IAALS’ report, Building a Better Bar: The Twelve Building Blocks of Minimum Competence, provides the first-ever empirically grounded definition of the minimum competence required to practice law. Our comprehensive study found that minimum competence consists of 12 interlocking “building
Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System
The Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System (IAALS) is an organization focused on improving the American legal system to make it more accessible, efficient, and people-centered. It conducts research, develops projects, and publishes resources aimed at reforming civil justice, family justice, the judiciary, legal education, and the legal profession. IAALS emphasizes innovation in court processes, judicial leadership, and legal regulation to better serve the public and adapt to modern challenges. Its work includes promoting judicial performance evaluation, simplifying court procedures, and exploring new pathways for legal licensure. IAALS also convenes leaders and offers practical guidance to foster systemic change in the justice system.
Website:
https://du.edu
Latest from Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System - Page 10
Black Swans, Gray Rhinos, and Lessons from the Pandemic for our Justice System
One of the questions asked in response to the pandemic was whether the pandemic was a black swan or a gray rhino. Black swans are high-profile events that are hard to predict—rare or even unimaginable events. Such events have…
Nomination Window Opens to Award the 2024 Legal Visionary
IAALS has opened the nomination window for the 2024 Alli Gerkman Legal Visionary Award, which recognizes innovators who have made significant impacts early in their legal careers toward making the American legal system work better for everyone. Nominations will be…
So You Want to Implement an Allied Legal Professional Program, Part 2
IAALS’ report, Allied Legal Professionals: A National Framework for Program Growth, summarizes the discussions at our 2022 convening, including convergence on best practices for allied legal professional programs, areas of divergence between program approaches, and lessons learned from existing…
The Goals of Justice Must be Won Anew
September 17th is Constitution Day, which commemorates the day over two hundred years ago when members of the Constitutional Convention signed the United States Constitution. Each year on this day, we take a moment to reflect on the establishment of…
Familiarity Breeds Comfort: Judges and Self-Represented Litigants
In a recent informal poll of judges conducted by the National Judicial College, a large majority expressed they felt comfortable dealing with self-represented litigants. Out of 567 judges who responded, around 86% expressed some level of comfort—39% felt “entirely comfortable”…
IAALS Announces Six Renowned Leaders Joining the Board of Advisors
IAALS, the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System at the University of Denver, is excited to announce the appointment of six new members to its esteemed Board of Advisors. Their diversity of perspectives and expertise will further…
Better Lawyer Licensing, Part 3: The Third Three Building Blocks of Minimum Competence
IAALS’ report, Building a Better Bar: The Twelve Building Blocks of Minimum Competence, provides the first-ever empirically grounded definition of the minimum competence required to practice law. Our comprehensive study found that minimum competence consists of 12 interlocking “building…
A Code of Ethics for the Supreme Court? Transparency and Bias in the Judiciary
Last month, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved legislation that would establish stronger ethics standards for the U.S. Supreme Court. It would mandate a new “code of conduct” for the highest court and a process for adjudicating violations modeled on the…
ABA Urges Holistic Approach to Hiring, Echoing Goals of IAALS’ Foundations for Practice
Earlier this month, the American Bar Association proposed a resolution encouraging law firms to broaden their evaluation criteria when recruiting law students. The resolution suggests considering factors such as legal research and writing skills, community service, extracurricular activities, personal qualities…