Access to Justice – Current Developments and Future Pathways

Access to Justice – Current Developments and Future Pathways

Equal access to justice is a central prerequisite for democratic societies. Yet, the gap between legal ideals and lived reality remains wide. Legal aid systems face growing pressure, digitalisation creates both new opportunities and new barriers, and social inequalities continue to shape how people understand and use the law. In times of increasing social and economic polarisation, questions of equitable access to justice are becoming ever more pressing.

Building on our initiative, which began with a conference at the Berlin Social Science Center in March 2026, we aim to continue the exchange on current theoretical and methodological developments, as well as future avenues for access-to-justice research. To this end, we intend to bring together researchers from different legal cultures around the globe, including Latin America, Asia, the United States, and Europe, to reflect on common themes and trends, as well as on comparative approaches.

At the same time, we would like to consider how access-to-justice research can be institutionalised within the RCSL and how our initiative can be further developed.