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All current Idaho State Bar members have annual licensing requirements including payment of license fees and the client assistance fund assessment. Depending on status, members are required to provide certification of trust accounts, disclosure of professional liability insurance, and certification of mandatory continuing legal education (MCLE) compliance.
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Membership Information
The following membership information is required by Idaho Bar Commission Rule 303 and is considered public information:
- Full name,
- Name of employer or firm (if applicable),
- Mailing address,
- Phone number,
- Email address for use by the Idaho State Bar, and
- eService email address for use by the Idaho State Court’s iCourt system (active and house counsel members only). Info on eService Addresses and iCourt.
In order to maintain complete records, the Idaho State Bar requests you to also provide your home address and street address (if your mailing address is a PO Box) for our internal records. Note – if you do not wish your home address released to the public, do not use it as your mailing address.
Please keep the Idaho State informed of any changes to your membership information by using the online Address Change Form or contacting the Licensing Department at (208) 334-4500.
- Licensing Forms
- Client Assistance Fund Assessment
- Trust Account Certification
- Professional Liability Insurance Certification
- MCLE Compliance Certification
- Succession Planning Questionnaire
- Optional Fees
The annual licensing packets are mailed in mid-November. Depending on the attorney’s status and MCLE reporting period, the packet will contain all or some of the following forms. The forms are pre-printed with the attorney’s information and blank forms are not available. To order new forms, please contact the Licensing Department.
- License Fee Notice
- Trust Account Certificate
- Disclosure of Professional Liability Insurance
- Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) Certificate of Compliance
The fees and other requirements for each attorney will be included in the licensing packets.
Attorneys who need to submit additional forms to complete their licensing may use the Upload Additional Forms page.
Idaho Code §3-409 and Idaho Bar Commission Rule 602(a) state that the Client Assistance Fund shall be funded by an assessment of the members of the Idaho State Bar in an amount not to exceed $20 per member with the exception of judicial members. Each licensed member of the Idaho State Bar, regardless of membership category or type of practice, is required to pay the Client Assistance Fund assessment listed on the License Fee Notice.
2022 Assessment: The CAF is currently sufficiently funded and the assessment is zero dollars for 2022.
Section XIII of the Idaho Bar Commission Rules and Idaho Rule of Professional Conduct 1.15 govern attorney trust accounts. All active and house counsel members of the Idaho State Bar must certify their trust account information as a part of their licensing regardless of whether or not they have an Idaho client trust account.
If an attorney does not handle any funds or property of the client or third persons in connection with a representation or does not have an office with Idaho, the attorney may check the appropriate exemption box under “Trust Account Requirement” and sign the trust account certificate. Attorneys who are not exempt from the trust account requirements must list all trust accounts, mark them as IOLTA or Non-IOLTA and check the appropriate box under IOLTA Requirement before signing the certificate.
The Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts (IOLTA) Program allows attorneys to invest interest from small or short-term deposits so that these otherwise idle funds may be pooled to generate interest money channeled to the Idaho Law Foundation, Inc. for use in law-related public interest programs.
Trust Account Certificates are not available as blank forms. Please contact the Licensing Department to request a certificate.
Visit the Trust Account page for more information.
Idaho Bar Commission Rule 302(a)(5) requires each active or house counsel member to certify (A) whether the attorney represents private clients; and (B) if the attorney represents private clients, submit proof of current professional liability insurance coverage at the minimum limit of $100,000 per occurrence/$300,000 annual aggregate. Each attorney admitted to the active practice of law in this jurisdiction who is required to have professional liability insurance shall identify the primary carrier and shall notify the Bar in writing within thirty (30) days if the professional liability insurance policy providing coverage lapses, is no longer in effect, or terminates for any reason unless the policy is renewed or replaced without substantial interruption.
Professional Liability Insurance Coverage Certification
Proof of Insurance – Attorneys who represent private clients must submit proof of current professional liability insurance coverage at the minimum limit of $100,000 per occurrence/$300,000 annual aggregate. Proof may be in the form of a certification from your insurer that includes the name of the carrier, name of the insured(s), term and policy limits.
Attorneys who need to submit their insurance certificate or proof of insurance to complete their licensing may use the Upload Additional Forms page.
Idaho Bar Commission Rule 402 requires each active and house counsel member of the Idaho State Bar to complete thirty (30) credit hours of accredited continuing legal education in each and every three-year reporting period following his or her date of admission. This thirty (30) hour total must include three (3) hours of legal ethics or professional responsibility education. Note: Transferring to inactive status at the end of the reporting period does not eliminate this requirement.
The MCLE deadline is December 31. Attorneys due to report must have their MCLE credits completed by the deadline. The certificate of compliance can be submitted with the licensing forms and fee by the February 1 licensing deadline. If needed, an attorney can request an MCLE extension from January 1 to March 1 by submitting a written request and paying the $100.00 MCLE extension fee. An additional hardship extension not to exceed 60 days may be granted by the Executive Director. The names of all the attorneys who have not completed their MCLE requirements by the deadline will be given to the Idaho Supreme Court for cancellation of their licenses.
Check your MCLE Attendance Credits
MCLE Certificates of Compliance are not available as blank forms and are not available before the end of an attorney’s MCLE reporting period. MCLE Certificates of Compliance will be included in the annual licensing packets of attorneys whose reporting periods are ending. Attorneys needing a replacement certificate should contact the MCLE Department. Attorneys who need to submit their annual MCLE Certificates to complete their licensing may use the Upload Additional Forms page.
Visit the MCLE Compliance page for more information.
All active members are asked to complete and submit the Succession Planning Questionnaire. A succession plan relating to protecting your clients and family in the event of disability, impairment, incapacity, or death, while recommended in I.R.P.C. 1.3, is not required and not applicable to all practices. The Succession Planning Guide, including forms and articles, can be found at www.isb.idaho.gov/successionplanning.
The annual licensing also includes optional fees for the following:
- Practice Section Registration – The continuing legal education and professional development of Idaho lawyers is greatly enhanced by the formation and advancement of Practice Sections in specific areas or aspects of the practice of law. Sections conduct member meetings, hold continuing legal education programs, offer professional networking opportunities and perform law-related community service. More Information and Online Section Registration.
- Lawyer Referral Service Registration – Thousands of potential clients contact the Idaho State Bar every year looking for attorneys to handle their cases. Referrals are made to the attorneys who join the Lawyer Referral Service. More Information and LRS Registration Form.
- Idaho Law Foundation Donation – Your tax-deductible donation helps the Idaho Law Foundation continue to serve the public on behalf of Idaho’s legal profession. Your gift allows the Foundation to increase access to legal services and enhance public understanding of the legal system. To find out more about our programs, see the enclosed licensing information sheet or visit Idaho Law Foundation.
- Fastcase Registration – only applicable to Inactive, Senior and Emeritus members. Active and House Counsel members already have Fastcase as part of their member benefits and do not need to pay a registration fee. More Information and Fastcase Registration Form.
The above fees are optional and can be submitted with licensing or separately.
Admission in Other States
We ask our members to inform us if they are admitted to practice law in any other states. If you have been admitted in another state, please indicate it on the front of the license fee notice. It is not necessary to provide current statuses in the other jurisdictions.
Resignation
An attorney who does not intend to meet licensing requirements may voluntarily resign his or her membership in the Bar by submitting a written request to the Executive Director on a form provided by the Bar: Voluntary Resignation Form. An attorney with pending disciplinary matters may not voluntarily resign without Bar Counsel approval.
Reinstatement
An attorney whose license was canceled for noncompliance with the licensing requirements has one year to apply for reinstatement under Idaho Bar Commission Rule (IBCR) 305(d). Attorneys who fail to apply for reinstatement with one year will be deemed resigned under IBCR 305(e).
Deadlines and Late Fees
The licensing packets are mailed in mid-November. The initial deadline is February 1 (if February 1 falls on a weekend, the deadline will be the following Monday). All licensing materials and fees must be physically received in the Idaho State Bar office by the initial deadline to avoid the late fee. All fees received after the initial deadline must include the appropriate late fee: Active/House Counsel – $100.00, Affiliate/Emeritus – $25.00. The final deadline is March 1 (if March 1 falls on a weekend, the deadline will be the following Monday). All licensing must be physically received in the Idaho State Bar by that date. The names of all attorneys who have not paid by the final deadline will be given to the Idaho Supreme Court for cancellation of their licenses.