Iowa State Bar Association

ISBA SUPPORTS MEMBERS AND THEIR SERVICES TO CLIENTS, COMMUNITY, AND THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM.

COMMITTEE AND SECTION EXPENSES - THE ISBA HAS 24 SUBSTANTIVE LAW SECTIONS AND 36 COMMITTEES WITH OVER 600 VOLUNTEER PARTICIPANTS. SECTIONS - A SECTION IS COMPRISED OF LAWYERS WHO PRACTICE IN SIMILAR LEGAL SPECIALTIES. EACH SECTION IS DESIGNED TO OFFER CLOSER ASSOCIATION BETWEEN ATTORNEYS ENGAGED IN SPECIALIZED FIELDS OF LAW, THUS PROVIDING THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, MANY SECTIONS PUBLISH NEWSLETTERS/REPORTS COVERING CURRENT TOPICS, PENDING AND ADOPTED LEGISLATION, AND RECENT UPDATES ON CASES. COMMITTEES - COMMITTEES ARE ESTABLISHED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT-ELECT TO CONSIDER MATTERS OF INTEREST TO THE BAR MEMBERSHIP, UPDATE PROFESSIONAL MATERIALS, RECOMMEND CHANGES TO POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, AND STUDY VARIOUS LEGAL ISSUES AFFECTING THE LEGAL PROFESSION AND THE PUBLIC. LAW AND CIVIC EDUCATION - THE "KNOW YOUR CONSTITUTION" COMMITTEE OF THE YOUNG LAWYERS DIVISION OF THE IOWA STATE BAR ASSOCIATION OFFERS ONE OF THE BEST AND MOST PUBLICIZED LAW-RELATED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS IN THE STATE OF IOWA. EACH FALL, A QUIZ WITH 50 MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS AND ONE ESSAY QUESTION IS DISTRIBUTED TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ALL OVER THE STATE. AFTER ALL QUIZZES ARE RETURNED TO THE ISBA OFFICE, THE COMMITTEE THEN GRADES THE QUIZZES TO SELECT 100 FINALISTS, ONE FROM EACH HOUSE DISTRICT. APPROXIMATELY 2000 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN THE CONTEST. THE 100 FINALISTS THEN ARE INVITED ALONG WITH THEIR TEACHERS TO AN AWARDS LUNCHEON IN THE DES MOINES AREA. OF THE 100 FINALISTS, 5 ARE CHOSEN AT RANDOM AND AWARDED AN ALL-EXPENSE-PAID TRIP TO WASHINGTON, D.C., FOR THEM AND THEIR TEACHERS. THE MOCK TRIAL PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO INTRODUCE STUDENTS TO OUR LEGAL SYSTEM BY PROVIDING A CHALLENGING, ACADEMIC COMPETITION. THE PROGRAM OFFERS STUDENTS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PERSONAL GROWTH AND ACHIEVEMENT, EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH, PRESENTATION AND TEAMWORK. IN ADDITION TO TEACHING STUDENTS ABOUT CONTEMPORARY PUBLIC ISSUES AND THE LEGAL SYSTEM, THE PROGRAM ENCOURAGES TEACHERS AND STUDENTS TO DEVELOP LEARNING PARTNERSHIPS WITH PROFESSIONALS FROM THE COMMUNITY. LAWYERS FROM COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT IOWA CONTRIBUTE THEIR TIME AS COACHES AND JUDGES AT THE TOURNAMENTS. JUDGES FROM IOWA'S DISTRICT COURTS ALSO PARTICIPATE. THESE LINKS BETWEEN THE SCHOOLS AND THE LEGAL PROFESSION SHOW STUDENTS THAT THE COMMUNITY IS COMMITTED TO THEIR EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS.

LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM - EACH YEAR THE ISBA'S AFFIRMATIVE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM INCLUDES PROPOSALS FOR ENACTMENT BY IOWA'S LEGISLATURE FOR THE BENEFIT OF IOWA'S CITIZENS. FOR EXAMPLE, AFTER EXTENSIVE STUDY THE ASSOCIATION HAS RECOMMENDED ADOPTION AND/OR AMENDMENT OF THE PROBATE CODE, TRUST CODE, COMMERCIAL CODE, AND BUSINESS CORPORATION ACT. IT HAS ALSO BEEN ACTIVE IN STUDIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS PROGRAMS FOR DRUG-ADDICTED, NON-VIOLENT CRIMINAL OFFENDERS; FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN LAWS GOVERNING ELECTRONIC COMMERCE; AND IN PROPOSED LEGISLATION FOR THE MODERNIZATION OF REAL ESTATE RECORDS.

MEMBERSHIP SERVICES - MEMBER SERVICES ARE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE ISBA IN ORDER TO ASSIST MEMBERS IN THE PRACTICE OF LAW. THESE SERVICES RANGE FROM PRACTICE MANUALS, FORMS, TECHNOLOGY SERVICES, AND FREE LEGAL RESEARCH.

CONTINUED LEGAL EDUCATION (CLE) - THE ISBA CLE DEPARTMENT IS DEDICATED TO MEETING THE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF ISBA MEMBERS. OVER 40 CLE SEMINARS ARE HELD ANNUALLY. IOWA CLE SEMINARS ARE OFFERED THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF IOWA, VIA WEBCASTS AND TELECONFERENCE. THEY INCLUDE HALF-DAY, FULL-DAY, MULTI- DAY SESSIONS, TYPICALLY DIVIDED INTO SEGMENTS OF VARIOUS LENGTHS. THE PROGRAMS ADDRESS SUBSTANTIVE AREAS AND LEGAL PROCEDURES, LEGAL ETHICS, ELIMINATION OF BIAS, LAW OFFICE MANAGEMENT, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. IOWA CLE PUBLISHES OUTLINES AND MATERIALS TO ACCOMPANY ITS EDUCATION COURSES, AS WELL AS OTHER BOOKS, PAMPHLETS AND MATERIALS CONTAINING PRACTICE GUIDES, LEGAL FORMS, AND REFERENCE INFORMATION.