The new president of Iowa’s bar association says budget cuts are making it a hassle for citizens…and their lawyers to do business.As an example, he says the Woodbury County courthouse is closed one day a week, and nobody answers the phone, a hassle for anyone who needs to do business and a sign of what’s going on all over the state. Alan Fredregill is a Sioux City attorney who takes the reins of the state bar association officially later today, at an annual meeting of the state’s lawyers and judges. He says legal reform is one big concern of Iowa’s legal professionals. He says the bar association’s concerned with providing justice for everyone, even the poor, and they think the pay is far to low for public defenders. Fredregill says even the poor deserve good legal representation.He says lawyers working for the indigent are paid less per hour than you pay your mechanic. Attorneys attending this week’s bar association conference are getting some continuing education, required in their line of work. Fredregill says they’re also looking over a recent revamp of some of Iowa’s laws. Changing corporate law will affect small and large companies alike and the way they all do business.
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