Full House at February LCBA meeting as ISBA Leaders Discuss Rural Attorney Shortage
- shinz446
- 19 hours ago
- 2 min read
The Linn County Bar Association was honored to host Iowa State Bar Association President Kathy Law and ISBA Executive Director Harry Shipley as special guests at our monthly meeting held Thursday, February 19. We were delighted to see a full house of members in attendance for what proved to be an informative and engaging discussion.
Law and Shipley spoke about the shortage of attorneys in rural Iowa, a topic they have been addressing across the state in recent months through the ISBA’s statewide Rural Practice Roundtables. These roundtables are part of the ISBA’s effort to highlight the challenges rural communities face in accessing legal services and to gather insights from local practitioners about sustainable solutions. (iowabar.org)
President Law, drawing in part on her own rural roots and extensive conversation with colleagues statewide, emphasized how attorney shortages in smaller communities impact not only access to justice but also the broader legal profession in Iowa. She shared highlights from these roundtables, including the need for collaborative approaches to recruit and retain rural lawyers, and how initiatives like the upcoming Rural Attorney Showcase in The Iowa Lawyer magazine will spotlight the vital work of practitioners serving smaller towns.
Members reported gaining valuable insights from the conversation and greatly appreciated the opportunity to engage directly with both Law and Shipley on an issue that affects lawyers and communities across the state.
Thank you to all who attended. Stay tuned for the next LCBA event: a special joint evening meeting of the LCBA, Johnson County Bar Association and the David R. Hansen Inn of Court on Thursday, March 12 at Hotel Kirkwood in Cedar Rapids. Special guest Hon. Jane Kelly of the Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear mock oral arguments during the meeting.