The Institute for Legal and Policy Studies is located in the Center for State Policy and Leadership at the University of Illinois at Springfield.  The Institute was developed in 1977 primarily to contribute to the understanding and improvement of the Illinois legal system in ways accessible to scholars, policy makers, practitioners, and the general public.  The Institute conducts training, research, and public service and education projects that address significant public issues related to the law and legal system.

Institute projects include those independently undertaken and those funded on a grant or contract basis to through public and private sector support.  Substantive areas of concern have included judicial process; the philosophy and history of the law; social services, including child welfare and substance abuse; dispute resolution; and administrative, criminal, corrections, school, health, environmental, family, and juvenile law.

Institute activities include writing publications, legislation, and administration rules; legal and social science research; legislative and policy analysis; and developing law related and other educational material, training curricula, workshops, and conferences.