Feb. 4, 2015 – Share ideas about expanding access to the legal system at the 2015 Wisconsin Equal Justice Conference.
The biannual conference brings together law schools, the private bar, legal aid organizations, policy makers and the judiciary to discuss creating access to the legal system for low-income and disadvantaged Wisconsin residents who face legal issues.
“It’s a great way to learn about what’s new and what’s working in other places,” said Jeff Brown, pro bono coordinator for the State Bar of Wisconsin.
Register now to join in the discussion on March 6 at the Italian Community Center in downtown Milwaukee near Lake Michigan.
The day will kick off with welcomes by Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, Dean Joseph Kearney of the Marquette Law School, and State Bar President-elect Ralph Cagle. There will also be updates on the work of the Legal Assistance Committee and the Wisconsin Access to Justice Commission.
Highlights of the day include sessions on:
Innovaction and the future of delivering services to the poor: Learn how technology can be a gateway to legal assistance from Lisa Colpoys, executive director of Illinois Legal Aid Online.
Staying fit to practice: Linda Albert of the State Bar’s Wisconsin Lawyers Assistance Program discusses how to recognize and avoid compassion fatigue – the cumulative effects on legal professionals of being continually exposed to traumatic stories or events.
Wisconsin’s new rules regarding limited-scope representation: Learn the ethics related to limited-scope representation and its role in making legal services affordable for more people from Dean Dietrich, chair of the Professional Ethics Committee, and Tim Pierce, State Bar ethics counsel.
Collaborative legal clinics: A panel discussion on how collaboration has led a diverse group of legal aid providers and social services groups to develop new approaches to meeting the legal needs of their communities.
Taking the next steps: Milwaukee Circuit Court Judge Richard Sankovitz speaks at the closing plenary talks about the next steps for equal justice stakeholders.
Stay around for the afternoon reception to socialize, discuss ideas raised during the day, and find out who the recipients are of the pro bono and public interest awards from the Legal Assistance Committee and the Public Interest Law Section.
The 2015 Wisconsin Equal Justice Conference is organized by the Legal Assistance Committee, which oversees the State Bar’s pro bono program, and is sponsored by the Legal Assistance Committee and the Public Interest Law Section along with the Wisconsin Access to Justice Commission.
To Register
Register online for this all-day program. The fee is only $25 for State Bar members and the program will be submitted for CLE credit.
Wisconsin Equal Justice Conference
8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Friday, March 6
Italian Community Center of Milwaukee
631 E. Chicago St.
Milwaukee, WI 53202-5916
