Hello, and Happy New Year! I am Maureen Ryan Braley, the new Executive Director of the Idaho State Bar and the Idaho Law Foundation. As we all know, Diane Minnich served in this role for over 30 years and has retired at the end of 2024. Diane is an extraordinary leader who made a major impact on the legal profession in this state. It is humbling to follow in her footsteps, and I will miss hearing her infectious laugh reverberating through our hallways.

If you already know me, I am excited to work with you in my new role. If you do not know me, here is some information about me, so we can get to know each other. I was born in the Midwest, raised in the Southwest, and educated at Gonzaga University and Gonzaga University School of Law. I moved to Idaho in August 2004 to clerk for Chief Justice Gerald F. Schroeder of the Idaho Supreme Court. Following my clerkship, I worked for Holland & Hart, Meuleman Mollerup (now closed), and as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in Ada County. I sought employment with the Bar to capitalize on my legal experience while committing to public service. In 2011, Diane hired me as the Director of Admissions, then in 2019, I was promoted to Associate Director of the Bar and the Foundation.

I love Idaho. My love for this state grew in the Panhandle while I attended Gonzaga. In the past 20+ years, I have enjoyed exploring this state from Priest Lake to the Henry’s Fork to the Owyhees. I also enjoy traveling around our state on business and am often in Coeur d’Alene, Moscow, Lewiston, Idaho Falls, Twin Falls, and Caldwell.

I applied for the Executive Director position because I care about and am committed to the Bar’s and the Foundation’s missions: promoting high standards of professional conduct for attorneys, increasing access to legal services, and enhancing public understanding of the law. It is exciting that my first article as Executive Director coincides with the 100^th anniversary of the Bar and the 50^th anniversary of the Foundation. In 2025, we will celebrate the organizations’ histories. A joint Bar/Foundation Anniversary Committee will hold a marquee event in July 2025 to commemorate the anniversaries. The anniversaries are also an opportunity to consider our future. To that end, my priorities include improving attorneys’ digital experience with our organizations and providing meaningful opportunities for in-person engagement around the state.

We have a talented team of employees at the Bar and Foundation. We are committed to executing our regulatory functions and fulfilling the organizations’ missions. I am fortunate to work with such talented professionals. The Bar and Foundation also rely on you, Idaho attorneys, to execute their missions. I have had the privilege of working with great Idaho attorneys serving as bar exam graders, Board members, District Bar officers, and committee members. Thank you for committing your time to improving our profession. If you are interested in getting involved with the Bar, please reach out to me. We would love to have your help.

I look forward to working with you.

Maureen Ryan Braley is the Executive Director of the Idaho State Bar and the Idaho Law Foundation. Maureen is a “double Zag,” having earned her undergraduate degree in history and her law degree from Gonzaga University. She clerked for Chief Justice Gerald F. Schroeder of the Idaho Supreme Court and practiced law for six years in Boise before joining the Idaho State Bar staff in 2011 as the Director of Admissions. In 2024, she became the Executive Director.