Our Programs

Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts
(IOLTA)

Arkansas IOLTA Program

The Arkansas Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA) Program was created by the Arkansas Supreme Court in 1984 to turn a simple idea into a powerful force for good: using interest earned on certain attorney trust accounts to fund access to justice.

Since its inception, the IOLTA Program has awarded over $11.5 million in grants to support legal aid for low-income Arkansans, student scholarships, and projects that improve how justice is delivered in our state.

Why It Matters

The IOLTA Program isn’t just about compliance, it’s about impact. Interest earned through IOLTA accounts helps fund free legal aid for Arkansans who cannot afford an attorney, support student scholarships and public interest law, and strengthen the court system to make it more accessible.

Most IOLTA funds support Arkansas’s civil legal aid provider, Legal Aid of Arkansas, which helps more than 14,000 clients each year with urgent legal issues including economic security, safe and stable housing, and protection from domestic violence.

How It Works

Under Rule 1.15 of the Arkansas Rules of Professional Conduct, attorneys who handle client trust funds must place qualifying funds into interest-bearing trust accounts at approved financial institutions. Depending on the nature and amount of the funds, interest either benefits the individual client or is remitted to the Arkansas Access to Justice Foundation, which administers the IOLTA Program using the Foundation’s Tax ID number — so there is no tax burden on clients or attorneys.

All Arkansas attorneys must submit an annual IOLTA Compliance Statement to the Clerk of the Arkansas Supreme Court. This form goes to the Supreme Court Clerk, not to the Foundation.

Program History

1984
Program established as voluntary for attorneys handling client or third-party funds.

1995
IOLTA participation became mandatory for all Arkansas attorneys.

2014
The Arkansas IOLTA Foundation, Inc. merged with the Arkansas Access to Justice Foundation, Inc., which now administers the program.

Read more about the history of IOLTA

Resources

IOLTA Forms

Required forms for attorneys and financial institutions, including compliance statements and account setup forms.

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IOLTA Rules & Guidance

Official rules governing Arkansas’s IOLTA Program, including Rule 1.15, administrative orders, and best practices.

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Where to Bank

A list of approved financial institutions participating in the IOLTA Program, including how to identify Preferred IOLTA Banks.

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Contact the IOLTA Program

Arkansas Access to Justice Foundation
425 West Capitol Avenue, Suite 480 | Little Rock, AR 72201
Phone: (501) 492-7175

Tameka Parker, IOLTA Program Manager
501-492-7188