With seven U.S. states now operating Allied Legal Professional (ALP) programs, momentum is building for greater reciprocity across jurisdictions. Building Bridges, a report released on June 18, 2025, by IAALS and authored by Michael Houlberg, Courtney Petersen-Rhead, and Kristy Clairmont, outlines a strategic framework to guide states in creating reciprocity rules that support the growth and mobility of the ALP workforce.
Reciprocity offers significant benefits: it allows licensed ALPs to transfer their qualifications across state lines, strengthening access to justice and career mobility. The report synthesizes findings from IAALS’ August 2024 virtual convening, where leaders from the seven ALP-implementing states discussed common standards. It recommends that reciprocity frameworks align across four pillars: license equivalency and good standing, recent work experience (1,000 hours/year for two of the last three years), examination, and ethics compliance.
The report also reviews the status of existing ALP programs, assesses the feasibility of adapting lawyer reciprocity models, and highlights Oregon’s pioneering comity rule—the first of its kind for ALPs. Crucially, it explores administrative considerations, growth potential, and ALP perspectives to inform reciprocal policy design.
As states consider expanding legal service roles beyond traditional lawyers, Building Bridges provides a timely, practical guide for enabling cross-border ALP licensure and program integration.
ICLR news and events.