By Lisa Hanson, Executive Editor
Since being confirmed as president-elect at the Annual Meeting in June, Ian Russell becomes the third member of The Iowa State Bar Association to serve as president of the ISBA Young Lawyers Division and progress on to become president-elect of the ISBA.
Ian recalls it was current ISBA Board of Governors member Eric Bidwell that first extended an invitation to him to join the ISBA Young Lawyers Division Executive Council as an at-large member. From there, Ian went on to become a district representative on the YLD Executive Council and eventually serve as president of the division from 2013-2014.
While there have been many lawyers that have professionally helped Ian along the way, he credits ISBA Past President Bob Waterman, Jr. as being a mentor on ISBA matters, as well as helping him become a trial lawyer.
Ian puts forth growing membership as his top priority while serving as an officer. He states: “The ISBA, as a voluntary membership organization, is only as strong as its membership. The state, the profession and the ISBA are facing the reality that our population is aging. We need to recruit and retain new members to
the ISBA to strengthen our future.”
Ian believes that the ISBA helps make better lawyers by connecting people and supporting the profession. Along those lines, Ian would advise young attorneys to get to know people. He adds: “Iowa lawyers and judges are almost always happy to talk with and help younger lawyers. Take advantage of those opportunities.”
He also adds: “I want to make things a little bit easier for Iowa lawyers. Being an attorney is an encompassing profession. We can’t make it less so, but the ISBA can make a few things a little bit easier. Just call me. I want to talk to lawyers and judges about what we can do to help.”
Ian’s community and professional involvement doesn’t stop with giving his time and talents to the ISBA. He is a current member of the Board of Directors for the Ronald McDonald House of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois. The charity manages the Ronald McDonald House at the University of Iowa, family rooms at the UIHC Stead Family Children’s Hospital and at St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids. He is a previous member of both the Downtown Davenport Partnership Board, a group that supports the growth and development of downtown Davenport, and the Friends of the Davenport Library, which is the fundraising arm of the local library. He is also on the Board of Directors for the Illinois Defense Council.
Ian spends most of his free time with his very active family. He and his wife Sara have twin 14-year-old sons, Gavin and Aiden. Gavin wrestles, runs cross-country and plays baseball, and Ian has taken up coaching his baseball team the last couple of years. Aiden is a Boy Scout and budding “ninja warrior” who works out frequently on a homemade ninja course in the backyard. Sara is a teacher for the Pleasant Valley School District. After being named the 2022 Iowa Teacher of the Year, an honor which was announced by Governor Kim Reynolds in October 2021, she will spend this school year serving as an ambassador for Iowa educators.
When not working to enhance the legal profession or contributing to the betterment of the communities around him, Ian also enjoys playing golf, riding his bike, skiing, hiking and traveling. With the help of the family dog Bryzzo (who was devastated at last year’s MLB trade deadline) he also enjoys doing home renovation projects.
A native of the Twin Cities of Iowa, Tama and Toledo, ISBA President-Elect Ian Russell earned his B.A. from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, and then received his J.D. from the University of Iowa College of Law. Ian is a partner at Lane & Waterman LLP in Davenport, where he has practiced since 2005. Ian represents both businesses and individuals in court and has extensive experience in commercial litigation, medical malpractice defense and personal injury. He also counsels clients on media and first amendment law, election issues and aviation matters. Ian is licensed in both Iowa and Illinois state and federal courts.
When asked why he is willing to direct so much time to The Iowa State Bar Association, Russell replied: “The ISBA helps make people better lawyers and professionals. It connects people and supports the profession. I am happy to be a small part of that.”
