News & Updates

On Constitution Day, when the tendency is to wax poetic regarding the historic significance of our Constitution, we must be reminded of this living framework and its provision of both rights and responsibilities. We all have a role in ensuring the continued strength of our democracy.

The Committee on Legal Education and Admissions Reform (CLEAR) recently released a high-profile report exploring why the legal profession is struggling to meet the needs of the majority of Americans. In this report, CLEAR points to multiple IAALS projects to support their recommendations, underscoring IAALS’ role in shaping national reform.

IAALS' new report on regulating AI in the delivery of consumer-facing legal services outlines a clear and actionable framework for how the legal profession can respond to the rise of artificial intelligence tools already being used by the public to navigate legal issues.

IAALS has released Building Bridges: Guidelines for Creating Reciprocity between Allied Legal Professional Programs, a first-of-its-kind report offering detailed recommendations for how states can enable ALPs to transfer their credentials across state lines.

The ABA Journal recently highlighted the significance of Foundations 2.0 and its potential to reshape how we define and assess lawyer readiness. Our survey is now live, and we’re inviting lawyers across the country to weigh in.

IAALS has launched Pathways to Legal Licensure, a landmark empirical study examining multiple approaches to attorney licensure across the United States. The project will assess how different licensure pathways measure and uphold minimum competency in the legal profession.

The path to justice runs through IAALS. At every level, we are making our system more just—and our work puts our core values into practice. Read our 2024 Annual Report.

IAALS' 17th annual celebration drew 200 supporters and partners as we marked our shared achievements to improve access to justice, and united behind our collective efforts to uphold the rule of law and ensure that justice for all is a reality for everyone.

As we begin 2025, IAALS is poised to make our biggest gains to date as we work to bring better access to our justice system for everyone. We have laid the groundwork for innovations across many states and sectors of our system—due in large part to people like you, our partners and colleagues.

In November, IAALS brought together 23 experts to discuss regulating AI in the delivery of consumer-facing legal services, its fourth in a series of convenings designed to align industry leaders around strategies to unlock legal regulation.

There is a clear groundswell that we must do more than just laud democracy and the rule of law. While there is great importance in speaking to the value of these American institutions, there is a great necessity to do much more to uphold them.

Last week, IAALS gathered with partners and friends for our 16th Annual Rebuilding Justice Award Dinner, celebrating the year’s awardees and everyone who works with us to jumpstart the groundbreaking and achievable solutions that will clear a path to justice for everyone.

The world at large is constantly evolving, and so must our civil justice system. In on 2023 Annual Report, read how our work centers the people and how our solutions cascade from IAALS to the millions who benefit nationwide.

In November, Oregon made history by introducing a non-exam, performance-based pathway to licensure for lawyers. By exploring alternative routes and gathering data, other states can establish rigorous, fair systems that foster competent legal professionals.

IAALS and the Law School Admission Council have announced a new joint project designed to provide a comprehensive updated view of the skills and competencies new lawyers need to succeed and serve clients well in the rapidly evolving legal profession.

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.

For states looking to implement or improve an allied legal professional program, IAALS' new report provides best practices regarding considerations like fee sharing, regulatory requirements, and program costs.

Oregon has pioneered a new lawyer licensing approach, allowing law school graduates to become licensed to practice law without taking the traditional bar exam. This innovative pathway to licensure was developed with insights from IAALS’ research.

Data from current ALP programs suggests that concerns about consumer protection are largely unfounded. Expanding these programs can deliver competent legal help to countless individuals who lack access to traditional legal services.

The Utah Bar Admissions Working Group has proposed an inventive attorney licensure path rooted in IAALS' Building a Better Bar research. It addresses traditional bar exam shortcomings by prioritizing competence, diversity, and access to justice through five requirements for admission and continuous assessment.