Kourlis served Colorado’s judiciary for nearly two decades, first as a trial court judge and then as a justice of the Colorado Supreme Court. She resigned from the Supreme Court in January 2006 to establish the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System (IAALS), where she serves as executive director. IAALS is a national, independent research center housed at the University of Denver and is dedicated to continuous improvement of the process and culture of the civil justice system.

The author of more than 200 opinions and dissents during her tenure as a judge, Kourlis also spearheaded significant reforms in the judicial system relating to juries, family law, and attorney regulation.

She is the recipient of the 2012 John Marshall Award, presented by the American Bar Association Justice Center to recognize individuals who are dedicated to the improvement of the administration of justice; the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Legal Reform Organization of the Year Award (2007); and the ABA Judicial Division Robert B. Yegge Award for Outstanding Contribution in the Field of Judicial Administration (2009). She is a fellow of the Colorado Bar and American Bar Foundations. In 2010, she and her husband Tom were named Citizens of the West by the National Western Stock Show.

Kourlis is also the author of Rebuilding Justice: Civil Courts in Jeopardy and Why You Should Care.