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Fall always feels like conference season to me, which means there are so many great opportunities to connect with and be inspired by fellow access to justice advocates and learn about new initiatives.


In Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Access to Justice Commission and Quarles & Brady LLP recently filed a Petition For Rule-Making In The Supreme Court of Wisconsin seeking to allow for authorized practice by legal advocates. In Tennessee, the Supreme Court issued Administrative Order No. ADM2025-01403 in which it states it will establish a taskforce to further explore paraprofessionals in providing legal services. In the same order, the Court declined to move forward with reform related to nonlawyer ownership. In Washington, the Supreme Court authorized the first entity to participate in its Entity Regulation Pilot.


On the data and evaluation front, Innovation for Justice and Community Justice Advocates of Utah released Making Justice Work: A Legal Empowerment Approach to the Access to Justice Crises, and the American Bar Foundation released a Research Brief analyzing the social and economic impact of the Montana Community Justice Worker Pilot Program.


Finally, on the IAALS front, we recently released a Prosecutorial Guidance and Non-Prosecution Policies Toolkit & Resources and hosted a related webinar, which you can watch here. We also just wrapped up our second round of focus groups for our People-Centered Legal Regulation project, and we are aiming to publish an ABS program evaluation matrix and companion report in connection with our ABS Evaluation Blueprint project by the end of the year.
RECENT NEWS AND UPDATES
RESOURCES
EVENTS
FROM THE SANDBOX

Some highlights from the latest activity report out of Utah's Office of Legal Services Innovation (last updated June 2026): 


6 regulated entities (one of these has two subsidiaries)

6 moderate risk

50 applicants since reopening in February 2024

2 applicants recommended for entry since reopening

36 applicants denied entry since reopening

0 applicants on hold

1 new consumer complaint in August (2 total for 2026)


The Sandbox is currently in Phase 3, with a focus on sunsetting the Sandbox and institutionalizing reform efforts. Therefore, the Sandbox is no longer accepting new applications. You can learn more about the ongoing efforts to institutionalize reform by visiting the Utah Supreme Court Ad Hoc Committee on Regulatory Reform resources page.


Visit our Knowledge Center to track what's happening around the country and the world when it comes to legal regulation, as well as submit information and sign up for notifications.

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