When Iowa Law School graduate Melvin O. Shaw (JD ’04) became the 138th president of the Iowa State Bar Association in June, he assumed a critical role leading one of the country’s oldest voluntary state bar associations. The ISBA celebrated its 150th anniversary that same month. Shaw leads the association with the support of the Board of Governors, bar executives, elected officers, and staff, influencing not only Iowa’s legal community but also the judiciary, the state legislature, and the public.
As a solo practicing attorney, Shaw understands the support lawyers need to serve their clients and communities effectively. He is also acutely aware of recent challenges to the Iowa judiciary and recognizes the importance of upholding the rule of law as a cornerstone of American democracy. Shaw is committed to advancing the interests of ISBA members and honoring the ISBA’s longstanding tradition of service to Iowa’s legal profession.
“As president, I represent over 6,800 members of the Iowa State Bar Association, encompassing attorneys practicing in all areas of law across Iowa. I work to ensure that access to justice is available to all Iowans, address evolving challenges in the legal profession—such as technological advancements and shifts in attorney demographics. I also help raise public awareness about pathways to joining the Iowa legal profession. ISBA leadership and staff collaborate closely with county bar associations, the courts, various state commissions, and specialized groups within different practice areas. It’s essential that we equip lawyers with the tools they need to succeed.”
Shaw’s presidential investiture took place in Des Moines during the ISBA’s sesquicentennial celebration, where he became the 138th president of the ISBA. He is only the second African American to hold this position, following the Honorable Henry Hamilton III (2022-2023). As a solo practitioner, Shaw’s leadership underscores the association’s dedication to support for attorneys from all backgrounds. His professional service has reached national impact through roles with the American Bar Association’s GPSolo Division, where he will serve as chair starting in 2025. Adrien Wing, the Bessie Dutton Murray Professor and associate dean for international and comparative law programs at Iowa Law, helped administer the presidential oath for Shaw.
“This is an extraordinary achievement for Mel and the ISBA,” said Wing. “When I first met Mel years ago, before he even became a law student here, I saw his potential as a student and lawyer, as well as for leadership. I was very honored that he invited me.”
Shaw established the Law Office of Melvin O. Shaw, P.L.C. in Coralville in 2006. He has been in solo practice since that time. His bar association service began with the Johnson County Bar Association, including a year as its president in 2017.
In 2018, the late Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Cady appointed Shaw to the state’s Commission on Judicial Qualifications, which he has chaired since May 2024. Also in 2018, Shaw was elected to the ISBA’s Board of Governors for District 6B, which includes Johnson County. He was elected to ISBA leadership in 2021, and in accordance with ISBA governance rules, he served as vice president and president-elect for a year each before becoming president.
Shaw’s professional service has national impact, as well. In 2019, he was elected an at-large member of the American Bar Association’s Solo, Small Firm, and General Practice Division, commonly referred to as the GPSolo Division. He was later elected in 2022 to Division Council and will serve as chair of GPSolo starting August 2025. Until then, Shaw remains focused on serving the members of the ISBA and engaging its members directly and through the ISBA’s various committees.
Shaw noted that the ISBA offers extraordinary support to its members, ranging from continuing legal education programs to research and practice resources. Also, on behalf of all Iowa attorneys and the public they serve, ISBA works closely with the Iowa Legislature and the state’s court system, monitoring and shaping legislation and policies that affect the practice of law.
“Key areas of particular importance are advocating for the independence of the state’s judiciary system and full funding for Iowa’s courts, as well as providing leadership to the task force that is reviewing the ISBA’s organizational structure, working with the leaders of the ISBA Young Lawyers Division on membership and engagement, through the new ISBA Civil Rights and Public Interest Law Section that was created under former ISBA president Hamilton, and continuing the great work of many recent bar presidents who have modeled exemplary leadership characteristics,” Shaw said.
Shaw and his staff and fellow leaders advance the priorities that the ISBA Board of Governors and membership have defined. He also has proposed to his ISBA colleagues an initiative he designed that he calls the “Iowa Pathway to Law Practice,” a collaboration with Iowa high schools, community colleges, and university pre-law programs to encourage young people to study and practice law in the state.
Shaw is grateful for the opportunity as ISBA president to represent the professional interests of Iowa’s attorneys and advocate on behalf of the state’s citizens.
“We all depend on the legal and justice systems to protect our rights and fairly administer the law,” Shaw said. “Even as a child, I always wanted to be a lawyer. My mother, the late Mary M. Shaw, inspired me to dream of becoming one. Others, including Professor Wing, supported me along the way. My wife Cindy and a select few others believed in my abilities to succeed in law. I am truly blessed to have realized this dream, and the trajectory of my life has been forever changed by those who dared to dream for me.”