Nov. 2, 2016 – At around this time last year, I was hoping that the State Bar Nominating Committee would select me to run for president-elect of our august organization. I was, in fact, given the nod and actually managed to win an election to become president-elect. Fran Deisinger, our president, has now asked me to chair this year’s Nominating Committee, the job of which is to get the word out to all who are interested in running for office. The committee will select two candidates to run for the office of president-elect, treasurer, and Judicial Council representative in spring 2017.

We are looking for good people to run for these offices. Many years ago, I was asked to attend a board meeting of the Young Lawyers Division. I became hooked immediately as a volunteer leader, and the rest, as they say, is history. I was glad someone asked me to get involved.

I have found service to our profession and the public through the State Bar of Wisconsin to be rewarding and have met an incredible array of great people along the way. Some were characters and always entertaining; some were dedicated to the art of the practice of law; others were dedicated to helping lawyers serve the public, to make better communities across the state. Serving as a volunteer leader has many rewards, and I encourage any and all lawyers across the state to consider giving back to the profession as a volunteer leader.

I was glad someone asked me to get involved.

It is my privilege to encourage State Bar members to run for not only the offices listed above, but for any of the seats that are opening up on the various districts for the Board of Governors. As an officer or governor, you will interact with section leaders and committee members, governors and judges, and certainly many other people who serve the Bar in so many ways.

You will make lifelong friends with many of the people you meet. You will advance your practice by exposing yourself to a diverse group of members with many different outlooks on the practice of law. I believe that you will, through the course of being a volunteer leader, develop a sense of performing a job that is worthwhile in so many ways.

I know that it is sometimes difficult to make the effort to volunteer for one of these offices, but the worst that can happen, even if you lose an election, is that you will meet quite a few lawyers throughout the state while on the campaign trail. John Danner, my opponent last year, and I became good friends as we traveled across the state together stumping for office. Both of us said that either one of us would have made a fine Bar president. The bottom line is that you will not regret taking a chance and running for one of these positions.

You will make lifelong friends with many of the people you meet. You will advance your practice by exposing yourself to a diverse group of members with many different outlooks on the practice of law.

Nominations Accepted Through Nov. 24

If you are interested in nominating yourself, which is a perfectly acceptable practice, or nominating someone else to run for a State Bar office, please email or call me at (920) 235-6690. You may also contact any of the members of the Nominating Committee: Deanne Koll (Menomonie), Laura Skilton Verhoff (Madison), Thomas Schwaba (Marinette), and Steven DeVougas (Milwaukee).