Official Government Website

Professionalism & Ethics Section

The Professionalism & Ethics Section Council of the Idaho State Bar initiates a full schedule of yearly meetings and activities.  Each August, the Section co-sponsors with the University of Idaho College of Law, Professionalism and Ethics Orientation, designed for first-year students on their first day of law school. The section meets at 12:00 p.m. (MT) on the first Tuesday of the month at The Law Center, 525 W. Jefferson Street in Boise. Meetings may be hybrid or via Zoom only. Please check email notices for confirmation of location.


Past Meetings
Section Sponsored Issues of The Advocate
  • January 2020Co-Sponsored with the Idaho Lawyer Assistance Program
  • September 2017
  • August 2016 – Co-Sponsored with the Idaho Lawyer Assistance Program
  • September 2013 – Co-Sponsored with the Idaho Legal History Society
  • January 2010
  • February 2009
  • June 2006
  • September 2005
  • October 2004
  • September 2004
  • June 2003
  • June 2002
  • May 2001
  • March 2000
Section Sponsored CLE Courses On-Demand

The following courses were sponsored by the Professionalism & Ethics Section. They are available to watch on-demand (self-study) with 24/7 availability so you can easily view programs whenever and wherever it is convenient. Click on the course title to see the description of the course and the cost.

Richard C. Fields Civility Award

The Idaho State Bar Professionalism & Ethics Section present the Richard C. Fields Civility Award each year. 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, this award is presented to an Idaho lawyer who demonstrates a commitment to professionalism and civility in the profession. 

Previous recipients include:

2014           Hon. Mikel H. Williams

2015            Reginald R. Reeves

2016            William F. (Bud) Yost III

2017           Richard E. Hall

2018           Theodore E. Argyle

2019           Charles A. Homer

2020           B. Newal Squyres

2021           Paula A. Landholm Kluksdal

2022           Andrew C. Brassey

How do you nominate an individual

Email your nomination to the Chair of the Idaho Professionalism and Ethics Bar Section, Texie Montoya. The nomination deadline is Friday, October 20, 2023.

Who can nominate someone?

Anyone who knows and is familiar with the attorney.  In the past, great nominations have been received from judges, legal assistants/paralegals, law clerks and community members.

Who can be nominated?

Any attorney, who primarily practices in Idaho, who demonstrates a commitment to professionalism and civility and is an example to his or her peers.

The selection committee kindly asks you to refrain from nominating an attorney posthumously or a member of the judiciary, even though both categories undisputedly have several qualified nominees.

What should the nomination include?

The composition of the nomination submission is up to the nominator.  It can be a few sentences about the person being nominated and why he or she is qualified.  It can be a formal letter.  Numerous people can get together and submit a nomination “packet” for one person or each person can submit his or her own nomination.  Information about activities participated in and/or examples or conduct which you believe demonstrates a commitment to professionalism and civility are helpful.

To view a list of previous recipients, select: Richard C. Fields Civility Award Past Recipients.


More About Our Section

The Professionalism & Ethics Section through its outreach efforts strives to preserve and enhance the level of ethics, civility, and professionalism in the practice of law and to raise the public’s perception of our profession. Consistent with this mission, the Section promoted the adoption of the “Standards for Civility in Professional Conduct Guidelines” and assisted in the publication of “Consumer’s Guide to Idaho Lawyers.”  The Section sponsors a variety of CLE programs throughout the year for practicing attorneys and annually sponsors an issue of the Idaho State Bar’s Advocate devoted to ethics and professionalism. Membership in this Section provides Idaho attorneys an opportunity to work closely with colleagues who share a vision for a profession that embodies personal courtesy and professional and ethical integrity in the fullest sense of those terms.  Section meetings are currently held on the first Tuesday noon of each month in Boise at The Law Center (teleconference access from throughout the state).  Please join and help us in our efforts.


Section Membership

If you are interested in joining the Professionalism & Ethics Section, please register using the Section Registration Form.

Membership dues are as follows:

Standard Membership Dues – $40
Attorneys admitted to ISB less than 1 year – $10
Law Students – $10

To view the section’s by-laws, select: Professionalism & Ethics Section By Laws.


Section Officers

Vice Chairperson
Past Chairperson

Disclaimer

The Professionalism & Ethics Section of the Idaho State Bar presents information on this website as a service to our members and others who provide legal services. Our goal is to provide information, education, and networking in this complex and wide-ranging area of the law.

While we strive to be accurate and timely and therefore hope to be a valuable resource to users of this site, nothing contained herein should be construed as legal advice and we make no warranty or guarantee concerning the accuracy or reliability of the content at this site or the other sites to which we link.

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