The justice gap is prompting communities across the country and throughout the world to consider new models for helping litigants who are unable to afford private lawyers and unsuccessful in qualifying for free civil legal representation. Through the work of David Udell’s National Center for Access to Justice, Fordham Law has situated itself more fully with policy reform initiatives that are dedicated to assuring access to our civil and criminal justice systems. The NCAJ’s projects include the award-winning Justice Index, which encourages adoption of best practices for access to justice by tracking and comparing the performance of state courts in serving low-income litigants. NCAJ also produces reports, hosts events, and carries out public education and public advocacy initiatives.

The Law School’s other innovative centers and institutes continue to play an important role, as they have for decades, with their own research and advocacy. The following centers, in particular, keep access-to-justice issues front and center in their work.

• Center on Race, Law and Justice
• Feerick Center for Social Justice
• Institute on Religion, Law and Lawyer’s Work
• Leitner Center for International Law and Justice
• Public Interest Resource Center
• Stein Center for Law and Ethics
• Urban Law Center