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 matter most in modern legal practice. And the ABA Journal is paying attention.In a recent article, the ABA Journal highlights…
Continue Reading What Skills Do New Lawyers Need? ABA Journal Spotlights Foundations 2.0

The legal controversies surrounding many of the current administration’s policy initiatives have included calls to impeach judges who have ruled against the government, and even threats to the physical safety of judges and their families. Defenders of the judiciary frequently have characterized these events as attacks on the rule of law. But what exactly is the rule of law, and…
Continue Reading What Is the Rule of Law, and Why Should We Be Concerned when it's Under Attack?

As we approach the five-year mark of alternative business structures—legal service entities that allow people who are not lawyers to have an ownership or decision-making interest in the company—in the United States, over 100 entities have launched in Arizona and Utah. This article reflects on what we know, what we still need to learn, and why continued experimentation is critical…
Continue Reading Alternative Business Structures in the U.S.: What We Know and What We Still Need to Learn

IAALS, the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System, is proud to announce the launch of Pathways to Legal Licensure: Individualized & Comparative Outcomes, a landmark empirical study examining multiple approaches to attorney licensure across the United States. Supported by AccessLex Institute®, the project seeks to assess how different licensure pathways measure and uphold minimum competency in…
Continue Reading IAALS Launches Groundbreaking Multi-State Study on Legal Licensure Reform

On April 23, IAALS gathered with longtime partners, colleagues, and friends to honor the Gates Frontiers Fund, whose early belief in our mission helped bring IAALS to life. As our founding donor—with the visionary generosity of Charles C. Gates and Diane Gates Wallach—they have played a foundational role in making IAALS what it is today.From the beginning, they saw what…
Continue Reading A Legacy of Vision and Impact: Honoring the Gates Frontiers Fund

Today, IAALS, the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System, released JPE 2.0: Recommendations for Modernizing Judicial Performance Evaluation. This groundbreaking report highlights a set of reforms designed to help states strengthen judicial accountability, promote public trust, and ensure the courts meet the needs of today’s society.Judicial performance evaluation (JPE) is a process used by many states…
Continue Reading New National Blueprint Aims to Restore Trust in the Courts through Judicial Evaluation Reform

At IAALS, we envision a world where everyone has a clear path to justice. To make that vision a reality, our work is grounded in the bedrock principles of our justice system, including adherence to the rule of law, an independent judiciary, and a legal profession that serves and represents all.IAALS is focused on advancing these bedrock principles while also…
Continue Reading The Path to Justice: Read the 2024 IAALS Annual Report

Last Thursday, IAALS celebrated local and national innovators at its 17th Annual Rebuilding Justice Award Dinner. The evening drew 200 supporters and partners as we marked our shared achievements to improve access to justice, and united behind our collective efforts to uphold the rule of law and ensure that justice for all is a reality for everyone.“In this moment…
Continue Reading Rebuilding Justice Award Dinner Celebrates National Efforts to Expand Access to Justice

In these extraordinary times, we ground ourselves in the foundational principles of our justice system, and we recommit to advancing them. At IAALS, our work is built on these principles, and every day we strive to ensure that the justice system lives up to its promise of being fair, accessible, and accountable to all.But today, that promise is under siege.
Continue Reading When the Rule of Law Is Under Attack, We Must Stand Together

Editor’s Note: Robert Southers, Director of the Franklin County Municipal Court Self Help Center and Dispute Resolution Department in Ohio, is the recipient of the 2025 Alli Gerkman Legal Visionary Award, which recognizes innovators who have made significant impacts early in their legal careers toward making our legal system work better for everyone. Southers will be presented the award at…
Continue Reading A Conversation with Robert Southers, 2025 Alli Gerkman Legal Visionary Award Recipient

At IAALS, philanthropic support is essential to advancing our mission of building a more accessible, fair, and efficient legal system. As we continue to deepen our impact through research, convenings, and national partnerships, we are excited to expand our development efforts with new expertise to help us sustain and grow our work.Last month, we welcomed Megan Loeb as our Assistant…
Continue Reading Expanding Our Development Team to Drive Our Mission Forward

We at IAALS are deeply saddened by the passing of Daniel L. Ritchie, one of the founders of IAALS, Chancellor Emeritus of the University of Denver, and a businessman, philanthropist, rancher, and leader in the Denver community. Born in China Grove, North Carolina, Ritchie grew up during the Great Depression. Although he wanted to drop out of high school at…
Continue Reading Remembering Dan Ritchie—Leader, Founder, Friend

IAALS, the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System, proudly announces Sam Walker, Executive in Residence, Office of the Colorado Attorney General, as the recipient of its inaugural Founders Award. 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…
Continue Reading IAALS Announces Inaugural Founders Award Recipient: Sam Walker