2023 Legal Rebels: Charging Forward
Legal Rebels Class of 2023
Patrick Palace
This year, for the first time in a while, things have started to feel somewhat normal again.
Courts, law firms, schools and offices are open for business as COVID-19 fears have largely faded into the background. Some remote technology and work arrangements, such as Zoom-aided court proceedings and hybrid virtual offices, have remained. Others, however, have not, as some aspects of the pre-pandemic status quo have returned.
That being said, when it comes to Legal Rebels, what is considered “normal” or “status quo” has never been of much concern. This year’s class is no different.
Presented by the ABA Journal and the ABA Center for Innovation, the 2023 class of Legal Rebels includes a married couple who created a DIY tool to not only file forms for pro se defendants but also train them to try to represent themselves in court; a former lawyer who launched an innovation incubator to assist people with various legal issues; two Yale University alumni who came up with a video platform to help inmates more easily keep in touch with loved ones and get an education; and several individuals doing work to draw attention to gaps in the court system that could be addressed by regulatory reform.
Like previous honorees, these forward thinkers aren’t waiting for the next major disruption to hit the legal industry. Instead, they’re hoping to be in front of it—or in some cases, the cause of it.
Legal Rebels Class of 2023
Sonja Ebron and Debra Slone of Courtroom5
Uzoma Orchingwa and Gabriel Saruhashi of Ameelio
Correction
In the print version of “Charging Forward,” February-March, page 36, Legal Rebel Josh Blandi was referred to by the wrong first name in one instance.The ABA Journal regrets the error.
