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Save the Date! May 1st is Law Day!

Join us at Beside Bardenay on Wednesday, May 1, 2019 from 5:00-8:00 p.m. (MT) for the 2019 Law Day Reception. Idaho Supreme Court Justice Robyn Brody will be our emcee. The theme this year, “Free Speech, Free Press, Free Society,” focuses on these cornerstones of representative government and calls on us to understand and protect these rights to ensure, as the U.S. Constitution proposes, “the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our posterity.”

Times and additional details to come!

Each year the Idaho State Bar Board of Commissioners presents awards to members of the Bar who demonstrate exemplary leadership, professionalism and commitment to the legal profession and to the public. Nominations can be submitted at any time, but the deadline to be included in the current year is at the end of March, with selections announced in May. The Distinguished Jurist, Distinguished Lawyer, Outstanding Young Lawyer and Section of the Year awards are presented at the Annual Meeting each July. The Professionalism and Pro Bono awards are presented at the resolution meetings in the fall.

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Board of Commissioners Election Notice

Nominations for the 2019 ISB Commissioner Due April 2, 2019 – Attorneys in the First, Second and Fourth districts will be electing new representatives to the Idaho State Bar Board of Commissioners this spring. The new commissioners will replace Michael Howard, Coeur d’Alene, and David Cooper, Boise.  Pursuant to Idaho Bar Commission Rule 900, the new commissioner representing the First and Second districts must reside or maintain an office in the Second district. Commissioners of the Idaho State Bar – the elected governing body of the Bar – serve for three (3) years, beginning on the last day of the ISB Annual Meeting following their elections. The Board of Commissioners is charged with administering the regulation of the legal profession in Idaho, which includes the testing, admission, and licensing of attorneys, overseeing disciplinary functions and mandatory continuing legal education requirements.

Nominations must be in writing and signed by at least five (5) members of the ISB in good standing, and eligible to vote in the districts. The Executive Director must receive nominations no later than the close of business on Tuesday, April 2, 2019.  A nominating petition form may be obtained by calling the office of the Executive Director at (208) 334-4500 or on the ISB website at www.isb.idaho.gov.  Ballots will be distributed electronically to all members eligible to vote in the First, Second and Fourth districts on Monday, April 15. All ballots properly cast and returned to the ISB office will be counted by a Board of Canvassers at the close of business on Tuesday, May 7.

2019 Nominating Petition- First & Second Districts

2019 Nominating Petition- Fourth District

The 6.1 Challenge, named after Idaho Rule of Professional Conduct 6.1, is an event to encourage and formally recognize pro bono and public service activities from members of the Fourth District Bar through office team participation. Rule 6.1 states that every lawyer has a professional responsibility to provide legal services to those unable to pay. A lawyer should aspire to render at least fifty (50) hours of pro bono legal services per year to persons of limited means or to charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental and educational organizations.

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The Idaho State Bar Professionalism & Ethics Section and Concordia University School of Law are honored to invite nominations for the Richard C. Fields Civility Award. Dick Fields was consistently recognized for his service, professionalism, and leadership within the Idaho State Bar and was known in the legal community as an advocate for civility in the practice of law. Dick received the Idaho State Bar’s Distinguished Lawyer Award in 2000 and chaired the Dean’s Advisory Council at Concordia Law since its inception in 2009, until his passing in April 2014.

In honor of Dick’s memory and the legacy he left for future generations of lawyers in Idaho, we invite you to nominate an Idaho lawyer who demonstrates a commitment to professionalism and civility in the profession. To do so, please send an email to Julianne Hall, (jhall@gfidaholaw.com), Professionalism & Ethics Section Chair, with the name of the attorney and a paragraph describing the attorney’s commitment to civility in the profession. The selection committee will also consider any accompanying information such as resumes or letters in support, though that information is not required.

Past recipients include:

2014      Hon. Mikel Williams

2015      Reginald Reeves

2016      William (Bud) Yost III

2017      Richard Hall

2018      Ted Argyle

Please note that the recipient will be selected in late May 2019 and the intent is to present the Richard C. Fields Civility Award at the Idaho State Bar’s 2019 Resolution Meeting (aka The Roadshow) in the district of the awardee’s residence in November 2019. Early selection is necessary for appropriate inclusion in State Bar Award publications.

Deadline for submitting a nomination is Friday, March 29, 2019.

29th, 2019 in Idaho Falls, Idaho.  The ceremony will start at 3:00 pm, with a reception following.  Judge Nelson would be honored if you could attend.
You will be receiving a formal invitation in the mail soon, which will include the location and additional information.  But before then, please RSVP to Ari Volpe.

You can reach her at ariel_volpe@ca9.uscourts.gov.
We look forward to seeing you in Idaho Falls on March 29th.

The Sixth District Bar Association, in association with the Idaho State Bar, is pleased to announce the 2019 Citizen’s Law Academy will soon be underway.  The Academy is set to commence on April 2, 2019 and run through May 14, 2019.  Sessions will be held starting at 6:00 pm on Tuesday, April 2nd and will continue every Tuesday evening through the 14^th of May.  Most, if not all, of the presentations will take place on the third floor of the Bannock County Courthouse in one of the district courtrooms.  The United States Courthouse may also be used from time to time.

The academy offers basic legal education in many areas of the law including: criminal  procedure, family law, civil tort claims, Native American law, wills and estates, treatment courts, alternative dispute resolution and more.  Presenters will include attorneys and judges from all over the state as well as Judge Randy Smith of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.  There is no cost to participate, but those wishing to attend must complete a short written application.

Applications are available on line at the link below.

2019 Sixth District Citizen’s Law Academy Application

Please contact Lisa Tolle at the Federal Defenders of Idaho, at lisa_tolle@fd.org or 208-478-2046, The Bannock County Prosecutor’s Office, 208-236-7280, or Rachel Miller at the Law Offices of Racine Olson at ram@racinelaw.net or 208-232-6101 with any questions.  Applications will be mailed or emailed to you, depending on your preference and are due by March 25, 2019.  Space is limited to just 30 participants so reserve your place in this free educational community program as soon as possible!

Scholarship available to ISB Annual Meeting
The Idaho State Bar is offering a limited number of scholarships to the
2019 Annual Meeting, July 24-26, in Boise. The scholarships
include full registration and per diem up to $75 per day for travel and
lodging. The scholarships are designed to provide assistance to those
attorneys who, due to financial or professional circumstances, would
otherwise be unable to attend. To apply for scholarship, contact the ISB
Commissioner who represents your judicial district or ISB Program and

Legal Education Director Teresa Baker at (208) 334-4500. Deadline for a
scholarship request is Friday, May 24, 2019.