| James J. Sandman | |
| Nationality: | American |
| Occupation: | Lawyer and academic |
| Awards: | American Lawyer Lifetime Achievement Award (2022) Elected Fellow, American Academy of Arts & Sciences (2021) |
| Education: | B.A. J.D. |
| Alma Mater: | Boston College University of Pennsylvania Law School |
| Workplaces: | University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School |
James J. Sandman is an American lawyer and an academic. He serves as the Director of the Future of the Profession Lab, a Distinguished Lecturer, and Senior Consultant for the Future of the Profession Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School.[1] Additionally, he holds the position of President Emeritus at the Legal Services Corporation.[2]
Sandman is most known for his work to improve access to the American justice system for people who cannot afford lawyers. As President of the Legal Services Corporation, the United States’ largest funder of civil legal aid for low-income people, he advocated for the use of technology to provide access to legal information and increased bipartisan support for congressional funding of the Legal Services Corporation. He is also known for his work on professional responsibility, ethics, social justice, equity, and inclusion. He served at Arnold and Porter for 30 years and was the firm's Managing Partner for a decade (1995–2005). Moreover, he is the recipient of the District of Columbia Bar's Justice William J. Brennan Award and the 2016 Cornelius Alexander Humanitarian Award from the District of Columbia Commission on Human Rights[3]
Sandman is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.[4]
Sandman completed his Bachelor of Arts in History at Boston College in 1973. Later in 1976, he earned a J.D. degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.[1]
From 1977 until 2007, he practiced law with Arnold & Porter LLP, where he undertook various roles, including associate, partner, and managing partner. From 2007 to 2011, he served as the General Counsel of the District of Columbia Public Schools. In 2011, he assumed the position of president at the Legal Services Corporation, where he served until 2020. He is the vice chairman at the District of Columbia Access to Justice Commission[5] and at the District of Columbia Public Charter School Board. Since 2020, he has been the director of the Future of the Profession Lab, a distinguished lecturer, and a senior consultant to the Future of the Profession Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School.[1]
Sandman has written on the challenges faced by women in the legal profession,[6] the barriers low-income households face in obtaining representation in civil cases,[7] and the importance of funding civil legal aid for low-income individuals in the United States.[8]