Press release

A new project will help standardize a new tier of legal professionals nationally. Allied legal professionals—similar to nurse practitioners—hold a key to bringing more accessible and affordable legal help where it is needed most. IAALS seeks to facilitate the adoption of allied legal professional programs around the country and assist states in making informed decisions on how to structure these efforts.

IAALS is awarding Rohan Pavuluri, CEO and co-founder of Upsolve, the second annual Alli Gerkman Legal Visionary Award. “IAALS is thrilled to present Rohan with this award, recognizing his efforts to shake up the status quo and push the boundaries of our justice system,” said David Yellen, CEO of IAALS.

IAALS, in partnership with the Denver Law Firm Coalition for Racial Equity, have published a report detailing best practices and recommendations to recruit, retain, and advance racially diverse attorneys. The report is the outcome of leaders across Denver’s legal community coming together to explore and identify sustainable, long-term DEI solutions, and the Coalition’s commitment to advance these shared goals across member firms.

IAALS and HiiL have completed the first nationwide survey of its size to measure how Americans across a broad range of socio-demographic groups experience and resolve their legal problems. The full US Justice Needs report with the survey results will be released on September 1, with two live webinars presenting the data, reporting on the outcomes, and suggesting solutions.

IAALS announced that it is awarding Anna E. Carpenter, Professor of Law and Director of Clinical Programs at the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law, the inaugural Alli Gerkman Legal Visionary Award. 

IAALS has released two new guides that detail innovative ways for legal educators and legal employers to implement data-driven, outcomes-based standards to train and hire better lawyers. The guides are the first in IAALS' new suite of Foundations tools to create alignment between law schools and legal employers, and to address structural problems within the legal profession.

Andrew Arruda has joined IAALS as its first-ever entrepreneur-in-residence. Arruda is initially focusing on the organization’s legal education and legal profession efforts, including the Unlocking Legal Regulation and Foundations for Practice projects.

IAALS has announced that Utah Supreme Court Justice Deno Himonas and Utah attorney John Lund are the recipients of the organization’s 2021 Rebuilding Justice Award. IAALS is proud to recognize the achievements of Himonas and Lund for their efforts in founding Utah’s Office of Legal Services Innovation.

IAALS has released new initial discovery protocols to help both businesses and insurers alike reach a quick resolution to the rapid increase in court cases involving business interruption insurance property damage claims due to COVID-19.

IAALS has named Professor David Yellen as its new chief executive officer, taking over leadership of the organization on June 1, 2021. "IAALS has a powerful, influential voice in efforts to improve the justice system and it gets results,” said Yellen. "I am delighted to join this outstanding team and to contribute to this urgently important work."