In Autumn 2021, IAALS launched the Paths to Justice virtual summit series, focusing on challenges and opportunities for systemic change in the justice system. The series fostered conversations among stakeholders and led to the publication of various white papers corresponding to key discussions.
These papers have now been consolidated into a single report titled “Paths to Justice: The Bold Steps We Need to Reform Civil Justice.” The report highlights key themes, including a people-centred approach, system redesign, scalable solutions, embracing technology, diversity, equity, and inclusion, research, education, and expanded partnerships.
These themes emphasize the need for innovative approaches to address the multifaceted challenges facing the civil justice system and its interconnectedness with broader societal structures. The report underscores the importance of ongoing efforts for meaningful, lasting change and calls for continued progress in improving the justice system.
In the United States, civil justice reform has been a longstanding tradition, with recent years witnessing a concerted effort to address concerns such as cost, delays, and barriers to access in both state and federal systems. Despite progress through rule changes and technology innovation, the legal system has been traditionally slow to adapt due to its conservative nature. However, the COVID-19 pandemic forced rapid and inspirational change, leading courts to rethink outdated procedures and embrace new solutions for delivering justice remotely. This period of upheaval demonstrated that swift change and reform are possible.