IDCA Committee Descriptions

  • Board of Editors – Defense Update: Responsible for developing content needs, soliciting articles, working with IDCA committee chairs, and editing Defense Update, IDCA’s quarterly electronic newsletter.
  • Legislative Task Force: Work with the IDCA Lobbyists to set the public policy agenda for the current legislative session. This agenda will be developed in late October and November and will be presented to the IDCA Board of Directors for approval at the December board meeting. Your contribution will help determine IDCA’s policy decisions.
  • Membership & Marketing Task Force: Analyze current membership strategies and develop recommendations to increase membership and expand member benefits options.
  • Young Lawyers & Social Media Task Force: Invite and encourage member participation in the growth of IDCA through social media and other technology; improve communications between members and leaders through social media and other technology.

Substantive Law Committees

  • Amicus Committee: This committee is tasked with monitoring requests for amicus briefs and making recommendations to the IDCA board regarding which amicus briefing to become involved with and which lawyers/law firms should be assigned the briefing. 

  • Reptile Theory Task Force: This committee analyzes the reptile theory and devises appropriate responses that can be made by the defense bar. This committee is designed to create a systemic strategy for fighting the pernicious use of the strategy by the plaintiff bar. This could include form pleadings and motions used by the defense bar and instructional materials for their strategic use. The bench is now seeing a structured patternable strategy from the plaintiff bar. We need to devise a structured patternable strategy of our own with which we can educate the bench as we combat the reptile trend.

  • Pro Hoc Vice Committee: This committee analyzes the law and rules regarding practicing pro hoc vice and devising appropriate responses for defendants faced with plaintiff counsel from other states abusing the rules. It has come to the attention of the IDCA that there are an increasing number of out-of-state lawyers who abuse our pro hoc vice rules by teaming up with local lawyers to the degree that they are practicing law in our state without a license to do so. This committee is purposed with creating a systemic strategy for fighting this abuse. This could range from creating form pleadings or motions and instructional pieces for use by the defense bar or devising proposed rules or statutory changes that we could forward to our legislature or the Supreme Court for consideration. 

  • Rules of Civil Procedure and Evidence Committee: This committee is tasked with analyzing any proposed rule changes by the court and devising appropriate responses for the IDCA during the rule-making period. It is also charged with proposing changes appropriate for improving the trial process. The plaintiff bar is very well-coordinated in its efforts to influence the rules of civil procedure and evidence, and the defense bar has been playing catch up. It is time we become more proactive in this area. 

  • Legislative Committee: This committee is tasked with working with lobbyists to monitor legislation and advise which legislation should be actively promoted or resisted by the IDCA. It is also charged with proposing any legislation the IDCA should consider promoting to the legislature. 


Committee Participation

IDCA committee participation allows members to personalize their IDCA experience and develop IDCA policy. One key benefit of committee participation is networking with other Iowa attorneys in similar areas of practice as you.