Polk County lawyer sanctioned for practicing law with a suspended license

A former Polk County lawyer is facing additional sanctions after admitting he practiced law for years while his license was under suspension.

State records indicate Warren J. Polson was first licensed to practice law in Iowa in April 2016. In April 2022, his license was suspended for failing to cooperate with the Iowa Supreme Court’s Client Security Commission in conducting an audit of his trust account.

In recent court filings, Polson acknowledged that in 2023, with his license still under suspension, he was hired by Iowa Defenders in Clive to perform legal work, including drafting legal motions and responses, as a paralegal and failed to report his employment to the state’s Attorney Disciplinary Board.

In February 2026, Polson acknowledged, the board learned of his employment at Iowa Defenders, where the organization’s website identified him as a “senior legal analyst with a wealth of experience and a commitment to excellence.” Polson admitted that visitors to the website were encouraged to contact him “to benefit from his knowledge and insights in navigating your legal challenges,”

In addition, Polson acknowledged, his LinkedIn profile, which he said was years out of date, stated in 2026, “I am an attorney. If you need help with a legal issue, give my office a call.”

Polson recently consented to a 60-day suspension of his law license but asked that it run concurrent to his still-active 2022 suspension. The Attorney Disciplinary Board then recommended that the Iowa Supreme Court suspend Polson’s license for 30 days, concurrent with his ongoing 2022 suspension.

“Polson’s misconduct, while quite extensive in duration, does not appear to have involved any mal intent, and upon receiving notice of the disciplinary complaint he and his employer took prompt remedial action,” the board noted in its recommendation.

On Sept. 25, 2026, the court issued an order suspending Polson’s license for 30 days, concurrent with his still-active suspension from 2022.

The Iowa Capital Dispatch was not able to reach Polson at Iowa Defenders, but in an affidavit recently filed with the Iowa Supreme Court, he stated, “I have accepted responsibility for my misconduct.”