committee, and in this brief Q&A he discusses access to justice, why IAALS' work is essential, and the one thing he can't live without.	Q&A with Judge Jeremy Fogel, Member of IAALS' Executive Committee: Judge Jeremy Fogel, IAALS Board of Advisors member and a new addition to our executive committee, talked with IAALS about the importance of interdisciplinary perspectives, the organization's key strengths, and the traits he admires in others.


Several IAALS Alumni and Friends Named 2023 Legal Rebels: Natalie Knowlton, Zack DeMeola, and several other friends of IAALS made the ABA Journal's 2023 Class of Legal Rebels, recognizing their efforts to push the legal system and profession forward.	NCSC Survey Reveals Continued Declining Trust in Courts, Support for Remote Hearings: The ninth State of State Courts survey of one thousand registered voters gauged levels of public trust and confidence in our judiciary and broader institutions, with results revealing a decline across the board.

Be sure to read all of the news from IAALS on our blog.

April 20: 15th Annual Rebuilding Justice Award Dinner

Speaking Engagements

Logan Cornett will speak at a Florida Association of Legal Recruitment Administrators meeting on February 13.

Brittany Kauffman will speak on a panel with the Colorado Attorney Mentoring Program on February 16.

Brittany Kauffman will speak at the Arizona JPR Task Force Initiative Kick Off Meeting on February 21.

Jessica Bednarz will present at the ABA TECHSHOW on March 1.

Black History Month

February is Black History Month, and IAALS is proud to celebrate the numerous achievements by Black Americans, their struggles, and recognize their central role in U.S. history and our justice system.

Be sure to dive into the American Bar Association's Black History Month resources, including the Black Lawyers in America Webinar Series, the 21-Day Racial Equity Habit-Building Challenge, and a celebration of Black Legal Trailblazers from the 1800s to the present.

January 28: "Developing an Identity: Zachariah DeMeola created a holistic way for law students to find where they fit into the profession" in the ABA Journal

January 28: "Thought Leader: Natalie Anne Knowlton’s research has provided an important foundation for regulatory reform efforts" in the ABA Journal

January 20: "Thank You and Good Luck, Jess!" on The Chicago Bar Foundation’s blog

January 11: "Replacing justices with appellate judges on discipline violates Colorado Constitution: Testimony" in the Denver Gazette

January 3: "Why the Access to Justice Gap is More than a Pro Bono Issue with Justice Melissa Hart" on A Different Practice Podcast

December 31: "Governor Polis appoints Anthony N. Baca to La Plata County Court" in the Kiowa County Press

December 30: "Updates to La Plata and Rio Blanco Courts, Michael Best Moves" in Law Week Colorado

December 27: "The Impact of Digital Transformation on Litigation Finance" on Law.com

December 27: "Ahead of the Curve: 2022's Biggest Legal Education Stories not About LSATS or US News Rankings" on Law.com

December 29: "New judge chosen for La Plata County Court" in the Durango Herald

December 28: "Gov. Polis Appoints Anthony Baca to La Plata County Court" in Law Week Colorado

December 23: "Goodbye, Farwell, and Amen: Host Carl Morrison Departs With Words of Wisdom" on Legal Talk Network Podcast

December 20: "More Commentary On The U.S. News Law School Rankings Boycott (Part 4)" on TaxProf Blog

December 14: "IAALS Releases New Allied Legal Professionals Landscape Report and Online Knowledge Center in an Effort to Increase Legal Options for the Public" on the SJI website

December 9: "Exploring new paths to attorney licensure" on Willamette University's 2022 News Library

December 2: "Court cases in California have plummeted. Here's why the state's chief justice says it's a very troubling sign" in the San Francisco Chronicle

Noteworthy

IAALS’ Family Law Bar: Stewards of the System, Leaders of Change referenced in "Helping Family Law Clients Through Conflict: Neuroscience & ADR Tools" on the Idaho State Bar’s blog.

IAALS referenced in "Circuit Court 2023 Issue Paper" on the League of Women Voters Maryland’s blog.

IAALS’ O’Connor Judicial Selection Plan and Choosing Judges: Judicial Nominating Commissions and the Selection of Supreme Court Justices listed as presentation and materials for the Maryland Judiciary’s Legislative Briefing for Joint Session of the Senate Judicial Proceedings & House Judiciary Committees by the Judicial Conference Workgroup on Judicial Selection.

IAALS cited in the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida’s Residential Foreclosure Procedures.


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