Law Students

You’ve chosen law as your life’s work. Now let The Iowa State Bar Association help you achieve your legal goals. The ISBA represents approximately 6,500 lawyers from all walks of life and across all practice areas, in Iowa’s 99 counties and beyond. We help Iowa attorneys succeed by facilitating collegiality and professional growth through continuing legal education, practice tools, networking events, interactions with the judiciary and by providing access to publications regarding news and developments impacting the profession. As a member, you have access to all of this and more. We encourage you to take advantage of all the benefits that come with being a part of the ISBA community.

Joining is easier than an Instagram post! Law students in Iowa can join today at no cost. Simply activate your membership online or call the ISBA Membership Department at 515-697-7870.

Activate Your Membership

Joining the Young Lawyers Division

The ISBA Young Lawyers Division is for bar members who are under 36 years of age or have been practicing law for 10 years or less. It is an energetic and invaluable part of Iowa's legal community. Once you graduate, pass the bar and are officially sworn-in to practice, you are automatically admitted for free into the YLD as you have already activated your ISBA membership. After the first free year of membership, YLD members enjoy significantly reduced membership and CLE fees for the next few years of their membership.

Learn More About the YLD

Find a Job with Help from Our Career Center

The ISBA maintains an active career center bringing employers and job-seekers together online. Job seekers may search and apply for the listed jobs or post their resumés on the site for free. When looking for a career in the legal industry, look no further than the ISBA Career Center.

Visit the Career Center

Get Involved in the YLD Mentoring Program

Do you need a good mentor? If yes, we hope that you will register to participate in The Iowa State Bar Association’s Young Lawyer Mentoring Program. The ISBA Mentoring Program is designed to foster mutually beneficial relationships between the participating attorneys, reduce the isolation experienced by some beginning attorneys, improve the quality of legal services received by clients, and generally benefit the legal profession as a whole.

YLD Mentoring Program

Cady Law Opportunity Fellow Program

The ISBA YLD is proud to continue their commitment to fostering a more inclusive and robust legal profession by offering law students this unique opportunity. The Cady Law Opportunity Fellow Program, named after the late Justice Mark Cady, was a program previously operated by Drake Law School to give students from diverse backgrounds and experiences opportunities they may not readily have access to. More specifically, the Cady Fellowship honors students from various backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences with a 10-week paid internship or clerkship in private practice and corporate counsel settings between their 1L and 2L years.

LEARN MORE

Free Continuing Legal Education

The ISBA is proud to provide you, the law student, the best continuing legal education available absolutely free. Gain valuable knowledge through our CLE programs at no cost to you. Our courses are offered through a variety of formats to meet your needs and busy schedules including live seminars, live webinars and on-demand seminars.

View the ISBA CLE Calendar

Free Legal Research with vLex Fastcase

vLex Fastcase is the leading next-generation legal research service that puts a comprehensive national law library and smarter searching, sorting and visualization tools at your fingertips. Normally priced at $1,000 per lawyer annually, as an ISBA member, you can access vLex Fastcase free of charge!

Try vLex Fastcase Today

Make Yourself at Home at the ISBA Building

As a member, you are welcome to use the ISBA Building to access the internet, use an empty conference room or work in a private office. The building offers three conference rooms, one private office and a CLE Center on a first-come, first-served basis. Building hours are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. To reserve a room please contact Dion Grady at meetings@iowabar.org or call (515) 697-7864.

Reserve a Room

Additional ISBA Member Benefits

The ISBA has partnered with a number of vendors to provide discounts on products and services exclusively to ISBA members. Save money by taking advantage of these discounts from merchants and vendors in the community. View a complete listing of our member benefits and practice tools. Take a closer look at what your membership entails by viewing our New Attorney Guide.

View the New Attorney Guide

Legal Grounds: Coffee & Conversations

Are you a young lawyer looking to connect with your peers? The Young Lawyers Division invites you to their next Legal Grounds event.

From 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., join the YLD at the Smokey Row Coffee Co. in Des Moines and a rotating eastern Iowa location for a morning of casual conversations and networking opportunities. This gathering, held on the second Tuesday of each month, provides a relaxed setting for young lawyers to meet, share experiences, and discuss the latest in and outside the legal world.

Reservations are not required as attendees are welcome to drop in at their convenience. Whether looking to catch up with old friends, make new connections, or simply enjoy a complimentary coffee and bagel, Legal Grounds is the perfect way to start your day.