IAALS Announces Recipients of the 18th Annual Rebuilding Justice Award
Honoring five leaders who embody IAALS’ core values in its 20th year
IAALS, the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System, announced today the recipients of its 18th Annual Rebuilding Justice Award. In 2026 IAALS will celebrate 20 years of advancing justice reform nationwide and, in celebration of this milestone year, the organization will honor five individuals—each representing one of its core values: question the status quo, let data guide the way, center the people, find common ground, and set our sights on tomorrow.
“These honorees represent the many faces of leadership required to rebuild justice and the principles that must guide our system at large,” said Brittany Kauffman, CEO of IAALS. “As IAALS enters its twentieth year, each of these leaders embodies the courage, collaboration, and innovation that have defined our work since the beginning. They show us what’s possible when we stay true to our values and relentlessly pursue a justice system that works for everyone.”
Dave Byers, Director of the Administrative Office of the Courts at the Arizona Supreme Court, will be honored for Questioning the Status Quo through visionary leadership that has transformed Arizona’s courts into a national model for reform.
William C. Hubbard, Dean of the University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law and past President of the American Bar Association, will be recognized for Letting Data Guide the Way and advancing evidence-based reform through decades of leadership in law, education, and policy.
Stacy Rupprecht Jane, Director of Innovation for Justice (i4J), will be honored for Centering the People by expanding access to civil legal services and elevating the voices of those too often unheard.
Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht (Ret.), Supreme Court of Texas, will receive recognition for Finding Common Ground in uniting diverse voices across Texas and beyond to advance justice through collaboration.
Sateesh Nori, Senior Legal Innovation Strategist at Just Tech LLC, will be celebrated for Setting Our Sights on Tomorrow through his visionary, tech-forward approach to expanding access to legal services.
“As we celebrate IAALS’ twentieth year, these honorees remind us of what leadership in justice looks like,” said Jim Sandman, Chair of IAALS Board of Advisors. “Each has turned vision into action. For twenty years, IAALS has shown that when strong leaders from every corner of the system come together—anchored in values, guided by data, devoted to the public good, and committed to action—real, lasting improvement follows.”
This year, IAALS is expanding its flagship Rebuilding Justice event into something bigger than ever before: a day-long Forum on Innovation and Impact, convening national leaders on April 23, 2026, for timely conversations on the future of civil justice. Designed to foster genuine connection and collaboration, the Forum will feature all five awardees—along with other prominent presenters—throughout the day. The celebration will culminate that evening with the Rebuilding Justice Award Dinner at the Denver Art Museum, where the 2026 honorees and the Alli Gerkman Legal Visionary Award recipient will be recognized.