On Friday, April 21, 2017, the University of Iowa College of Law is hosting a summit on Access to Justice in Iowa. Lack of access and limits on legal representation in the civil court system are major issues in the legal system. We seek to bring together pre-law students and advisors, law students, lawyers, and judges to learn more about the "justice gap," engage with each other to explore possible responses, and introduce the work of the Iowa Supreme Court's new Access to Justice Commission.
The session will take place from noon to 3:00 p.m. on April 21 at Boyd Law Building in Iowa City. The event has been approved for 2.5 hours of Continuing Legal Education, including 1.0 hour or ethics. This event is free and open to pre-law students and advisors, law students, lawyers, and judges. Lunch will be provided. To register, please complete this online form by noon on Wednesday, April 19.
Tentative agenda
- 12:00-12:15 Registration & Lunch
- 12:15-12:45 Introduction to Access to Justice Issues
- 12:45-1:45 Iowa's Access to Justice Commission
- Introduction of the Commission members
- Background on work of the Commission
- Break-out sessions:
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Public outreach
- Civil Gideon
- Pro bono/ Private partnerships
- Rural access
- 1:45-2:00 Break
- 2:00-3:00 Ethics Issues
- Limited scope representation
- Financial assistance to indigent clients
- Withdrawal from representation
- Mandatory pro bono requirements
Presenters include Anjela Shutts, Co-Chair of the Iowa Supreme Court Access to Justice Commission; the Hon. Kevin McKeever, Judge of the Sixth Judicial District; and Eric Goers, Chair of the Iowa State Bar Association's Legal Access Committee.
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires an accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Nilza Molina at nilza-molina@uiowa.edu.