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• January 

  06, 2010

  Features

  • • The Odd Couple: Justices to consider arbitration award reinstating lawyer when lawyer and client don't get along
    • Jan. 6, 2010 — An arbitration panel found Menard, Inc. unlawfully fired its in-house counsel and ordered her reinstatement. The Wisconsin Supreme Court is asked to balance the client's right to choose its own counsel against the prohibition of gender discrimination.

  • • Comprehensive law regulating sale and disposal of electronics in effect on Jan. 1
    • Jan. 6, 2010 — Wisconsin joins more than 20 other states that regulate the collection and disposal of electronic waste, commonly termed "e-waste."

  • • Tips for happier clients recognize sophisticated user of legal services
    • Jan. 6, 2010 — It's a buyer's market for legal services in which successful lawyers know how to give the client what the client wants. Practice management consultant Jay Foonberg advises attorneys to keep their clients fully informed of developments.

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  • Jack R. DeWitt: Practice after World War II

  • Resolve to help a Wisconsin hero in 2010

  • Employers needed for summer clerkship program, deadline to enroll is Jan. 15

  • Breakfast & Business: Eggs, Ethics and Answers CLE seminar comes to Madison on Jan. 20, next stop is Milwaukee in February

  • CLE Books releases new title: Wisconsin Condemnation Law and Practice

  • Members receive free 24-hour access to law office management help from legal administrators

  • Car Rental Discounts

  • State Bar election deadlines approach

  • Strategic Planning Committee hears testimony on mandatory/voluntary Bar issue

  • Federal court rejects challenge to State Bar public image campaign

  • Young Lawyers Division and State Bar staff organize food drives

  • State Bar urges Joint Finance to support expanded public defender eligibility limits

  • It really is a small world after all. Just six degrees to success.

  • Recent jury verdicts, bench decisions, settlements, and arbitration awards

  • Indian Child Welfare Act, effective Dec. 22, 2009, new and updated mandatory court forms available

  • Go vertical with your medical research

  • Ten tips for making your bar association dues work for you (Practice411 Advice Alert)

  • Fastcase Tip: Constructing a broad keyword search

  • Court of appeals urges inclusion of finality statements in orders resolving disputes

  • Retention of counsel no longer bars police interrogation, says court of appeals

  • Woman liable for injury caused by houseguest’s dog, Wisconsin Supreme Court says

  • Detaining person with handcuffs requires facts indicating threat to officer

  • Resignation not coerced when employee told to quit or be fired, court of appeals says

  • Senate Judiciary Committee recommends approval of Conley nomination

  • High school students prepare for We the People competition in early January

  Read More →

• January 

  20, 2010

  Features

  • • Car Talk: Justices to consider when a motorist has 'run' from scene of accident
    • Jan. 20, 2010 — A motorist stopped to ask if he hurt the 13-year-old boy he hit with his car before driving away without providing identification after the boy said he was unharmed. The Wisconsin Supreme Court is to decide whether hit-and-run insurance covers that boy when he subsequently discovers injuries from the accident.

  • • Changes to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure effective Dec. 1, 2009
    • Jan. 20, 2010 — Lawyers handling cases in federal courts should be aware of several significant changes to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure that became effective Dec. 1, 2009. The most important changes involve pleadings, how time is counted under the rules, and when a summary judgment motion may be filed.

  • • Business guilty of UPL in Ohio now soliciting clients in Wisconsin with impunity
    • Jan. 22, 2010 — An Indiana trust mill that admitted last year to engaging in the unauthorized practice of law in Ohio is now actively soliciting clients in Wisconsin for its estate planning services.

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  • Jay Foonberg: Tips for finding clients

  • Where is the most economical place for CLE, networking, and managing your practice? The 2010 State Bar Annual Convention

  • CLE Books releases fourth edition of Wisconsin Public Records and Open Meetings Handbook

  • Meet the 2010 State Bar election officer candidates

  • The best connection to courts and colleagues, Wisconsin Lawyer Directory, it’s coming to your office soon

  • High school students gain insights on democratic institutions through competition, Mock Trial program seeks volunteers

  • State Bar members receive discounts to ABA Chicago technology conference, register by Feb. 19 to receive early-bird discount

  • Lending Library puts 100s of practice management resources at your fingertips

  • Members invited to free Fastcase legal research webcast seminars

  • I'm retired, but I do have a client. He's a soldier serving with the U.S. Army in Iraq

  • State Bar seeks nominations for Leonard L. Loeb Senior Lawyers Division Award, nominations due Feb. 12

  • Joint Finance approves bills to expand public defender eligibility limits

  • Lawyer-Legislator Profile: Representative Frederick Kessler (Assembly District 12)

  • Family court commissioner work could disqualify lawyer from guardian ad litem advocacy, ethics opinion finds

  • Fastcase Tip: E-mail a case

  • Tech tip: Password protection for USB drives

  • Recent jury verdicts, bench decisions, settlements, and arbitration awards

  • Alteration of drug prescription punishable under general forgery statute

  • Court of appeals probes scope of grandparent visitation rights

  • Testing of man convicted of sexually assaulting daughter leads to new trial

  • Wisconsin Supreme Court probes extent of police ‘community caretaker’ in oral arguments

  • Justices inquire into implications of reinstating lawyer to represent client after lawyer’s illegal discharge

  Read More →

• February 

  03, 2010

  Features

  • • Scope of proposed electronic discovery rules debated at public hearing
    • Feb. 3, 2010 — Some say a petition for new rules governing discovery of electronically stored information is insufficient to tackle this emerging area of law. A debate over its merits occurred during a Jan. 21 public hearing at the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

  • • Fundamental changes in federal estate tax law poses challenges for estate planners
    • Feb. 3, 2010 — While the very mention of the words, "tax law" causes many lawyers to break out in a cold sweat, it is important that lawyers have a fundamental understanding of the impact of the repeal of the estate tax in 2010. It changes estate plannin g for all practitioners.

  • • Justices to consider defendant's use of prior false allegations of sexual assault
    • Feb. 3, 2010 — After a girl accused her biological father of sexual assault, she claimed that the man who adopted her also improperly touched her. The state hopes this case will set a new standard for establishing falsity of prior allegations because Wisconsin presently has one of the laxest standards in the nation.

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  • State Bar elections: Candidates make pitch for president-elect seat

  • Meet the 2010 State Bar election officer candidates

  • Breakfast and Business seminar series: Recovering from mistakes and preventing digital disasters, Feb. 17 in Milwaukee

  • Newly supplemented, The Wisconsin Fair Dealership Law: What every Wisconsin business lawyer should know

  • Free CaseLaw Express service updates subscriber list, renew by Feb. 14

  • Meet the 2010 State Bar election officer candidates

  • Revised forms now available in Real Estate Enhanced Forms Library

  • Attorneys needed to serve on Modest Means Panel, services expanded to criminal misdemeanor and foreclosure issues

  • President-elect Boll invites you to volunteer for a State Bar committee or run for a Board of Governors seat

  • Limited copies of 2010 Wisconsin Lawyer Directory available, order extra copies for support staff

  • State Bar breaks tradition, will honor 50-year members at special summer event

  • Taxation Law Section Requests Amicus Curiae Brief

  • ABA delegates sought for two-year terms, petitions due April 15

  • Senate passes bill to expand public defender eligibility limits

  • Legislature to consider durable power of attorney law update

  • Individual Rights and Responsibilities Section opposes DNA bill

  • Family Justice Bill passes Senate, moves on to Assembly

  • Recent jury verdicts, bench decisions, settlements, and arbitration awards

  • New and revised mandatory court forms: civil, criminal, juvenile, mental commitments, and small claims

  • Despite notario law, UPL operations targeting immigrants persist in Wisconsin

  • Divorce makes easy target for UPL operators, Wisconsin-based website proves

  • Creditors’ suit against corporate officers barred

  • Each viewing of Internet site does not renew defamation cause of action

  • Kohl, Feingold forward four names to President Obama for Seventh Circuit

  • Wisconsin Supreme Court adopts amended recusal rules

  • Employment contract’s reimbursement provision upheld despite invalid non-compete clause

  • Court’s failure to ask defendant about right to testify remedied at evidentiary hearing

  • Effective Feb. 1, mediation notice now required for Dane County foreclosure cases

  • Success is sweet! After one year, Winnebago free legal assistance program opens third clinic

  Read More →

• February 

  17, 2010

  Features

  • • Thou shall not kill your case: Younger's 10 Commandments for cross-examination help lawyers make points, avoid gaffes
    • Feb. 17, 2010 — Irving Younger's landmark instructions for cross-examination are simple enough, but wording questions to draw the most effective answer and maintaining control over a troublesome witness's testimony are harder than they appear. Law professor Stephen Easton offers tips on adopting Younger's techniques.

  • • Tips for marketing legal services focus on building relationships with clients
    • Feb. 17, 2010 — Lawyers selling their services are most successful when they take the time to understand and fulfill the clients' true needs. Practice management consultants recommend a variety of ways to assist lawyers with creating those opportunities to serve clients.

  • • Rule-making and the Wisconsin Supreme Court: A primer
    • Feb. 17, 2010 — Many hot-button issues in the legal world, such as the diploma privilege, judicial recusal, and citation to unpublished decisions, come directly before the supreme court without having worked their way through the court system. In this article, Adam Bazelon demystifies the process, guides parties interested in petitioning the court for the amendment or creation of a rule, and highlights recent changes in the rule-making process.

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  • State Bar elections: Candidates make pitch for president-elect seat

  • Meet the 2010 State Bar election officer candidates

  • Save up to $254 on your Annual Convention registration ... with an Ultimate Pass

  • State Bar consumer publications answer clients' basic questions on your Web site or in your office

  • Meet the 2010 State Bar election officer candidates

  • President-elect Boll invites you to volunteer for a State Bar committee or run for a Board of Governors seat

  • CLE Books updates Appellate Practice and Procedure in Wisconsin

  • Public service with a business purpose: The State Bar's referral service connects lawyers with clients

  • Service members and veterans in need of legal services, volunteer today

  • Limited copies of 2010 Wisconsin Lawyer Directory available, order extra copies for support staff

  • Young Lawyers Leadership Conference comes to Milwaukee

  • Members invited to free Fastcase legal research webcast seminars

  • Recent jury verdicts, bench decisions, settlements, and arbitration awards

  • Use citation finders to quickly locate full-text Internet references

  • Of mice and men: Why you need focus for success

  • Is your financial institution paying premium interest rates on IOLTA accounts? New list identifies IOLTA-eligible banks and credit unions

  • Fastcase tip: Use your browser to develop a library of your favorite searches

  • Court of appeals enforces test for issue preclusion, overturns lower court

  • Court of appeals limits employer’s ability to avoid payments to employee

  • Illegal police search of cell phone does not invalidate conviction

  • Limit on evidence in drunk driving cases upheld

  • U.W. Law School seeks volunteers to judge Annual Moot Court Competition in Madison, March 26 - 28

  • Local governments around Wisconsin targeted by possible UPL operations

  Read More →

• March 

  03, 2010

  Features

  • • To tweet or not to tweet: Social media in Wisconsin's courts
    • March 3, 2010 — Wisconsin has yet to experience a mistrial caused by the misuse of the Internet or social media in its courts. However, Wisconsin courts are closely monitoring lawyer and juror use of technology in court so they can avoid the high-profile mishaps made elsewhere. Recent changes to jury instructions and court rules now limit the use of electronic equipment for communication or Internet access.

  • • Board of Governors debates mandatory/voluntary status, continues discussion in May
    • March 2, 2010 — The State Bar's Board of Governors continues what has been months of discussion regarding the association's mandatory structure. At its Feb. 26 meeting, the board did not act on the key elements of a resolution drafted by the Strategic Planning Committee, which asks the board to petition the Wisconsin Supreme Court to review the status of the integrated bar.

  • • Virtual law office: An option for lawyers in transition, new lawyers
    • March 3, 2010 — With unemployment still at record levels, and an unprecedented number of experienced, and new lawyers searching for work, establishing a virtual law office or joining a virtual law firm is becoming an attractive option.

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  • Electronic and computer forensics evidence: Part 1

  • Register today for lawyer referral service, get three months free

  • CLE Books explores Wisconsin's domestic partnership laws in new desk reference

  • State Bar recognizes two Eau Claire County judges for exceptional contributions to the justice system

  • ABA delegates sought for two-year terms, petitions due April 15

  • One-year repeal of federal estate taxes creates ambiguity

  • Senate passes bill to repeal 180-day notice limit for malpractice claims against state

  • Lawyer-Legislator Q&A: Representative Jim Ott (Assembly District 23)

  • Recent jury verdicts, bench decisions, settlements, and arbitration awards

  • Go ask Alice. Survival skills for career success.

  • State documents online: Looking for real property, administrative hearings and appeals, and finance documents?

  • Shopping for a solution? ABA compares features of litigation support, time and billing, and case management software (Advice Alert)

  • Supreme Court to continue studying record retention and removal petition

  • Court of Appeals reverses lower court where ex parte hearing entered as testimony

  • Credit where credit is due: Court of appeals reverses lower court on sentence credit

  • Meaning of ‘hit-and-run’ debated before Wisconsin Supreme Court

  • Consumer debt a rich opportunity for possible UPL operations in Wisconsin

  • Internet proves to be fertile ground for UPL in Wisconsin

  Read More →

• March 

  17, 2010

  Features

  • • Virtual law offices and ethics: Is it safe to practice in the cloud?
    • March 17, 2010 — The risks of a virtual law office are similar to the ethics and malpractice risks of a traditional law practice, but it may be easier to protect yourself against those risks with the technology provide by specialized software providers. In many instances, the security provided by Software as Service providers may actually be better than what a law firm currently has in place.

  • • Understanding lawyer compassion fatigue in Wisconsin: Public defenders participate in study
    • March 17, 2010 — Although compassion fatigue has been extensively studied in first responders and other professionals who work with trauma victims, researchers have only recently begun to examine the impact on legal professionals. The Wisconsin State Public Defender is participating in a study of compassion fatigue on lawyers and support staff, and the results of that study could benefit lawyers nationwide.

  • • Business development: A marketing checklist for associates
    • March 17, 2010 — The time to get lawyers thinking about business development is day one. While newer lawyers are mastering their profession, they must start building their network of contacts in preparation for the day when they graduate from being "worker bees" to becoming business owners. Larry Bodine offers a checklist for associates, taking them through years one through eight.

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  • Make a difference, serve on a State Bar committee – March 31 deadline approaches

  • Electronic and computer forensics evidence: Part 2

  • 2010 State Bar candidates for Board of Governors

  • Young Lawyers Leadership Conference encourages community leadership

  • Changes galore at the 2010 State Bar Annual Convention, extended CLE program hours and new networking events

  • Members invited to free Fastcase legal research webcast seminars

  • Make a difference, serve on a State Bar committee – March 31 deadline approaches

  • Board of Governors updates prosecutor funding and staffing policy position

  • Rhinelander High School to represent Wisconsin in National Mock Trial competition

  • Senior lawyers honor Robert C. Skemp, La Crosse, for outstanding service to the profession and the community

  • Governor signs bill expanding public defender eligibility limits

  • Bill to increase SPD private bar rate receives tie vote in committee

  • Uniform Power of Attorney legislation advances

  • Recent jury verdicts, bench decisions, settlements, and arbitration awards

  • Smart phone buying guide: A look at systems, features, apps, and carriers (ABA Legal Technology Resource Center)

  • Behind the 'digital curtain.' Why face-to-face communication is still the best

  • Fastcase tip: Retrieve your favorite cases anywhere

  • Wisconsin Supreme Court clarifies meaning of 'cure' in contract breach

  • Court of appeals affirms retroactive application of repealed statute

  • Supreme Court unanimously votes to proceed with draft UPL rule

  • Summary of Wisconsin Supreme Court oral arguments heard this month

  • Playing video statement at closing argument addressed by court of appeals

  • U.S. Senate unanimously confirms William Conley’s nomination as federal judge

  • Wisconsin Lawyers' Assistance Corporation to hold annual meeting March 29 in Madison

  Read More →

• April 

  07, 2010

  Features

  • • Health Reform Act makes significant changes for employers and their health plans
    • April 7, 2010 — Recent health care reform legislation will affect nearly every group in the health care arena — employers, individuals, insurers, and medical providers. John Barlament and Kirk Pelikan discuss the legislation's impact on medium- and large-sized employers and their health plans.

  • • What happens to the dog in divorce? Who gets custody of Spot?
    • April 7, 2010 — Divorce can be difficult enough, but what of the beloved family pet? Who gets custody of Spot? Unlike the custody of children, there is no guidance when it comes to the disposition of a pet. And, there is no uniform way Wisconsin courts handle these issues.

  • • Legislative activity on insurance regulation: Annuity suitability and life settlements of policies
    • April 7, 2010 — The Wisconsin Insurance Commissioner seeks authority to monitor and regulate two areas of insurance sales: the suitability of the sale of annuities to consumers, and the purchase and sale of life insurance contracts by insured owners during their lifetimes. Both of these areas related to life insurance have seen rampant abuses by sellers and brokers in recent years, according to Barbara Becker.

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  • Electronic and computer forensics evidence: Part 3

  • Online Data Backup & Recovery

  • Election ballots for State Bar officer elections mailed this week

  • Volunteers needed to serve on Modest Means Panel

  • Stellar cast of stars honored on May 6 at the State Bar convention

  • Public Interest Law Section advocates for family health benefits specialists

  • State Bar offers help with end-of-life health care decisions

  • Committee hears testimony on bill to return most 17-year-olds to juvenile justice system

  • Governor signs legislation on IRA conversion and retirement contribution changes

  • Joint Finance Committee allocates additional $1.4 million for prosecutors

  • Recent jury verdicts, bench decisions, settlements, and arbitration awards

  • Time for a reality check. Is your marketing effective?

  • More state documents online: Accessing health and education data

  • Petition filed to increase Supreme Court rate for court-appointed attorneys

  • Supreme court holds expert testimony not required for summary judgment

  • Lawyers and public members statewide needed for committee service on district committees

  • Court of appeals reverses circuit court on rehire statute

  • Representations about modified motorcycle may violate deceptive trade practices act

  • Settlement retains diploma privilege

  • Supreme court says planned community does not contravene the Condominium Ownership Act

  • Wisconsin Supreme Court affirms involuntary medication order

  • Wisconsin Supreme Court rejects challenge to sex offender registry statute

  • Court of appeals reverses circuit court on treatment of pension payment in divorce

  Read More →

• April 

  21, 2010

  Features

  • • Power of Attorney Act awaits governor's signature
    • April 21, 2010 — The Uniform Power of Attorney for Finances and Property Act will replace Wisconsin's current statute, including the statutory form. The Act is intended to provide greater protection for persons who wish to use durable powers of attorney and more detailed guidance for agents, as well as guidance and protection for third parties who are asked to accept powers of attorney.

  • • State Bar launches powerful new online research tool
    • April 15, 2010 — The State Bar of Wisconsin unveiled a powerful new legal research tool — Books UnBound — a comprehensive online library that will house the entire collection of CLE publications commonly referred to as the "brown binder books."

  • • Stellar cast of stars honored on May 6 at the State Bar convention
    • April 7, 2010 – The State Bar salutes attorneys and law students who have made contributions to the profession or the community at large during May Annual Convention in Madison.

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  • Social networking and electronic discovery

  • Young Lawyers Division celebrates Law Day in classrooms across Wisconsin from April 26 to 30, volunteers needed

  • CLE Books' 2010 Codebooks: The latest law at your fingertips

  • Develop a marketing plan to grow your practice with the State Bar's newest member benefit

  • Local and specialty bar association leaders learn the benefits and risks of social media

  • Lawyer-Legislator Q&A: Representative Bill Kramer (Assembly District 97)

  • Recent jury verdicts, bench decisions, settlements, and arbitration awards

  • Business cards: Where soft touch meets high tech

  • Fastcase Tip: Browse statutes in Outline View 

  • New and revised mandatory court forms: Civil, criminal, juvenile, mental commitments, and small claims

  • New Milwaukee County Circuit Court rules governing the family division in effect

  • Court clarifies exclusion clause analysis in homeowner’s insurance case

  • Appeals court strikes sua sponte modification of physical placement order

  • Knowing possession of child pornography clarified by court of appeals

  • Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals hears oral argument in case challenging State Bar's public image campaign

  Read More →

• May 

  05, 2010

  Features

  • • Municipal court statutes receive legislative overhaul, await governor's signature 
    • May 5, 2010 — The Wisconsin Legislature passed and sent to Gov. Doyle SB 383, a comprehensive revision of Wis. Stat. chapters 775 and 800 regulating the creation and operation of the state's 252 municipal courts. Attorneys who practice in these courts, and those who advise municipal governments on court operations, will want to become familiar with the changes, which generally take effect on Jan. 1, 2011.

  • • Generational differences can impact a firm's team-oriented approach – and bottom line
    • May 5, 2010 — Today's law firm employs four generations of lawyers. Social, cultural and technological events create differences in the way each generation views work, life and success. The success of a law firm depends on understanding these differences and learning to embrace them. Panelists will discuss these issues tomorrow at the State Bar Annual Convention.

  • • Recent developments suggest 'green building' is here to stay
    • May 5, 2010 — The "green building" movement is gaining momentum with more federal, state and local initiatives popping up across the country. While most initiatives impact the construction of state-owned buildings, other factors are impacting the privatesector as well. A panel will discuss the issues today at the State Bar's Annual Convention.

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  • Presenting electronic and computer forensics evidence in court

  • Revised forms now available in Family Law Forms Library

  • Brennan wins president-elect post, Remington takes secretary and La Fleur Judicial Council

  • State Bar dues remain unchanged for seventh year, Wisconsin Supreme Court assessments up $16

  • State Bar adds eight titles to online CLE Books UnBound library

  • State Bar breaks tradition, will honor 50-year members at special summer event

  • State Bar welcomes new members, 48 lawyers attend swearing in ceremonies

  • Wisconsin high school finishes in top ten at national 'We the People' competition

  • Governor expected to sign insurance regulation legislation regarding annuity suitability and life settlement policies 

  • Legislature addresses ambiguity caused by one-year repeal of federal estate taxes

  • Legislature repeals 180-day notice limit for malpractice claims against state

  • Recent jury verdicts, bench decisions, settlements, and arbitration awards

  • Using paper to track client time? Consider these online solutions

  • Negotiation Skills as Tools to Effectively Communicate with Elder Law Clients

  • What to keep in your employee files: A small law firm's guide (Practice411 Advice Alert) 

  • Supreme court approves discovery rules to address electronically stored information

  • Appeals court reaffirms 'misrepresentation' rule in real estate context

  • Supreme Court approves Judicial Council, BBE rule-making petitions

  • Supreme court adopts procedures for referral and monitoring program

  • Supreme Court hears oral argument to decide fate of $200 million transfer

  • Failure to raise issues during comment period does not bar 'review' in subsequent section 283.63 hearing

  Read More →

• May 

  19, 2010

  Features

  • • National report makes recommendations to address 'critical issues' related to law school and the continuing education of lawyers
    • May 19, 2010 — Nearly 150 professionals from across the country recently gathered to discuss improving lawyer training and education for successful practice in today's world. To that end, working groups developed a final report with recommendations.

  • • Can a lawyer-mediator draft documents for a divorcing couple after mediation?
    • May 19, 2010 — Can a lawyer who serves as a mediator for a divorcing pro se couple, after successful mediation, draft documents for the parties? To answer this question, according to State Bar ethics counsel Tim Pierce, first determine whether the preparation of such documents is part of the mediation process or constitutes legal work beyond the scope of the mediation.

  • • Inns of Court provides unique and rich opportunity for younger lawyers, solo practitioners
    • May 19, 2010 — Founded in the late 1970s by Chief Justice Warren Burger, there are now more than 350 Inns of Court throughout the country, including four active Inns in Madison, Green Bay, and Milwaukee.

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  • Legal community responds to Justice O'Connor's concerns about politicization of judicial elections

  • Annual Convention attendees react to former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's speech

  • President-elect James Boll sworn in as 55th State Bar President

  • State Bar Board of Governors debates tough issues at May 4-5 Board meeting

  • Newly Supplemented in 2010: System Book for Family Law

  • Notice something different on WisBar today? State Bar reinforces commitment to members through new graphic identities

  • Members invited to free Fastcase legal research webcast seminars

  • Wisconsin attorneys thanked for helping service members and veterans

  • Claims exceed Client Protection Fund resources

  • State Bar thanks 2010 Annual Convention sponsors and Patrons Program participants

  • Students propose solutions to challenging public policy issues in statewide showcase

  • Rhinelander High School Finishes 16th in National Mock Trial competition

  • Bill to increase SPD private bar rate dies as Legislature adjourns for the year

  • Recent jury verdicts, bench decisions, settlements, and arbitration awards

  • How to set up a law practice website (Practice 411 Advice Alert)

  • It's not over until it's over. Why perseverance is critical.

  • Fastcase tip: Save time – pull and print 20 cases in three minutes

  • Former State Bar President Gary Sherman invested District IV Court of Appeals judge

  • County cannot use statutory notice requirement to bar antitrust suit, appeals court holds

  • Appeals court clarifies doctrine of acquiescence in boundary dispute

  • Symphony is 'entertainment' subject to sales tax on admissions, supreme court holds

  • Recipient of pay-on-death account funds not liable for estate taxes, supreme court holds

  • State Public Defender announces new blog, On Point

  Read More →

• June 

  02, 2010

  Features

  • • The class of 1960: Lawyers emerge as leaders in law, business, government, and education
    • June 2, 2010 — The law school class of 1960 graduated during a revolutionary period. War, assassination, and civil rights defined a nation calling for change. In Wisconsin, this group of lawyers has made and continues to make lasting and positive impacts on the vitality and well-being of the state and beyond. Today, the State Bar honors these members who have surpassed the 50-year milestone in the legal profession.

  • • Attorney not ineffective, in part because trial strategy was reasonable, supreme court holds
    • May 27, 2010 — An attorney's failure to investigate certain law or facts, if based on strategic trial decisions, may still be adjudged reasonable to discharge "ineffective assistance of counsel" claims, the Wisconsin Supreme Court recently held.

  • • Soliciting divorce clients: Is it permissible?
    • June 2, 2010 — Personal injury lawyers often use targeted direct mail to solicit clients, but is this practice permitted in other contexts?

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  • Business development: Four ways to get new business

  • State Bar practice sections rack up legislative victories during 2009-10 session

  • Members invited to free Fastcase legal research webcast seminars

  • More faces to Google: Translation, encrypted search, and patent search tools

  • Recent jury verdicts, bench decisions, settlements, and arbitration awards

  • Team selling: How to leverage growth with existing clients

  • FTC extends 'Red Flags Rule' enforcement deadline to Dec. 31

  • President nominates John Vaudreuil as U.S. Attorney for Western District of Wisconsin

  • Arbitration clause prohibiting class action is substantively unconscionable

  • Third-party consent allows access to owner’s personal computer, court of appeals holds

  • Hunters are trespassers, not adverse possessors, appeals court holds

  • Appeals court decides Sierra Club-DNR dispute on permit for coal-fired power plant

  • Insurance company must provide coverage under 'hit-and-run' policy term, supreme court holds

  • Justice Prosser encourages 2010 Marquette Law School graduates to be visionary optimists

  Read More →

• June 

  16, 2010

  Features

  • • Avoiding ethical pitfalls with electronic documents: Part 1 – Metadata
    • June 16, 2010 — Hidden information within an electronic document, known as metadata, can expose lawyers to liability when it comes to confidentiality issues. Knowing what metadata is, and how to reduce liability concerning it is essential in today's practice. The following article addresses those concerns.

  • • States consider Uniform Bar Exam to boost cross-border employment opportunities
    • June 16, 2010 — In April, Missouri became the first state to adopt a Uniform Bar Exam (UBE). Other states are considering it as a way to ease the burden on recent graduates and new lawyers. A UBE tests rules of general application, as opposed to specific state law. Whether or not a UBE will hit Wisconsin is unknown.

  • • Janesville attorney still works while cycling across country
    • June 16, 2010 — A few years ago, Wisconsin attorney Jim Carney set a goal to ride his bicycle across the country. Now, at age 51, he's doing it. With family in tow, Carney is using technology to stay connected to his practice while traveling 4,262 miles in 70 days. 

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  • Never enough: Compulsive lawyer-gambler now helps others face problem

  • CLE Books updates resource for nonprofits

  • Safeguard and separate client funds into trust and operating accounts with credit card processing

  • Board of Governors may consider joining amicus brief in 'Red Flags Rule' case

  • State Bar promotes innovative web-based civics education program created by Retired Justice Sandra Day O’Connor

  • State Bar honors members who pass 50-year milestone in legal profession

  • Recent jury verdicts, bench decisions, settlements, and arbitration awards

  • Fastcase tip: Find the case most frequently cited for your issue

  • New and revised mandatory court forms: Civil, criminal, juvenile, and general

  • How to take a vacation from your practice (Practice411 Advice Alert)

  • Federal appeals court says Wisconsin judges can announce political party membership

  • Housing Authority cannot deny applicant without adequate explanation, appeals court holds

  • Termination over unearned wages not protected from employee at-will doctrine, appeals court holds

  • Inadequacy of legal damages not a prerequisite to specific performance, supreme court holds

  • State cannot retroactively apply lowered PAC threshold in OWI case, appeals court holds

  • Supreme Court unanimously approves UPL rule but without enforcement mechanism

  • Attorney fees stand despite lack of additional information, appeals court holds

  • Justice Prosser encourages 2010 U.W. Law School graduates to be visionary optimists

  Read More →

• July 

  07, 2010

  Features

  • • Avoiding ethical pitfalls with electronic documents: Part 2 – Redaction
    • July 7, 2010 — With the growing incidents of identity theft — and electronic case management and filing by attorneys — redaction of personally identifiable information from court and other public records is not only a best practice, but now required in many locales. Here's what you need to know about electronic redaction and the steps necessary to ensure confidential information remains confidential.

  • • Wisconsin lawyers share advice on planning for disasters
    • July 7, 2010 — Planning for natural disasters is an important part of practicing law. Creating a disaster plan can save a law firm from weeks, or even months, of delays. Taking the rights steps now — through measures like computer back-ups — can help your firm or business bounce back quickly from unexpected events.

  • • Bankruptcy and divorce: Suggestions on how to get paid and stay paid
    • July 7, 2010 — Bankruptcy and divorce often go hand in hand. James McNeilly Jr. offers family law lawyers guidance on how a divorce client's bankruptcy filing can affect how they get paid — and how to minimize the risk of getting dragged into bankruptcy court.

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  • Surviving the law practice shark tank: Six mistakes that can kill your practice

  • PINNACLE Books releases new edition of Family Law Casenotes and Quotes

  • State Bar governors reject bar membership status petition, unite on other issues

  • Wills for Heroes: Local first-responders need attorney volunteers

  • Put your practice on the fast track at the fall Solo & Small Firm Conference, register early and save

  • State Bar sections help members practice smarter, share expert advice with colleagues

  • Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will have no enforcement or supervisory authority over attorneys

  • Scales of Justice Award highlights the contributions of legislators to a stronger justice system

  • Legislature Makes Changes to Uniform Commercial Code Articles

  • Recent jury verdicts, bench decisions, settlements, and arbitration awards

  • Go mobile: Apps for lawyers

  • To avoid 'analysis paralysis,' consider the positive side of change

  • Trial court can veto plea agreements if in the public interest

  • Real estate contract rescinded after fiduciary duty breached but no punitive damages

  • Deadlocked supreme court issues two separate opinions in Judicial Commission v. Gableman

  • Excess insurers have duty to defend under 'follow form' provision if not expressly disclaimed

  • Party must intentionally relinquish venue rights to waive in consumer transaction cases

  • Taxable condominium units include units not built, supreme court holds

  • Police department cannot invoke Schuster exception to privacy rule, appeals court holds

  • Supreme court clarifies procedures and standards for reviewing civil commitment discharge

  • Supreme court wraps up busy year of rule-making proceedings

  Read More →

• July 

  21, 2010

  Features

  • • Changes to advanced fee and credit card trust account rules, effective Jan. 1
    • July 21, 2010 — The Supreme Court recently adopted changes to Wisconsin's trust account rule, SCR 20:1.15, effective Jan. 1. The changes affect how lawyers deal with advanced fees and credit card trust accounts.

  • • Public interest protects personal emails of government employees from disclosure upon request
    • July 21, 2010 — The Wisconsin Supreme Court recently handed down its decision in Schill v. Wisconsin Rapids School District. Five teachers filed suit to enjoin the school district from disclosing personal emails upon request under the public records law.

  • • Supreme court schedules diploma privilege debate for Sept. 30
    • July 21, 2010 — On Sept. 30, the Wisconsin Supreme Court will consider a petition to extend the diploma privilege to graduates of out-of-state law schools or abolish it altogether. The State Bar seeks comments from members.

  ---

  • Cloud computing: Shifting the management of law firm technology

  • State Bar member benefits: An overview

  • Stay up to speed on new traffic laws with PINNACLE Books' revised Traffic Law and Practice in Wisconsin

  • Members invited to free Fastcase legal research webcast seminars

  • Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will have no enforcement or supervisory authority over attorneys

  • White gloves and party manners: The advantage of proper business etiquette

  • Fastcase tips: Using Forecite for smarter search results

  • Recent jury verdicts, bench decisions, settlements, and arbitration awards

  • State’s $200 million transfer from patient compensation fund unconstitutional

  • Judge did not abuse discretion when making 'baby mama' and other remarks at sentencing

  • Deed determines whether non-riparian rights include right to construct pier on easement

  • Ministerial duty precludes governmental immunity in state fair case

  • No takings for damage in groundwater dispute, supreme court holds

  • Supreme court revises judicial recusal guidelines

  • Deficient financial records preclude contract enforcement, supreme court holds

  • President nominates Victoria Nourse to Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals

  • Clerk of Supreme Court and Court of Appeals dies, Schanker was 55

  Read More →

• August 

  04, 2010

  Features

  • • Next generation of cross-examination: Constructive cross-examination
    • Aug. 4, 2010 — For generations, the cross-examining lawyer was counseled to attack, all with the central purpose of weakening the opponent's theory of the case. Under the newest generation of constructive cross-examination, the primary goal of cross-examination changes dramatically, according to Roger Dodd, a national expert on cross-examination techniques.

  • • Immigration law: No longer a non-issue
    • Aug. 4, 2010 — Immigration attorneys aren't the only ones dealing with immigration issues these days. Changes in immigration law and policy are impacting lawyers across many areas of practice. As two experienced immigration lawyers will tell you, immigration is an issue that that no Wisconsin attorney can ignore.

  • • Supreme court nixes arbitration panel's reinstatement of Menard, Inc.'s general counsel
    • Aug. 4, 2010 — The Wisconsin Supreme Court held that Menard Inc.'s general counsel, reinstated by an arbitration panel after charging Menard Inc. with employment discrimination, would violate ethical obligations contrary to public policy if forced to return.

  ---

  • Digital dictation: Enhancing efficiency in your practice

  • New PINNACLE institutes target practice areas with in-depth programming, change Annual Convention format

  • Members invited to free Fastcase legal research webcast seminars

  • State Bar offers assistance to members and others impacted by severe weather

  • Put your practice on the fast track at the Wisconsin Solo and Small Firm Conference in October

  • PINNACLE updates marital property resource

  • Senate Judiciary Committee recommends Vaudreuil as U.S. Attorney for Western District of Wisconsin

  • Special committees formed to review major policy issues between legislative sessions

  • Judicial Council looks back on another successful year

  • Recent jury verdicts, bench decisions, settlements, and arbitration awards

  • Don't drop the baton: Create effective knowledge transfer

  • Investigating Wisconsin administrative rules

  • Guarantors liable for deficiency despite mortgagee’s election for shortened redemption period

  • New commission promotes access to justice for Wisconsin residents

  • Overruled appeals cases possess no precedential value, uninsured motorist must be negligent to trigger coverage

  • Supreme Court issues final UPL rule

  • Proceeds of letters of credit not property of insolvent debtor's estate, supreme court holds

  • Sand removal rights for cranberry bog transferable without express language to the contrary

  • With warrant, police can use GPS device to monitor criminal suspect more than five days

  • Supreme court restricts police authority to search vehicles, but applies good-faith exception

  • Wisconsin teachers travel to Virginia for State Bar-sponsored We the People summer seminar

  • Wisconsin attorney completes cross-country bicycle trek

  Read More →

• August 

  18, 2010

  Features

  • • Diversity and white men: Proudman will address diversity inclusion in the legal profession at October event
    • Aug. 18, 2010 — Recruiting and retaining a diverse and talented pool of attorneys is both a social good and good for business. But diversity inclusion requires more, according to Bill Proudman, a diversity consultant and featured speaker at the 2010 Diversity Counsel Program. Proudman will explain how diversity inclusion requires a partnership that includes white men at the Oct. 1 event.

  • • Leaving a firm: The departure letter and other ethical considerations
    • Aug. 18, 2010 — Professional Ethics Committee Chair Dean Dietrich recently sat down with State Bar Ethics Counsel Tim Pierce to discuss ethical considerations when leaving a law firm. Pierce clarified misconceptions and offered advice on several topics, including the departure letter, solicitation, and proprietary information.

  • • Appellate rule changes: Include opinions cited in appellate briefs or petitions in accompanying appendices
    • Aug. 18, 2010 — Litigants in Wisconsin's appellate courts who cite unpublished court of appeals opinions soon must include copies of those opinions in appendices accompanying any brief, petition, or response in which the opinion is cited. The changes go in effect on Jan. 1, 2011.

  ---

  • Leaving a law firm? What are the ethical considerations?

  • New collection of diversity resources available on WisBar

  • State Bar members connect through social media

  • Hundreds of attorney volunteers needed for Mock Trial and other law-related education programs

  • Wisconsin Solo Conference and Young Lawyers Division honored by ABA

  • Insurance touches everyone; PINNACLE updates popular Wisconsin Insurance Law

  • Bluebook now approves citation to Internet sources (Practice 411 Advice Alert)

  • Recent jury verdicts, bench decisions, settlements, and arbitration awards

  • Survival of the fittest: The impact of value migration on lawyers

  • Exigent circumstances support warrantless entry, supreme court holds

  • Wisconsin Supreme Court accepts wastewater discharge case and three others

  • Failure to raise issues in response to no-merit report bars issues in post-conviction motion

  • Supreme court asserts jurisdiction to review orders compelling arbitration

  • Supreme court sets 2010-11 schedule of rule-making proceedings

  • Insurers cannot exclude surrogate mothers from maternity coverage under statute

  • Wisconsin’s constitutional marriage amendment survives procedural challenge

  • Landlord fails in attempt to shift fire damage costs to tenant without negligence

  Read More →

• September 

  01, 2010

  Features

  • • Employees vs. independent contractors: State broadens enforcement of worker misclassification issues
    • Sept. 1, 2010 — A new law that goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2011, gives the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development substantial teeth to investigate and address worker misclassification issues involving employers engaged in construction-related services. Such employers can minimize their liability exposure now by analyzing whether they can meet the burden of establishing independent contractor status under the various legal tests, says Attorney Troy Thompson.

  • • Marquette's new law school promotes both traditional and modern law study
    • Sept. 1, 2010 — Marquette University Law School recently opened the doors to Eckstein Hall, an $85 million facility with advanced technology and a spacious design. Dean Joseph Kearney says it's the finest law school facility in the country, and hopes it will help students become more immersed in law school culture while expanding Marquette's ability to host major events.

  • • Credit for time served: Supreme court addresses rules under sentence credit statute
    • Sept. 1, 2010 — A defendant, charged for a crime in Wisconsin, is later arrested and jailed in Illinois based on both Illinois and Wisconsin warrants. Does credit for time served apply to the Wisconsin sentence when the defendant is sentenced to a prison term that runs concurrently with the sentence in Illinois? The Wisconsin Supreme Court said yes in State v. Carter.

  ---

  • The new home of Marquette University Law School

  • Solo, Small & General Practice Section members get early bird discount for WSSFC through Sept. 27

  • Diversity in the 21st century, become a champion for change at October event

  • State Bar seeks candidates for officers and district governors in 2011 elections

  • More than football kicks off in the fall, Breakfast & Business: Eggs, Ethics, and Answers announces its new schedule

  • Last call for 50 percent discount on 2010 Wisconsin Lawyer Directory

  • Brown M&M's and the value of lists 

  • Recent jury verdicts, bench decisions, settlements, and arbitration awards

  • LawBrain: Findlaw's legal wiki

  • DOJ creates new online public records law resource

  • Fastcase tip: Selecting a specific jurisdiction

  • Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals rejects rehearing en banc in Siefert v. Alexander

  • Insurer barred from denying coverage without reservation of rights agreement

  • Appeals court ends seven-year legal battle over high-capacity well near Lake Beulah

  • Supreme court rejects constitutional challenge by former Jesuit priest from Illinois

  • Circuit court did not have inherent authority to grant new trial in campus assault case

  • Client does not waive rights unless attorney has authority to act, appeals court holds

  • Police seized drugs lawfully under the community caretaker exception, supreme court says

  • Voluntary consent sufficiently attenuated to remove taint of illegal police entry

  Read More →

• September 

  15, 2010

  Features

  • • Juggling act: The dual role of volunteer board member and legal counsel at a nonprofit
    • Sept. 15, 2010 — Volunteering as a board member for a nonprofit organization is a good way to gain exposure while serving the community, and many lawyers do so. Ultimately, a lawyer in that capacity might be called upon to answer legal questions. So how should a lawyer proceed?

  • • Choosing a limited liability entity: Which form is best for your law firm?
    • Sept. 15, 2010 — Perhaps because of the economy, more lawyers are considering going solo or forming small firms. Lawyers and law firms may limit the legal liability in their law practices by forming their business as an LLC, LLP, or S.C. Joseph Boucher and Jennifer Knudson offer some basic information on choosing a limited liability entity for your practice.

  • • Opening the door: Insuring your small business
    • Sept. 15, 2010 — If you're thinking about starting your own practice or joining a small law firm, consider your insurance needs — and perhaps even enhance your employer-provided insurance coverage — before you leave your current position.

  ---

  • Ethics and the lawyer as a nonprofit board member

  • Add your Web site to WisBar's online lawyer directory

  • PINNACLE updates The Guardian ad Litem Handbook

  • Choosing a Process for Divorce: Newest addition to consumer pamphlets helps clients select the best divorce process

  • Members invited to free Fastcase legal research webcast seminars

  • Pro Bono grants available for legal assistance projects, applications due Nov. 30

  • Fund for Client Protection approves reimbursements for lawyer theft victims

  • New public education committee will set strategic goals at first meeting

  • State Bar seeks candidates for officers and district governors in 2011 elections

  • Special legislative committee examines criminal justice funding issues

  • Recent jury verdicts, bench decisions, settlements, and arbitration awards

  • Nonprofit organizations must file returns by Oct. 15 to retain tax-exempt status

  • Evidence of future contamination and remediation costs admissible in eminent domain cases 

  • Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals upholds Wisconsin’s gasoline pricing regulations

  • Party cannot challenge DOT condemnation of land based on unsafe road design

  • Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals rejects challenge to State Bar’s public image campaign

  • U.W.-Madison must fund religious practice and worship with student activity fee

  • Police officer violated juvenile's rights with custodial interrogation

  • Employee entitled to worker’s compensation despite engaging in prohibited work duties 

  • WERC cannot aggregate conduct to find that a union breached a duty of representation

  • Madison clinic offers legal help with immigration issues

  • Hundreds of high school students prepare to go to court in 2011

  • September is juror appreciation month

  Read More →

• October 

  06, 2010

  Features

  • • Lawyer is first graduate of foreign law school admitted through Wisconsin bar exam
    • Oct. 6, 2010 — About 18 years ago, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that a non-U.S. law school graduate could not sit for the Wisconsin bar exam. In 2009, that situation changed. Last month, the supreme court held a swearing-in ceremony that included the first person to be admitted as a graduate of a foreign law school after passing the Wisconsin bar exam.

  • • Attracting the 'ideal' client: 10 rules of client service
    • Oct. 6, 2010 — So what do you do to attract your ideal clients in a world where the Internet and the advice of strangers hold so much sway? It's simple: Identify your ideal clients and build your business to serve them well. Read Matt Homann's 10 rules of client service.

  • • Task force identifies ways to improve the criminal justice system's response to mental illness
    • Oct. 6, 2010 — Wisconsin was selected to participate in the Criminal Justice Mental Health Leadership Initiative, a national project designed to address the issues that surround mental illness and the criminal justice system. A recent report highlights Wisconsin's effort to respond.

  ---

  • Fastcase's newest feature, Forecite, gets beyond the limitations of keyword searches

  • Google now indexes Books UnBound content, delivers relevant results quickly

  • Members invited to free Fastcase legal research webcast seminars

  • State Bar Board of Governors opposes petition to amend or repeal diploma privilege, among other actions

  • Develop your practice management skills at interactive webcasts

  • Half off convenient, portable, up-to-date, 2010 PINNACLE codebook series

  • Nomination Committee extends deadline to run for State Bar officers in 2011 elections to Oct. 15

  • Ethics seminars galore, many dates to choose from

  • PINNACLE updates Wisconsin Employment Law

  • Earn CLE on the slopes or in the Gulf at two January conferences

  • Will your 2011 Wisconsin Lawyer Directory listing be current? Order copies for your office now and save up to 28 percent

  • Recent jury verdicts, bench decisions, settlements, and arbitration awards

  • Searching for real estate data? Online resources worth checking out

  • Keep the rainmakers on the front line, Wisconsin legal administrators offer advice for improving law firm operations

  • New and revised mandatory court forms: Civil, criminal, juvenile, and general, effective Aug. 5, 2010

  • A resident school district can no longer limit student transfers to nonresident school districts

  • Appeals court clarifies physician's informed consent obligation in medical negligence case

  • Justice Prosser encourages new attorneys to become trustees of the profession – make it better than you find it

  Read More →

• October 

  20, 2010

  Features

  • • Is support different in high-income cases? A discussion of Ladwig and Chen
    • Oct. 20, 2010 — For years, family lawyers have discussed whether child support and maintenance are evaluated differently in high-income cases. Several recent cases indicate that attorneys should be cautious in assuming that the rules are different in high-income cases, according to authors Margaret Hickey and Megann Senfleben.

  • • The new practitioner: Attorneys offer advice on starting, building, and maintaining a successful practice
    • Oct. 20, 2010 — In tough economic times, more new lawyers are "hanging a shingle" or taking project work on a solo basis. Going it alone can be a daunting endeavor, but Ethics Counsel Tim Pierce and experienced solo practitioner Eric Raskopf have some advice for avoiding common practice mistakes.

  • • The changing landscape of Wisconsin search and seizure law: Defense and prosecutor perspectives
    • Oct. 20, 2010 — This last term, the Wisconsin Supreme Court rendered some important decisions that change the landscape of search and seizure law under the Fourth Amendment. David Perlman, assistant attorney general for the Wisconsin Department of Justice, and Kathleen Pakes, legal counsel for the State Public Defender, discuss the impact of those cases.

  ---

  • Annual review: Don't miss these recent significant court decisions

  • Don't hold a Bar leadership position? This Board of Governors committee needs you

  • Half off convenient, portable, up-to-date, 2010 PINNACLE codebook series

  • Free webinar offers tips to market a law practice in a tight economy

  • State Bar seeks candidates for officers and district governors in 2011 elections

  • Don't need a copy of the print 2011 Wisconsin Lawyer Directory? Opt out before Dec. 10

  • Recent jury verdicts, bench decisions, settlements, and arbitration awards

  • Ethical dilemmas: How long must I hold files?

  • NCAA’s ticket distribution system under review as possible 'illegal lottery' 

  • Running across highway constitutes 'use' of semi-truck under CGL insurance policy

  • Lowell Sweet earns Solo Small Firm Service Award – commitment and service personified

  • Wisconsin Law Foundation awards grants to programs that educate consumers about health reform, bankruptcy, and the legal system

  • Boscobel prison inmates learn civic skills through State Bar-sponsored Project Citizen program

  Read More →

• November 

  03, 2010

  Features

  • • Don't panic: The who, what, when, and where of IRS tax audits (Part 1)
    • Nov. 3, 2010 — Nobody wants to get audited by the Internal Revenue Service, but when it happens, tell your clients not to panic. Helping them understand the rules of the game can make it easier, and less stressful, to navigate the process, according to Rob Teuber.

  • • Client satisfaction drives law firm innovation in a new legal environment
    • Nov. 3, 2010 — Foley & Lardner, with a new budget management system, provides a cutting-edge tool in addressing client needs in the changing legal environment. But large firms aren't the only ones that can use innovation to keep clients happy.

  • • Children's mental health records: risks versus benefits of disclosure to parents or other parties
    • Nov. 3, 2010 — Confidentiality of children's mental health records is not afforded the same protection as adult records. Author Kip Zirkel, consulting psychologist at Family and Children's Center in La Crosse, discusses arguments against such disclosures and presents alternatives for parents and other parties.

  ---

  • Teuber talks about the IRS audit process

  • PINNACLE issues update to Evidence Handbook – 2010 supplement now available

  • Offer your clients an online payment option

  • Verify your listing in the most popular directory of Wisconsin lawyers, Save up to 28 percent on extra copies

  • State Bar seeks nominations for pro bono, public service, and public education awards, Nominations due Jan. 31

  • State Bar seeks candidates for officers and district governors in 2011 elections

  • Private bar appropriation expected to run out of money at least five months early

  • Recent jury verdicts, bench decisions, settlements, and arbitration awards

  • Turn to the Web for practice forms

  • LLC cannot escape prepayment penalty fee of $1.6 million, an appeals court recently held

  • Seventh Circuit denies rehearing petition in Kingstad case, won’t rehear Keller challenge

  • State Bar program educates the public about Wisconsin's OWI law

  • Green Bay East High School Mock Trial Team scores victories at New York tournament

  Read More →

• November 

  17, 2010

  Features

  • • Referral fees: New ethics opinion clarifies the referring and receiving attorneys' obligations
    • Nov. 17, 2010 — A new ethics opinion clarifies a lawyer's obligations when making referrals for a fee. Wisconsin Formal Ethics Opinion EF-10-02 reaffirms and replaces E-00-01, which has been withdrawn. The following article explains the obligations described in the opinion, which includes a duty to "step in" if the receiving lawyer is ever unable to serve the client's legal needs.

  • • Court decides e-discovery 'mandatory conference' issue, releases final e-discovery order, effective Jan. 1
    • Nov. 17, 2010 — The Wisconsin Supreme Court settled an open issue regarding the electronic discovery rules issued in July. The final version of the e-discovery rules, issued Nov. 10, requires a pre-discovery conference of the parties. The rules go into effect on Jan. 1, 2011.

  • • Don't panic: The who, what, when and where of the IRS appeals process (Part 2)
    • Nov. 17, 2010 — Failing to respond to the IRS's 90-day or 30-day deficiency letters will preclude the client from protesting the deficiency amounts asserted by the IRS. Thus, it is important that lawyers act quickly to preserve these rights on their clients' behalf.

  ---

  • Alternative fees: An opportunity for client development

  • PINNACLE Ultimate Pass offers law firm subscription discounts, now includes admission to solo and small firm conference

  • 2011 State Bar elections draws candidates with varied backgrounds and experience

  • Search your Books UnBound library faster and smarter with Google

  • Government Lawyers Division requests permission to file amicus curiae brief

  • Members gain extra month to earn CLE credits, choose from more than 20 PINNACLE seminars in January

  • Don't need a copy of the print 2011 Wisconsin Lawyer Directory? Opt out before Dec. 16

  • Employers wanted: Hire first-year law students for summer employment

  • State Bar seeks nominations for Leonard L. Loeb Senior Lawyers Division Award, nominations due Feb. 8

  • Recent jury verdicts, bench decisions, settlements, and arbitration awards

  • Are your trust account funds in a credit union? Change to trust account insurability requirements in effect on Jan. 1

  • Ethical dilemmas: Confidentiality and prospective clients in divorce situations

  • Mailing error keeps case alive for private landowner in condemnation dispute 

  • Supreme Court acts on compensation, permanent revocation petitions

  • Jury could decide whether police used excessive force with taser gun in man's death

  • Office of Lawyer Regulation faces increased caseload amid budget constraints, according to 2010 annual report

  Read More →

• December 

  01, 2010

  Features

  • • After 22 years of representing the poor, SPD head Nick Chiarkas prepares to pass the reins
    • Dec. 1, 2010 — The kid from the projects turned cop then public defender talks about his 22-year career as state public defender chief, the importance of public defenders in the justice system, the "heroes" that make up his staff, and what lies ahead.

  • • Don't panic: The who, what, when and where of challenges in tax court (Part 3)
    • Dec. 1, 2010 — Taxpayers have different options when it comes to contesting a tax bill. Usually, taxpayers petition the U.S. Tax Court, but a taxpayer must file a tax court petition with 90 days to be heard on the matter. Tax attorney Rob Teuber explains the process of challenging a tax bill in court.

  • • Ethics opinion addresses whether a law firm webinar can create a lawyer-client relationship
    • Dec. 1, 2010 — A recent State Bar of Wisconsin ethics opinion guides lawyers and law firms that contemplate using website webinars as an informational tool for clients. A webinar does not create a lawyer-client relationship, but lawyers should take proper steps to ensure that a client is aware that no such relationship is intended.

  ---

  • Marketing your practice through Google

  • Attend the State Bar’s Government Relations seminar Legislative History and Intent: Fact or Fiction? on Dec. 10

  • Fund for Client Protection approves reimbursements for lawyer theft victims

  • Breakfast & Business: Eggs, Ethics, and Answers comes to Janesville in January and Milwaukee in February

  • PINNACLE releases new edition of the Wisconsin Juvenile Law Handbook

  • Nominations for Judge of the Year and Lifetime Jurist Achievement due Jan. 21

  • State Bar seeks candidates for officers and district governors in 2011 elections

  • Verify your listing in the most popular directory of Wisconsin lawyers, save up to 28 percent on extra copies ordered by Dec. 16

  • Recent jury verdicts, bench decisions, settlements, and arbitration awards

  • How the Pentagon Papers complement client development

  • New and revised mandatory court forms: civil, juvenile, general, guardianship, and mental commitment, effective Oct. 7, 2010

  • Trial judges must sua sponte remove immediate family members from the jury pool

  • Milwaukee’s 'winter rules' ordinance opens door to police search of garbage can

  Read More →

• December 

  15, 2010

  Features

  • • A glimpse: President-elect candidates share insights, prepare to visit local bars
    • Dec. 15, 2010 — Attorneys James Carney and Kevin Klein, both candidates for State Bar of Wisconsin president-elect, have a lot in common. Both grew up in small Midwestern towns, both are U.W. Law School graduates, both like to fish, and both have a common goal when it comes to the State Bar: maximize member benefits and enhance the profession.

  • • Case selection criteria: Weighing the risks of litigation as a solo or small-firm attorney
    • Dec. 15, 2010 — Before taking a new matter, it's important to thoroughly assess whether the case is worth the time and resources, especially for solo and small-firm attorneys. Attorney Catherine La Fleur offers tips to consider in determining whether the case is right for you.

  • • Don't panic: The who, what, when, and where of the IRS collections process (Part 4)
    • Dec. 15, 2010 — If your client is not successful in challenging the IRS at the appeals or tax court level, the IRS will assess a tax liability and transfer the case collections. Tell your client not to panic. Knowing the collections process is half the battle, says tax attorney Rob Teuber.

  ---

  • 2010 State Bar of Wisconsin Annual Report: Your Practice. Our Purpose.

  • President Boll's holiday message: Count the people who serve us among our many blessings

  • Tick tock: Tomorrow is last chance to save on extra copies of 2011 Wisconsin Lawyer Directory

  • Board discusses 'Civil Gideon,' votes on client protection fund, and takes other actions

  • Pilot projects underscore the value of adult education initiative

  • Filing deadlines near for State Bar officer, district governor, and division officer candidates

  • $5.4 million SPD private bar reimbursement supplemental appropriation approved

  • Recent jury verdicts, bench decisions, settlements, and arbitration awards

  • Ethical dilemmas: Representing husband in business matter likely precludes representing spouse in divorce

  • Congress exempts attorneys from 'Red Flags Rule'

  • 'Tis the season: How social competence increases business potential

  • Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals panel resolves delay in airline-union representation dispute 

  • Double damages are not mandatory in forest fire cases involving negligence 

  • Policy provision unambiguous despite English professor's contrary interpretation

  Read More →

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