By Hayley M. Masching, Esquire
The future of the legal profession in Iowa depends not only on academic institutions and licensing bodies, but on the sustained engagement of practicing attorneys. The recently published statistics from the February 2025 Iowa bar examination present a sobering reality: only 34% of total examinees passed. Among first-time Iowa test takers, just 44% passed.
These numbers reflect more than individual outcomes—they point to a system-wide issue that affects the strength, accessibility, and sustainability of the Iowa bar. Improving these outcomes will require more than academic reform. It demands a deliberate, long-term investment from practicing attorneys in the development of aspiring lawyers—beginning before law school and continuing through licensure and early practice.
Bar passage rates reflect a systemic challenge
While bar exam performance varies from year to year, the 2025 figures indicate a persistent and growing concern. When fewer students pass the bar, the pipeline of new attorneys narrows. This compounds staffing challenges at law firms, strains the bench and bar in rural communities, and delays the delivery of legal services across the state. Moreover, a generation of young lawyers burdened with debt and uncertainty may choose to leave Iowa altogether in search of more stable opportunities elsewhere.
If we hope to reverse this trend, the legal profession must reframe its role in legal education and bar readiness—not as passive observers, but as essential contributors.
The role of practicing attorneys
The strength of the bar depends on the quality and preparedness of its newest members. Law schools are central to that mission, but they cannot shoulder it alone. Practicing attorneys have an essential role to play in building and supporting the next generation of Iowa lawyers.
1. Begin outreach early: High school and college engagement
The foundation of a legal career is often laid well before law school. Many students are never exposed to the legal profession until late in their academic journey—if at all. Early outreach can expand the pipeline and encourage more students, especially in rural or underrepresented communities, to consider law as a profession.
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Volunteer to judge high school or undergraduate mock trial competitions, which develop critical thinking, public speaking, and legal reasoning.
These simple acts of engagement can help plant seeds that grow into future law students, bar applicants, and committed Iowa practitioners.
2. Support law students through mentorship and experience
Once students enter law school, practicing attorneys can provide real-world context and professional support that enriches classroom learning.
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Mentor law students through formal bar association programs or informally, offering advice on academics, clerkships, and career planning.
Mentorship helps students feel connected to the profession, builds confidence, and improves their readiness to pass the bar and succeed in practice.
3. Invest in bar exam preparation and transition to practice
Passing the bar exam remains a high-stakes challenge, especially for students without strong support systems.
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Offer guidance and encouragement to recent graduates preparing for the bar, including study tips, mental health resources, and exam-day advice.
A stronger bar passage rate begins with a more supportive and engaged legal community.
4. Collaborate with law schools to promote practice-ready education
Practicing attorneys are uniquely positioned to identify where gaps exist between academic preparation and professional expectations.
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Provide feedback to law schools on areas where new graduates struggle, such as client interaction, courtroom procedures, or legal writing.
Stronger collaboration between legal educators and practitioners ensures that graduates leave school better prepared for the rigors of the bar and the realities of practice.
Why this matters
The February 2025 bar passage data is a warning, but also an opportunity. As a profession, we cannot afford to be complacent. Each passing year without adequate investment in the next generation erodes the strength of our bench and bar. The impact is particularly acute in small firms, solo practices, and rural communities that already face recruitment challenges.
By engaging earlier and more meaningfully in the development of future attorneys, we not only improve exam performance—we build a legal profession that is more inclusive, better prepared, and more responsive to Iowa’s needs.
A call to action
Every Iowa attorney can make a difference. Judging one mock trial round, mentoring one student, or offering one summer position can inspire confidence and shape a career. These small efforts, multiplied across the profession, have the power to transform the legal landscape of our state.
The legal profession is not just something we inherit—it is something we build. By investing our time, experience, and encouragement in the next generation, we ensure that the Iowa bar remains strong, ethical, and capable of meeting the challenges ahead.
About the author:
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Hayley Masching is a litigation attorney at Simmons Perrine Moyer Bergman PLC with a general practice including business and commercial litigation. Ms. Masching graduated with distinction from the University of Iowa College of Law in 2023 where she earned the Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence twice and the Faculty Award for Academic Excellence once. She also competed in several Iowa Law moot court competitions, earning a spot on the Jessup International Moot Court Competition Team. Ms. Masching was raised in Algonquin, IL. She earned her undergraduate degree in political science, as well as minors in criminology, law, and justice and philosophy, with highest distinction, from the University of Iowa in 2021.
