Positive media attention continues on diploma privilege recommendation Media from inside and outside the state continue to show interest in the recent recommendations of the ISBA’s Blue Ribbon Committee on Legal Education and Licensure.
The Iowa State Bar Association’s Board of Governors unanimously approved the recommendations put forth by the Blue Ribbon Committee at its quarterly meeting in December 2013. The recommendations move away from the multi-state bar exam in use for the past five years and adopt the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) that is portable in 14 states. The recommendations also allow students who successfully complete three years of specified law school course work at Drake University Law School or the University of Iowa College of Law to be admitted to the Iowa Bar without being required to take a bar exam. One of the most recent media interviews occurred on the Lawyer2Lawyer podcast hosted by Bob Ambrogi and J. Craig Williams. The hosts interviewed ISBA President Guy Cook and University of Iowa Clinical Professor of Law John Whiston on their Jan. 28 show, which is hosted on the Legal Talk Network. Listen to the audio podcast here. Go to the Blue Ribbon Taskforce web page on the ISBA website for additional resources and more media reports on the unanimously approved proposal. The committee’s recommendations have been submitted to the Iowa Supreme Court for review.
YLD session on becoming a
lawyer-legislator postponed
The
information session the YLD planned to sponsor this afternoon (Jan. 29) for
attorneys interested in becoming a legislator has been postponed. As of this
writing, a new date hadn’t been selected.
Conflicts
with the schedules of legislators who were lined up to speak necessitated the
postponement, according to organizers.
The
session, which is the second one offered by the YLD, is intended to give
prospective legislators information on such topics as the ethical issues in
campaigns, understanding the districts, voter/voting issues and the executive
office versus legislative offices, and the nuts and bolts of a campaign. This latter session is led by a panel of
legislators and would-be legislators.
The new date will be announced in this newsletter as soon as it is
decided.
25+ law
students looking for summer employment in rural areas
At
press-time, 27 students from Drake University Law School and the University of
Iowa College of Law had indicated their interest in participating in the ISBA
Rural Practice Committee’s Summer Clerkship program. All had submitted their
resumes for posting on the Rural
Practice Committee web page.
Now
the critical element is to find attorneys in rural communities who would be
willing to hire the students for the summer.
There
are a number of benefits to hiring a student, according to attorneys who have
participated in the program in the past. See the benefits they experienced
under "Rural Practice
Benefits” and "Why
You Should Participate” on the web page.
Some
prospective employers have concerns about the cost and the time commitment
associated with hiring a student for the summer. Program organizers suggest
that the student be paid $15 an hour for a maximum of 10 weeks, although the
number of weeks and the compensation rate is determined by the attorney and the
student. (See "Frequently
Asked Questions.”)
Any
ISBA member may view the posted resumes. If you are willing to consider hiring
a student for the summer, simply click on "View Participating Student
Resumes” on the Rural Practice web page. In order to assist students in
finding a practice and community where they would like to work, plans are to
create a template that interested attorneys can fill out containing information
about the attorney’s practice and about the community. The information will be
posted on the web page. Only students will be able to access the information.
Beware of
yet another scam directed at attorneys
A
member sent an email to the ISBA Monday morning (Jan. 27) asking that members
be informed about another scam directed at attorneys. This one takes a
different approach than the previous scams reported in this newsletter. She
wrote:
"Last
week we received an inquiry through our website for representation from a
company in the UK purporting to be "Technicare Dental Supplies"
seeking representation in a potential claim for breach of contract for over $2
million against a local Iowa company. After review of the documents they sent,
it appears to be a scam.
"They
sent a series of obviously doctored emails and a fake contract for the sale of
goods with seriously doctored logos of a local company and fake image-based
signatures on pdf's, as well as an odd wire transfer notice. Their supposed
warehouse address in the UK appears on Google Maps to be a shabby mobile repair
shop and could not reasonably accept over 2 million dollars worth of shipped
goods.
"If
you are not well versed in technology, it could appear to be legitimate at
first,” she
wrote.
If
you receive similar too-good-to-be-true solicitations, please let the ISBA know
so the information can be passed on to all members. Thanks.
New ISBA legislative
tracking program provides easy access to bills important to your practice
A
new legislative bill tracking program makes it easier than ever to comment on a
piece of legislation being considered in the Iowa House or Senate. The program
is accessed from the web pages of each ISBA section.
To
look at a bill important to your area of practice, go to the section web page
on the ISBA’s website, click on a section, then click on "Legislative Bills of Interest.” The window that opens displays,
among other information, the bill number, the ISBA’s position on the bill, a
brief description of the bill, when the bill was introduced and where it
currently resides, i.e., subcommittee, committee in the legislature.
Clicking
on the bill number takes you to a screen containing various information about
the individual bill including a "Post Your
Comments” button. Click that button, enter your name and email address
(required fields) and write your comment. When finished, click on the button
"Display Your Comments for Review.”
Your
comments are automatically submitted to ISBA legislative counsel.
Color of money could make a difference
in retirement bliss
If
retirement is in the not-too-distant future for you, make sure you have the
right colored money, says a financial planner who has been working with
individuals and companies on their financial goals for nearly 30 years.
Curt
Whipple, chief managing partner at the C. Curtis Financial Group in Plymouth,
Mich., believes that you need red, blue and green money to provide the
diversity necessary to weather the meltdowns of the nation’s economic systems
such as the one that began in 2008.
Read
why
…
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Did You Know...
…that
as an active ISBA member, you are entitled to use the association’s Member Mark
on your business cards, letterhead and other materials used to promote your
practice? The mark conveys to the public and to
fellow attorneys that you are a proud Iowa lawyer and an active, participating
member in the 8,400-plus-member association. Click here for information about this
free member benefit, including the rules of use, the licensing agreement and
the application form.
Benefit of the WeekISBA Headquarters
The Bar Headquarters is the home of the lawyers and judges of Iowa. It is their professional gathering place. ISBA members may reserve any of the Bar conference rooms (3 conference rooms, 2 private offices and a CLE Center) on a first-come, first-served basis. Rooms are free of charge for law-related meetings (food, soft drinks and coffee are extra). Conference Center hours are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.
Contact Meetings Coordinator Lisa Hanson at meetings@iowabar.org or call (515) 697-7876 for more information or to reserve a room.
Iowa Supreme Court Decisions
January 24, 2014
No.
12-1928 IN
RE THE MARRIAGE OF MELISSA JO MIHM AND SCOTT ANTHONY MIHM, Upon the Petition of
MELISSA JO MIHM n/k/a MELISSA JO WEBER
Appeal
from the Iowa District Court for Winneshiek County, David F. Staudt, Judge.
Ex-wife
seeks further review of a court of appeals decision affirming a trial court
judgment finding there was no substantial change in circumstances justifying
modification of a child support order. DECISION OF COURT OF APPEALS VACATED
IN PART AND AFFIRMED IN PART; DISTRICT COURT JUDGMENT REVERSED IN PART,
AFFIRMED IN PART, AND REMANDED.
No.
12-2226 EDWARD
CROWELL, Plaintiff, vs. STATE PUBLIC DEFENDER and IOWA DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT
Certiorari
to the Iowa District Court for Linn County, Jane F. Spande, District Associate
Judge.
State
agencies challenge a district court order appointing counsel at public expense
in a termination-of-parental-rights proceeding under Iowa Code chapter 600A. WRIT
ANNULLED.
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