Unbundled legal services, also called limited scope representation, is a model for providing legal help that holds promise for the growing numbers of self-represented litigants.
IAALS has created pattern discovery rules specific to pandemics, natural disasters, FLSA, and employment, which make the discovery process more efficient and targeted.
In partnership with the NCSC, we have supported the development of recommendations for transforming our state courts and continue to support their implementation nationwide.
This initiative assessed and implemented best practices in domestic relations cases, with the objective of improving the way family courts handle them nationwide.
This project explored user-friendly, streamlined, and accessible solutions that help people through the divorce and separation process, even when they cannot afford or choose not to hire an attorney.
This project dived deeper into the issue of low public trust and confidence in our courts, working closely with key partners and stakeholders, including—most importantly—members of the public themselves.
Much of the work done to address the cost and delay in the civil justice process has focused on discovery. However, there are equal challenges and opportunities for improvement in the area of motions practice.
What skills and qualities do clients value in the lawyers they hire? This project, which tapped into years of client reviews of lawyers, explored that important question.
The public must have confidence that judges who abuse their power are not above the law, and appropriate judicial recusal is essential to ensuring a trusted judiciary. IAALS offers recommendations for both of these important areas.
The current family justice system often works against the capacity of parents to reach fair, amicable, and cooperative solutions. IAALS developed new approaches to better meet the needs of families and children.
Now, more than ever, courts need to implement better case management approaches, and we are working to broaden, re-envision, and ultimately redefine the practice for our rapidly evolving legal system.
The research on culture change, and legal system culture change in particular, suggests that it is an uphill battle. IAALS has focused on the role of culture change as we propose and implement solutions for reform.
Choosing which law school to attend is an important decision, and IAALS provided data-fueled tools that gave people individualized information about their options.
All too often, litigants are left out of conversations on improving the legal process. This study asked self-represented litigants in family court about their experience with the legal process.
Judges in the United States are selected through a variety of methods. We promote models for choosing federal judges that emphasize qualifications and experience, limit political considerations and special interest influence, and provide transparency.
IAALS and the American College of Trial Lawyers partnered to study cost and delay in America’s civil justice system and propose solutions. The research and Principles from this project have inspired reform across our state and federal systems.
IAALS has focused much of its time and effort on ways to improve the effectiveness of discovery—with the ultimate goal of ensuring an accessible system for all.
