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  • Press Release
    January 24, 2003

    News Release January 2003: Candidates for 2003 State Bar elections announced

    For Immediate Release
      CONTACT: Jason Westphal
    State Bar of Wisconsin
    (800) 444-9404, ext. 6077
    jwestphal@wisbar.org
    *

    Candidates for 2003 State Bar elections announced

    MADISON, January 24, 2003 - Attys. Michelle Behnke and Earl Munson, both of Madison, have officially been named candidates for the office of president-elect of the State Bar of Wisconsin. The nominees were recently selected by the Bar's Nominating Committee, which is chaired by the current president-elect, George Burnett.

    Michelle Behnke received her undergraduate degree in economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1983 and her law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1988. A sole practitioner, her practice focuses on formation, sale and acquisition of businesses, commercial and residential real estate and estate planning. Michelle is a past chair of the State Bar's Board of Governors and was previously elected to serve as treasurer of the State Bar from 1995-97. She has served on a number of Bar committees, is a member of the Board of Visitors for the University of Wisconsin Law School and acts as the current chair of the Supreme Court's Appointment Selection Committee. Michelle serves her community by serving on the St. Mary's Hospital and Care Center Foundation Board and the Board of Trustees of Edgewood High School.

    Earl Munson is a partner in the Madison firm of Boardman, Suhr, Curry & Field LLP. He received both his bachelor's degree and J.D. from the University of Wisconsin. Earl is a Fellow of the American College of Trail Lawyers and is listed among The Best Lawyers in America for business litigation. A member of the State Bar's Board of Governors, he also recently served on the Bar's Executive Committee (2001-02) and Multidisciplinary Practice (MDP) Commission. Earl is a former special prosecutor for the Wisconsin Department of Justice, was a Dane County assistant district attorney and served as a lieutenant commander in the United States Navy. He currently serves as president of the Dane County Legal Services Center Board of Directors.

    The Nominating Committee also announced the two nominees for treasurer: Dean Dietrich of Wausau and Grant Langley of Milwaukee.

    Dean Dietrich, of Wausau's Ruder, Ware & Michler LLC, graduated from Marquette University Law School in 1977. He currently serves as the State Bar's treasurer and has long been active in association matters. A member of the Bar's Board of Governors for the majority of the past decade, Dean has also served as chair of the Professional Ethics Committee (2000 02) and Finance Committee (2001-present). He is a current member of the Professionalism Committee and a former director/president of the Young Lawyers Division. Back home, Dean gives back to his community as vice chair of the Community Health Care - Wausau Hospital Board of Directors, as a member of the Wausau Area Catholic Schools Finance Committee, as president of the Wausau Early Bird Rotary Club and as president of the Marathon County Youth Hockey Association.

    Grant Langley was first elected Milwaukee city attorney in 1984. Prior to his election, he served as an assistant city attorney for 13 years. Langley is the past president of the State Bar's Government Lawyers Division and a former member of the Bar's Administrative & Local Government Law Section. He is currently a member of the Board of Governors and serves as the liaison to the State Bar's Professional Ethics Committee. Langley is also a member of the International Municipal Lawyers Association and is a past member of the District II Board of Attorneys Professional Responsibility (BAPR) Committee. He has served on the Supreme Court's Appointment Selection Committee since 2001. Langley holds a J.D. from Marquette University Law School.

    The 2003 State Bar elections will be held in April. Those elected will be sworn in during the State Bar's Annual Convention in May, and will officially take office July 1. The president-elect will serve a one-year term before becoming president, while the treasurer will serve for two years.

    The State Bar of Wisconsin is the mandatory professional association, created by the Wisconsin Supreme Court, for attorneys who hold a law license in Wisconsin. With more than 20,000 members, the State Bar aids the courts in improving the administration of justice, provides continuing legal education for its members, and assists Wisconsin lawyers in carrying out initiatives to educate the public about the legal system.



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