State Bar of Wisconsin

Celebrating Wisconsin's rich legal history

At noon on Jan. 9, 1878, leading lawyers from across the state assembled in the Wisconsin Supreme Court Chambers in the old Capitol in Madison to found a statewide organization of lawyers -- the Wisconsin Bar Association.

On Jan. 9, 2003, the State Bar of Wisconsin celebrated its 125th anniversary. The year 2003 also marked another significant milestone in Wisconsin's legal history: the Wisconsin Supreme Court 150th anniversary.

Within these pages, you'll find a collection of legal history articles commemorating the important role the legal profession, the organized Bar, and Wisconsin courts have played in the state's development over the past 150 years.

General legal history

• A collection of legal history articles and materials

State Bar of Wisconsin history

• State Bar display chronicles the history of the organized bar in Wisconsin
• A History of the Organized Bar in Wisconsin 
  • Coming Together: The State Bar's First 125 Years (part 1)
  • Coming Together: The State Bar's First 125 Years (part 2)
• Jan. 9, 2003, reenactment of the Wisconsin Bar Association's founding (Script, Photo gallery)
• "From the Archives," historical snippets published in the State Bar's magazine
• Past State Bar of Wisconsin presidents
• About the State Bar Center
• Building the State Bar Center
• About the State Bar of Wisconsin

Wisconsin Supreme Court history

• History of Wisconsin courts
• Famous Wisconsin Supreme Court cases
• Portraits of Justice, biographies of Wisconsin supreme court justices
• About Wisconsin's court system