Kris Wenzel, front, with members of the Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection Committee, from left: Stephen Chiquoine, Susan Miller, Catherine Zimmerman, Amy Wochos, Lindsey Draper, Benjamin Kurten, Committee Chairperson Wayne Maffei
Dec. 21, 2016 – The Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection in 1991 was very different from the fund of 2016. Those who serve on the committee say it is now more effective in helping the victims of attorney theft.
And they say it is all thanks to Kris Wenzel, State Bar member services coordinator. Wenzel is retiring from her position at the end of December.
About the Fund
The Wisconsin Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection, created by the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 1981, provides reimbursement to clients who incur financial losses from the dishonest conduct of their attorneys. The fund is financed by a portion of the Supreme Court Assessments annually paid by State Bar members. The amount of the assessment is determined by the committee each year by Supreme Court Rule; in 2016, it was $20.
As a coordinator of the State Bar program, Wenzel has served as liaison for the Wisconsin Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection Committee since 1991. At that time, the fund paid victims of lawyer misconduct just $126,000 over a period of two years. Through Wenzel’s efforts, the limit per claim increased from $35,000 in 1991 to $150,000 in 2010. Last year, more than $628,000 was paid to victims, for more than $6 million since Wenzel began as liaison for the committee.
Her duties at the State Bar also include work with the Local Bar Relations Committee, including the Wisconsin Bar Leaders Conference; the New Lawyer Challenges Committee which, in 2016, held its inaugural Greater Wisconsin Initiative Bus Tour; the Fee Arbitration program; and four public admissions receptions.
Creating a Climate of Commitment
Kris is instrumental in creating a climate of commitment for committee members – lawyers and nonlawyers alike – with the goal of preserving the reputation of the profession by attempting to restore the faith of clients hurt by attorney theft.
“Kris helps committee members understand the balance between our responsibilities as stewards of the monies contributed by State Bar members, and the goal of making injured clients whole,” said committee member Lindsey Draper.
The committee’s effectiveness is largely due to Kris, says Deb Smith, previous committee chair. “She communicated both local and national trends to help the committee plan for the future.”
National Recognition
Wenzel is also effective in informing committee members about the work of other client protection funds and ideas for improving the work of Wisconsin’s fund. She was active in the national client protection community, as a presenter at the Forum of the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Client Protection, and as a regional vice president of the National Client Protection Organization (NCPO).
In 2015, Wenzel was recognized for her efforts as a recipient of the Isaac Hecht Law Client Protection Award from the NCPO. The award is given to someone who “demonstrated excellence in the field of client protection (by) promoting public confidence in the administration of justice and the integrity of the legal profession.”
Inspiring Lawyers to Serve
A strong indication of the impact of Wenzel’s work with the Fund committee is the number of committee members who, after taking the mandatory one-year break from the committee following five years of service, apply to be re-appointed to the committee.
Stephen D. Chiquoine of Reedsburg, on his third five-year term on the committee, said it is difficult to imagine the committee without Wenzel as its liaison.
"Her endless efforts to help those who were badly treated by their attorneys, and her tireless investigation into claims in which compensation was not appropriate, make the job of every committee member easier and more satisfying,” Chiquione said.
“She will be sorely missed," he said.
