Today, the promise of our justice system is under siege. We face unprecedented attacks on the judiciary, attacks that aren’t just political, but fundamental. Collective action is needed not only to defend the rule of law, but to improve our justice system for all.
Robert Southers discusses what drives his passion for access to justice, building trust with the community, and what it means to receive the Alli Gerkman Legal Visionary Award.
Sam Walker, Executive in Residence at the Office of the Colorado Attorney General, will be IAALS' inaugural Founders Award recipient. This honor is reserved for individuals who have made significant and sustained contributions to IAALS and its mission to unlock innovations that make our civil justice system more just.
As we begin 2025, IAALS is poised to make our biggest gains to date as we work to bring better access to our justice system for everyone. We have laid the groundwork for innovations across many states and sectors of our system—due in large part to people like you, our partners and colleagues.
Robert Southers, a transformative force in Ohio’s legal community, will receive IAALS' fifth annual Alli Gerkman Legal Visionary Award in April 2025. In just seven years since graduating from law school, Southers has made remarkable strides in improving access to justice.
In November, IAALS brought together 23 experts to discuss regulating AI in the delivery of consumer-facing legal services, its fourth in a series of convenings designed to align industry leaders around strategies to unlock legal regulation.
Following Utah's example, several other states and Canadian provinces are exploring regulatory sandboxes to address the access to justice crisis and create innovative services for people's unmet legal needs.
The program recognizes that entrepreneurial lawyers and nonlawyers alike should be empowered to pilot a range of differing business forms that would otherwise be prohibited, but could ultimately improve access to justice and legal services for the public.
There is a clear groundswell that we must do more than just laud democracy and the rule of law. While there is great importance in speaking to the value of these American institutions, there is a great necessity to do much more to uphold them.
Judges hold a uniquely powerful position within the justice system, making their leadership crucial for meaningful reform. To drive lasting change, we need leaders who not only address current challenges but also proactively design a system that anticipates and meets future needs.
