Who We Are
The Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System (IAALS) at the University of Denver opened its doors on January 17, 2006, as the brainchild of the University’s Chancellor Emeritus Daniel Ritchie, Denver attorney and Bar leader John Moye and United States District Court Judge Richard Matsch. IAALS Executive Director Rebecca Love Kourlis is also a founding member and previously served for almost twenty years as a Colorado Supreme Court Justice and trial court judge.
IAALS staff is comprised of an experienced and dedicated group of men and women who have achieved recognition in their former roles as judges, lawyers, academics and journalists.
IAALS is very proud to be a part of the University of Denver. We are housed on campus and have the benefit of a network of staff, faculty and students at the University. All staff work for the University. The Executive Director is employed by the Board of Trustees of the University and is overseen by an Executive Committee consisting of Chancellor Robert Coombe, the Chancellor Emeritus Daniel Ritchie and John Moye. For purposes of daily operations, the Executive Director is governed by University policy and reports to the Provost.
The Institute benefits from gifts donated to the University for the use of IAALS. None of those gifts have conditions or requirements, other than accounting and fiduciary responsibility.
