International Access to Justice Forum 2025
September 26-27, 2025 | New York City
Fordham University School of Law and New York University School of Law
The 2025 International Access to Justice Forum is hosting 35+ panels of scholars, researchers, jurists, practitioners, reformers, court and dispute resolution experts from across the globe, to discuss exciting new research, theory, and policy developments in the global movement for civil justice. Panels cover a broad range of work advancing access to justice through community empowerment and engagement, court reform, diversion programs, law schools, tech and AI, and through human rights and democracy efforts. We welcome your participation in-person or as a member of the online audience.
Conference Details
The two day conference, hosted by NYU and Fordham Law Schools, will be held in New York City on September 26th and September 27th.
- Day One of the Forum will be held at NYU Law School, located in the West Village in Manhattan
- Day Two of the Forum will be held at Fordham Law School, near Columbus Circle and Lincoln Center, also in Manhattan.
Each day will feature a plenary session in addition to four sessions of 4-5 concurrent sessions. We will provide breakfast, lunch and snacks each day. Each day's programming will run from 9am-5pm. Additionally, we will host a conference dinner in Chinatown on Friday, September 26. This will require a separate fee.
The Friday September 26th plenary session at NYU Law School, Innovations from the Top: The Role of Chief Justices in Advancing Access to Justice, will be a fireside chat with former Chief Justice Mutunga (Kenya) and former Chief Justice Hecht (Texas), moderated by Margaret Satterthwaite (Robert and Helen Bernstein Institute for Human Rights at NYU Law).
The Saturday plenary session at Fordham, Meeting the Moment: A Plenary Conversation on Access to Justice, Legal Empowerment and Democracy, features a discussion with Vivek Maru (Namati) and Rebecca Sandefur (American Bar Foundation, Arizona State University), moderated by David Udell (National Center for Access to Justice at Fordham Law). Speakers will share their respective visions as leaders of the legal empowerment and access to justice movements and will also engage in dialogue with attendees as we discuss together how best to apply all our tools to support the cause of democracy.
To foster collaboration and dialogue, the Forum is designed to be an in-person event, but selected panels throughout both days will be live-streamed.
Conference Schedule
Friday, September 26th: NYU School of Law
8:30-9:00 Breakfast
9:00-9:10 Introduction
9:10-10:15 Plenary Session:
Innovations from the Top: The Role of Chief Justices in Advancing Access to Justice, a fireside chat with former Chief Justice Mutunga (Kenya) and former Chief Justice Hecht (Texas), moderated by Margaret Satterthwaite (Robert and Helen Bernstein Institute for Human Rights at NYU Law)
10:30-11:45 Concurrent Panels - Session 1
- Impacts of Jailhouse Lawyers on A2J
- Measuring + Understanding People Centered Justice
- Debt Collection Lab Panel
- Methods of Measuring Legal Need + Distributing Resources
12:00-1:15 Concurrent Panels - Session 2
- Regional Alliances in Advancing People-Centered Justice in Africa + Ibero-America
- Strengthening Consumer Participation + Protections
- Fines + Fees
- Unequal Before the Law: Exploring Systemic Bias in Domestic Violence, Elder Abuse, and Indigenous Language Access
- Algorithmic Justice
1:15-2:15 Lunch Provided
2:15-3:30 Concurrent Panels - Session 3
- Community Lawyering + Empowered Communities
- Right to Counsel + Models for Full A2J
- Pro Bono Work as A2J
- New Survey Measures, Methods and Insights for Legal Needs + Outcomes
- AI + A2J Overview: Pros/Cons
3:45-5:00 Concurrent Panels - Session 4
- Evidence + Promise of US Community Justice Worker Movement
- Democratizing A2J Change making – Expanding Community Participation
- Consumer Third Party Litigation Finance + A2J: New Developments
- A2J thru ADR + Diversion Programs
6:30 PM CONFERENCE DINNER in Chinatown (Separate Registration Required)
Golden Unicorn - 18 East Broadway
Saturday, September 27th: FORDHAM LAW SCHOOL
8:30-9:00 Breakfast
9:00-10:15 Concurrent Panels Session 1
- Fostering Individual Agency and Community Engagement in Legal Settings
- Courts, Remedies, and Rights: Advancing Access to Justice Across Continents
- Barriers to A2J – Remedy, Discrimination + Access
- Legal Education, Bar Admission + A2J
- Court Data
10:30-12:00 Concurrent Panels Session 2
- Transformative Trans disciplinary Legal Design
- Theoretical, Jurisprudential and Empirical Perspectives in Lawyerless Courts
- Gender-Based Violence – Central America + West Africa
- Integrating A2J into Law School Curriculum
- A2J + Eviction
12:00-12:45 Lunch Provided
12:45-1:50 Plenary Session
Meeting the Moment: A Conversation on Access to Justice, Legal Empowerment and Democracy, between Vivek Maru (Namati) and Rebecca Sandefur (American Bar Foundation, Arizona State University), moderated by David Udell (National Center for Access to Justice at Fordham Law)
2:00-3:15 Concurrent Panels - Session 3
- Power of Grassroots/Lawyer Collaboration to Advance A2J
- Legal Services – Customary Courts, Villages, Councils
- Enhanced Court Diversion Programs – Scalable Solutions
- Human Rights and Access to Justice: Removing Barriers instead of Filling Gaps
3:30-4:45 Concurrent Panels - Session 4
- Cross-State Partnerships: Advancing A2J Thru Legal Empowerment
- Community Empowerment/Engagement: Grassroots Pathways to Justice: Legal Empowerment and Community Organizing in Action
- A2J + Climate Change
- Public Interest Lawyering in the Age of Autocratization
- AI + Inclusivity
Register Now!
In person registration is $250, and Virtual registration is $75. We encourage you to register now for the conference and dinner. Current NYU and Fordham Law students with school identification may attend the panels for free after registering.
For those traveling from outside of New York City, hotel information is available.
Conference Co-Chairs
From Fordham School of Law:
- Matthew Diller, Professor of Law and Dean Emeritus at Fordham School of Law and Distinguished Scholar In Residence at the Center on Civil Justice at NYU School of Law
- Bruce Green, Louis Stein Chair of Law and Director of the Stein Center for Law and Ethics at Fordham School of Law
- David Udell, Founder and Executive Director of the National Center for Access to Justice at Fordham School of Law
- Paolo Galizzi, Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Sustainable Development Legal Initiative and the Corporate and Social Responsibility Program at the Leitner Center for International Law and Justice at Fordham School of Law
From NYU School of Law:
- Janet Sabel, Director of the Center on Civil Justice at NYU School of Law; Founding Director of the Center's Access to Justice Initiative
- Margaret Satterthwaite, Faculty Director of the Robert & Helen Bernstein Institute for Human Rights and Director of the Legal Empowerment and Judicial Independence Clinic at NYU School of Law
- Sukti Dhital, Executive Director of the Robert & Helen Bernstein Institute for Human Rights at NYU School of Law
Panelists
Adejare Somorin | Gabriela Cartagena | Mandy Salley |
Aissatou Barry | Garth Meintjes | Marcello Gaboardi |
Alyx Mark | George Newhouse | Margaret Satterthwaite |
Amanda Victoria Souza | Georgina Rychner | Maria Daniela Rivero Gutierrez |
Amrit Singh | Gervonni Leggett | Marina Dias |
Amy Widman | Greg Zlotnick | Mathilde Doucet |
Ana Neves | Haley Mackelprang | Matthew Burnett |
Anastassiya Miller | Hannah Hill | Matthew Diller |
Andrew Ashbrook | Haya Zahid | Matthew Keeley |
Andrew Pillar | Hayley Cousin | Md Hashibul Alam Prodhan |
Annie Pineda | Hester Tittmann | Md Jahid Hossain Bhuiyan |
Annie Pineda | Honny Sylvester | Melissa Mortazavi |
Anouk Pinaud | Hugh McDonald | Milan Markovic |
Anthony Sebok | Irene Kwon | Naomi Campbell |
Antonio Coronado | Irene Kwon | Natalia Antolak-Saper |
Argyeri Panezi | J Leigh Oshiro | Neil Steinkamp |
Arthur Muiru | Jacqueline Sofia | Nicholas Diamond |
Arturo H. Banegas Masia | Jagna Mucha | Nicole Fidler |
Becky Sandefur | Janet Sabel | Nicole Summers |
Ben Polk | Jean de Dieu Sikulibo | Nikole Nelson |
Benjamin Barton | Jeff Reichman | Oded Oren |
Bonnie Hugh | Jenna Prochaska | Oswaldo Feusier |
Brian Farrell | Jennifer Barnett | Pamela Bookman |
Brian Highsmith | Jessica Steinberg | Paul Prettitore |
Bridget McAloon | Jhody Polk | Rachel Margolis |
Casey Chiappetta | Jonathan Osei Owusu | Rachel McCarthy |
Catherine Hastings | Judge Samuel Thumma | Rebecca Edwards |
Cayley Balser | Judith Resnik | Rebecca Robichaud |
Claire Johnson Raba | Jules Rochielle Sievert | Rene Kathawala |
Claudia Herrmannsdorfer | Juliet-Nil Uraz | Revai Makanje Aalbaek |
Colleen Shanahan | Julieta Marotta | Rose Higgins |
Danielle Hirsch | Kate Davies | Saloni Bhogale |
Danouchka Assoumou | Katherine Hughes | Samira Nazem |
Daria Fisher Page | Kathleen Rubenstein | Sandra Ambrozy |
Darren Breeden | Kathleen Rubenstein | Sarah Carver |
David McClendon | Katie Young | Sateesh Nori |
David Udell | Kerryn Butler | Sergio Anzola |
Diana Didia | Kevin De Liban | Stacie Ayukawa |
Diana Imbert | Kim Dianna Connelly | Stacy Jane |
Dougie Smith | Larisa Bowman | Stefania Cirillo |
Dr Özlem Süsler | Laura Ospina | Sue Schechter |
Eduardo Gonzalez | Lauren Jones | Susannne Augenhofer |
Ellen Wingo | Lauren Sudeall | Teresa Marchiori |
Emily Macloud | Leonard G. Brown | Themba Mahleka |
Emily Taylor Poppe | Lesley Johannsen | Tom Lininger |
Emma Jones | Lisa Foster | Tyler Walton |
Ericka Byram | Lisa Hoyes | Varsha Aithala |
Eshetu Yadeta Temesgen | Logan Cornett | Verna Williams |
Estefania Giaccone | Lorena Zanteno | William Wallace Patten |
Eve Dougherty | Lynn lu | Yolanda Mansfield |
Farha Qureshi | Maciej Huliki | Zach Zarnow |
| Elizabeth Hand |
