March 4, 2015 – Keep your colleagues and the State Bar of Wisconsin Board of Governors informed of actions at the national level by becoming an ABA delegate.

The State Bar seeks candidates for two delegate positions representing the State Bar with ABA House of Delegates for two-year terms.

Young Lawyer Sought

One of the delegates must be a young lawyer – here’s an opportunity to be noticed at the start of your career.

A young lawyer, as defined by the ABA Constitution, is a lawyer admitted to practice within the past five years or is less than 36 years old at the beginning of the term.

The board elects five delegates in total to the ABA, each serving two-year terms. Two representatives are elected in odd-numbered years, and three representatives are elected in even-numbered years.

The delegates are needed to maintain the connection between the ABA House of Delegates and the State Bar Board of Governors. Delegates are asked to be watchful of actions proposed by the ABA that will affect Wisconsin lawyers and to appraise the State Bar’s board of actions that it should act upon.

Petitions are due April 15. The delegates are elected during the board’s June meeting.

Delegate Responsibilities

Delegates’ responsibilities include:

• Establishing association policy and defining ABA positions on professional and public issues

• Electing ABA officers and the Board of Governors after receiving nominations from the ABA Nominating Committee

• Amending the ABA bylaws and constitution (jointly with ABA Assembly of Members)

• Creating or disbanding association committees and sections

• Setting membership dues after conferring with the ABA Board of Governors

Terms begin after the ABA annual meeting in August. During their two-year terms, delegates attend each House meeting, participate in its proceedings, and discharge the House’s responsibilities. Delegates also keep their constituencies apprised of House actions and, to the extent possible, of matters pending before the House. They also assist constituent entities in presenting issues of concern for debate and action by the House.

Members interested in representing the State Bar in this capacity should review the State Bar Bylaws, Article III, Section 13, for election qualifications and procedure.

How to Apply

For information on applying to be an ABA delegate:

• Download a nominating petition, which requires 10 signatures of the State Bar Board of Governors

• Young lawyers should download the nominating petition for a young lawyer delegate, which requires signatures of four members of the Young Lawyers Division board of directors. Young lawyers do not need to be a member of the State Bar’s Young Lawyers Division to be an ABA delegate.

• Email or call Jan Marks at (800) 444-9404, ext. 6106, or (608) 250-6106.

Petitions must be filed with State Bar Executive Director George Brown by April 15.