Our guest today is a self-described “unapologetic access to justice advocate.” Natalie Anne Knowlton is the founder and principal consultant at Access to Justice Ventures, an organization committed to eliminating systemic barriers to legal resources by empowering entrepreneurs who are developing scalable solutions. As a law student, Natalie was deeply passionate about humanitarian and civil rights issues, so she ultimately decided to focus her career on the A2J space. Her list of activities is extensive. She became a research analyst at the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System (IAALS), a think tank that also develops and implements innovative solutions to advance the legal system and serve those in need. There Natalie and her colleagues have conducted quantitative and qualitative empirical research in order to effectively address access to justice challenges. Today she serves as advisor on regulatory innovation at IAALS, after serving various roles in research and special projects. In 2022, she launched Access to Justice Ventures, and also became a transition consultant at Self-Represented Litigation Network, which aims to reform the legal system as the number of self-represented litigants rises in the US. Additionally, Natalie is a limited partner at the investment fund LongJump and the venture capital fund Overlooked Ventures, both of which help new founders develop their businesses.
In our wide-ranging discussion, Natalie talks about how she channels "empirically informed outrage" to make a difference in law, her vision for regulatory reform, her work at Access to Justice Ventures, and her goals for changing the A2J space.