Press Release

In September 2012, 21 law schools sent representatives to Educating Tomorrow’s Lawyers ’ first conference, which sought collaboration among schools to identify best practices for forming professional identity, encouraged schools to share examples of programs and curricula that support professional development, and...

Recognizing that there is widespread concern that the civil justice system is too complex, costs too much, and takes too long, a new report provides recommendations for designing short, summary, and expedited (“SSE”) programs and calls for implementation of such programs on a national scale. The report, A Return to...

This November, in addition to executive and legislative candidates, Colorado voters will be deciding whether or not to retain Colorado judges. Under Colorado’s system for selecting and retaining judges, all judges who will appear on the ballot must undergo a performance evaluation, the results of which are provided to...

This fall, judges are running in contestable elections in 32 states and standing in yes/no retention elections in 17 states. Judicial elections are typically low-information contests, where voters may cast their ballots based on party affiliation, name recognition, or ballot position rather than on qualifications and...

IAALS, the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System at the University of Denver, announces the release of Another Voice: Financial Experts on Reducing Client Costs in Civil Litigation , a new report prepared in collaboration with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) that...

IAALS, the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System at the University of Denver, is pleased to welcome Karen J. Mathis , past president of the American Bar Association (“ABA”), as its Associate Executive Director, effective August 22, 2012. In the new role, Mathis will oversee IAALS’ operations,...

Denver, Colo. – IAALS, the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System at the University of Denver, announces the release of Cornerstones of State Judicial Selection: Laying the Foundation for Quality Court Systems and Judges , a new publication from IAALS' Quality Judges Initiative . The report, based...

Denver, Colo. – IAALS, the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System at the University of Denver, is proud to announce the release of an updated edition of Navigating the Hazards of E-Discovery: A Manual for Judges in State Courts Across the Nation . This manual is a resource for judges and...

We are proud to announce that IAALS' Executive Director, Rebecca Love Kourlis , has been named the recipient of the prestigious 2012 John Marshall Award , presented by the American Bar Association Justice Center . Kourlis will formally accept the award in Chicago in August. The ABA Justice Center established the John...

DENVER, CO – The Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System (IAALS) at the University of Denver today applauds the Colorado Supreme Court for approving the Colorado Civil Access Pilot Project. This visionary step forward joins a national trend among states committed to improving the delivery of court...