In 2020, the Utah Supreme Court launched the nation’s first legal regulatory sandbox. The Sandbox was designed to open the door to new kinds of legal service providers and business structures, including entities with nonlawyer ownership and nonlawyer practitioners, who
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 2
ATLN Supports Advancing Alternative Fee Structures in Indiana
Like many states across the country, Indiana is experiencing an attorney shortage—there are not enough attorneys licensed to practice law in Indiana to serve every Hoosier who needs legal help. These shortages adversely affect access to justice, economic and workforce…
Lawyers Council Explores Legal Innovation with Arizona Chief Justice Timmer
On September 16, members of the IAALS Lawyers Council gathered in downtown Denver to discuss the growing momentum of alternative business structures with Arizona Chief Justice Ann A. Scott Timmer and Jess Bednarz, IAALS’ Director of Legal Services and the…
Constitution Day 2025: Finding Your Role in Preserving Democracy
Two hundred thirty-eight years ago, the Constitution gave us a framework for our nation, providing a critical system of checks and balances among the branches of government and assuring basic individual liberties that are essential to our free and democratic…
Nomination Window Opens to Award the 2026 Legal Visionary
IAALS is excited to announce that nominations are now open for the 2026 Alli Gerkman Legal Visionary Award. The sixth annual award recognizes national innovators who have made significant impacts early in their legal careers toward making the American…
Research to Reform: IAALS Sets the Standard in CLEAR’s National Blueprint for Change
The Committee on Legal Education and Admissions Reform (CLEAR) recently released a high-profile report exploring why the legal profession is struggling to meet the needs of the majority of Americans. In this report, CLEAR points to four IAALS projects—Building…
Global Voices for Justice: Takeaways from the World Justice Forum 2025
In the last month I had the privilege of attending the World Justice Forum 2025: “Standing Up for the Rule of Law” in Warsaw, Poland. The Forum was a gathering of global leaders, jurists, and human rights champions who came…
IAALS Charts a Bold Path for AI in Legal Services Regulation
New IAALS Report Sets National Vision for Allied Legal Professionals via Reciprocity
What Skills Do New Lawyers Need? ABA Journal Spotlights Foundations 2.0
What does it really mean to be ready to practice law today?That’s the question at the heart of Foundations 2.0—a new national study launched by IAALS and the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) to better understand the competencies that…