Department Report: Program Services by Teresa A. Baker

May 30, 2024 by Carissa Carns

by Teresa A. Baker

Members of the Idaho State Bar have access to a variety of programs, resources, discounts, and services available that you may not know about. These resources can help improve your practice, personal life, leadership, and community involvement.

Join a Practice Section

Probably the most helpful resource to law practitioners in Idaho are the 23 Practice Sections.  The members of these Sections offer support for each other in a myriad of ways including educational opportunities through monthly CLE sessions and annual conferences.  Additionally, many of the Sections offer a listserv to their members wherein your questions are answered almost immediately by those practicing in the same area of the law.

However, the most beneficial reason to join a Section is to become better acquainted with other bar members as this helps us all by keeping the practice of law in Idaho civil and professional. Become a member of a Practice Section by visiting the Idaho State Bar website. 

Approved Benefits Providers

The Idaho State Bar works with various organizations to offer benefits that we think our members would utilize and assist them in their practice, their career, and for their clients.  Click on the “Approved Benefit Providers” tab on our website under Member Programs & Services to see the specific offerings.

Fastcase

This unlimited online legal research library is available to all active and judicial members at no-cost and is available for all other members for just $30 a year.  The search engine includes two recently merged competitors and now offers even more legal resources including workflow, analytics and legal research including citation analysis, appellate summaries, and information on case treatment. Fastcase updates its database daily.

Idaho Academy of Leadership for Lawyers (“IALL”)

Our interactive leadership training program is designed specifically for lawyers. Each class consists of a diverse group of 12-20 members of the Idaho State Bar.

The mission of IALL is to promote diversity and inspire the development of leadership within the legal profession. IALL brings together lawyers from different practice areas with a variety of backgrounds from all across Idaho and builds upon the participant’s leadership skills to promote leadership experiences by:

  • Teaching accepted and recognized leadership skills and philosophies;
  • Fostering professional relationships within the Idaho legal community and the greater community;
  • Promoting professional obligations and community service;
  • Raising awareness among lawyers of the broad range of issues and challenges facing leaders today; and
  • Engaging in the community through each member’s legacy project as part of the IALL practicum.

Applications for the 2024-2025 Class are now available on our website. 

Lawyer Assistance Program

A 100% confidential program, the Lawyer Assistance Program (“LAP”) supports lawyers and judges who are experiencing problems associated with alcohol, substance abuse, depression, anxiety, and/or mental health issues in a safe manner. The LAP has a committee member in each judicial district and a 24/7/365 hotline at (866) 460-9014.

Mentor Program

The Mentor Program assists new lawyers in the transition from law school to a successful law practice. The program pairs new lawyers with an experienced lawyer in their local community. Experienced lawyer mentors agree to respond to general questions from the new lawyers and to give suggestions and offer guidance where appropriate about the practical aspects of practicing law.  If you are interested in sharing your expertise with a newer member of the bar, please contact our program liaison Teresa Baker.

Attorney Well-Being Resources

Maintaining well-being is part of lawyers’ ethical duty of competence. It calls for healthy, positive choices to assure that lawyers can be their best for their clients, families, organizations, and communities.  Further, to be their best, lawyers depend on many important contributors who are not lawyers. Therefore, well-being across the legal profession is an important goal.

The ISB Committee on Attorney Well-Being has provided many resources for all members of the legal community to maintain their well-being. This includes free on-demand CLEs on topics such as stress management and trauma-informed lawyering.  The website includes activities to stay strong physically, align your spirit, grow your mind and career, while connecting with others and improving your emotional well-being.  We invite you on this journey with us to live better lives!

Headshot of Teresa Baker.

Teresa A. Baker

Teresa A. Baker is a member of the Idaho State Bar. After practicing law for 20 years, she decided to serve her fellow attorneys and currently serves as the Program and Legal Education Director for the Idaho State Bar and Idaho Law Foundation.