Rebuilding Justice Award Dinner Celebrates National Efforts to Expand Access to Justice
Last Thursday, IAALS celebrated local and national innovators at its 17th Annual Rebuilding Justice Award Dinner. The evening 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.
“In this moment of division, we lead by convening,” said Brittany Kauffman, IAALS CEO. “We bring together judges and reformers, attorneys and everyday citizens, policymakers, and educators—and we create spaces where solutions emerge. Spaces where hard conversations are welcomed, and where collaboration replaces conflict. This model of consensus-building, grounded in real-world data, has created change for nearly 20 years. And in a country where so many systems feel stuck, we know this still works. That’s why we will keep doing it—for the next 20 years and beyond.”
IAALS awarded the 2025 Rebuilding Justice Award to the key leaders and coordinating members of the Colorado Licensed Legal Paraprofessionals (LLP) Committee. Their perseverance in developing and implementing this program is a testament to their commitment to providing legal help to the millions of Coloradans who cannot afford an attorney, and they serve as role models to others in Colorado and around the country. In her keynote address, Colorado Supreme Court Justice Melissa Hart discussed the groundbreaking nature of the LLP program, which already has the most practitioners of any state—many of whom were in attendance. Justice Hart also connected the dots between LLPs and other vital innovations underway, including the need to realign the family justice process to better support the people, parents, and children who go through it.
Additionally, Robert Southers, Director of the Franklin County Municipal Court Self Help Center and Dispute Resolution Department, received the Alli Gerkman Legal Visionary Award. Jim Sandman, Chair of IAALS’ Board of Advisors, spoke to Southers’ transformative role in Ohio’s legal community, with astounding numbers representing the growth of services provided and people helped under Southers’ leadership. In accepting the award, Southers noted the importance of collaboration, community integration, and cross-disciplinary partnerships in making people-centric change a reality.
IAALS also marked the passing of Daniel Ritchie, one of our founders. Co-Founder and IAALS Founding Executive Director Rebecca Love Kourlis spoke to Ritchie’s vision, his partnership over the years, and his enduring legacy. Kourlis, alongside Diane Gates Wallach, then presented Sam Walker with IAALS’ inaugural Founders Award, inducting him among the founders of IAALS after more than a decade of stewardship and leadership. Walker has long been a guiding voice, a trusted partner, and a tireless advocate for justice, akin to IAALS’ founders.
In concluding the dinner, Kauffman lauded the evening’s celebration of vision, impact, and the extraordinary community that makes our work possible. We now look to the future with even more purpose and excitement, because 2026 marks IAALS’ 20th anniversary. “It will be a year filled with opportunities to celebrate how far we’ve come, reflect on the work ahead, and engage with all of you who make this mission real,” said Kauffman.