How Does the Work of the Idaho Law Foundation Uphold and Reaffirm the Rule of Law?

As a new year begins, it is my honor and privilege to address my fellow Idaho attorneys and update you on the important work of the Idaho Law Foundation.

First, to those I don’t already know, I would like to provide a brief introduction. My name is Sunrise Ayers. I began my term as President of the Idaho Law Foundation (“ILF”) in July of 2024, taking over from Fonda Jovick. Fonda did incredible work as ILF President, and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue that work in the year ahead. I’ve been a member of the ILF Board since 2016 and am a passionate advocate for the Foundation’s mission of increasing access to legal services and enhancing public understanding of the law.

As President, my priority in the year ahead is for ILF’s work to be a positive force for upholding and reaffirming the rule of law. In my view, that can be accomplished by ensuring we are educating the public, in an accessible way, about the role judges and lawyers play in ensuring all persons, institutions, and entities are accountable to the law. The ILF is doing that work through our Law Related Education Program (“LRE”). In 2025, LRE will grow the mock trial program with the addition of middle school mock trial and the courtroom journalist contest. LRE will also introduce the Seniors & the Law publication and continue with our annual Constitution Day event.

Additionally, ILF’s work upholds the rule of law by providing access to legal services to those in our state who cannot afford private attorneys through the Idaho Volunteer Lawyers Program (“IVLP”). For the public to trust in our courts and judicial systems, they have to believe they have equal access to those systems. ILF’s work connecting low-income Idahoans with pro bono attorneys helps achieve the promise of equal access to justice, while also helping Idaho attorneys meet their professional obligations under Rule 6.1 in ways that are personally and professionally fulfilling. In 2025, IVLP aims to develop attorney resources and trainings that will ensure attorneys practicing in all areas of law feel comfortable providing much needed pro bono services. The trainings will include checklists, explanation of self-help forms, and tips for providing advice and counsel to pro se litigants.

The important work of the ILF is only possible with the support of the attorneys of our great state. We rely on your donations to support mock trial, pay for printing and distribution of educational publications such as “18 in Idaho” and “Seniors & the Law,” fund the staff needed to run Idaho’s mock trial and Idaho Volunteer Lawyers Program, and other worthy projects. You can donate to support the ongoing work of ILF when you fill out your annual licensing form or visit us online at idaholawfoundation.org. ILF also benefits immensely from the many attorneys who volunteer their time to support our mission. Whether your passion draws you to taking a case for IVLP or volunteering as a mock trial judge, the time you donate to ILF pays dividends that make our communities stronger.

I cannot discuss what ILF has planned in 2025 without touching on the big changes happening at the Bar. After 39 years of dedicated service to the Idaho State Bar and its membership, Diane Minnich retired as Executive Director in December 2024. Diane leaves behind a legacy of excellence and a strong and supportive Bar. The entire ILF Board wishes to thank Diane for her years of leadership. Stepping into the Executive Director role, Maureen Ryan Braley will bring her years of experience at the Bar and a passion for the ILF’s mission to the position. The ILF Board is excited to work with Maureen and we wish her many successes in the years ahead.

Each of us who has passed through the gauntlet of law school and Bar passage now enjoys both the privilege and the responsibility of being part of a profession that plays a critical role in our society and democracy. I look forward to working in collaboration with each of you to find ways our profession can meet the standards set by the great American attorneys who have come before us, such as Abraham Lincoln, Thurgood Marshall, Sandra Day O’Connor, and Alexander Hamilton, of using our time and talents in the service of others. Finally, may our work as lawyers and judges in 2025 be an example to all of the integrity and strength of the rule of law. As Abraham Lincoln said, “Let every American, every lover of liberty, every well wisher to his posterity, swear by the blood of the Revolution, never to violate in the least particular, the laws of the country; and never to tolerate their violation by others.”

Sunrise Ayers is the President of the Idaho Law Foundation. She graduated from Northwestern School of Law of Lewis and Clark College and the College of Idaho. Sunrise is the Executive Director (“ED”) of Idaho Legal Aid, where she has worked for over 18 years and practiced largely in the areas of elder law and housing law before moving into the ED role.