May 13, 2026 – Leadership isn’t something you step into. “It’s something you practice every day, in small, often unseen moments. … the work you do to chase better when no one is watching.”
Hon. Mary E. Triggiano, director of the Andrew Center for Restorative Justice and clinical professor of law at Marquette University Law School, spoke on Saturday, April 25, 2026, at the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Leadership Development Summit.
The Summit brings together State Bar leaders and new lawyers, instilling more tools and inspiration to become leaders as they begin their careers. Judge Triggiano spoke before a combined audience of graduates of the State Bar's G. Lane Ware Leadership Academy as well as Summit attendees.
The State Bar welcomed these lawyers for the 2026 Leadership Development Summit.
Take a Leap
Leadership, Judge Triggiano said, isn’t because of a title, an entry in your resumé, or a position of authority. It is a daily practice, rooted in service, humility, courage, and responsibility.
“Leadership does not happen – it is cultivated,” she said, and comes from small acts. “It is about how you show up in your work, in your relationships, and in your community.”
Shannon Green is communications writer for the State Bar of Wisconsin, Madison. She can be reached by
email or by phone at (608) 250-6135.
“You do not have to feel ready to begin. Leadership rarely starts with certainty – it starts with courage. It starts with a leap.”
Judge Triggiano spoke of restorative leadership: leadership that listens before reacting, holds accountability and compassion together, preserves dignity in conflict, and helps people move toward healing.
“Because leadership, I’ve learned, is not about holding the gavel – it’s about holding space for others to grow and to heal,” said Judge Triggiano.
Drawing from restorative justice principles, she urges lawyers to ask even in moments of disagreement: Who is being impacted here and how? What do they need right now? What is my responsibility in responding and making things right? “These are not just questions for restorative justice dialogues. They are everyday leadership questions you can bring into your work.”
The legal profession needs restorative leaders who build bridges, listen across differences, choose courage over comfort, and help restore trust. “Say yes to the committee, the bar role, the opportunity at your firm, court, nonprofit, or community – not because you know everything, but because you care enough to grow,” she said.
As you lead, keep asking: “What is my responsibility – what am I called to do in making things right?” she advised. “If you lead with this question, you will not only build your career – you will strengthen our profession and help restore trust in a divided world.”
Leadership Academy participant Vanessa Richmond, an attorney with Chicago Trading Company in Chicago, listens to Hon. Triggiano during the event.
Take a Leap: Volunteer with State Bar Leadership Positions
How do you get started? Visit the
Leadership Opportunities and
Committees pages on WisBar.org.
Appointments to standing committees include three-year terms, and appointments to special committees are for one-year terms. All committee appointments begin July 1.
2026 Leadership Development Summit Participants
Sydney Kay Baumeister, Wisconsin Court of Appeals District IV, Madison Michael Bezoian, DeWitt LLP, Madison Kennan DeShambo, Conway Olejniczak & Jerry Law Firm SC, Green Bay Michael Garcia, Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, Madison Jacob R. Gardner, Jacob R Gardner LLC, Monroe Frances L. Kern, Wisconsin Department of Justice, Jefferson Jodi Anne Klagos, Godfrey & Kahn SC, Verona Timothy A. Martin, Kenosha County District Attorneys Office, Racine Angela Gabriella Medcalf, Legal Services Program, Wauwatosa Kyle N. Minden, State Public Defenders Office, Madison | | Zoe Pawlisch, Stafford Rosenbaum LLP, Madison Richardson N. Paye Jr., State Public Defenders Office, Janesville Quron Payne, Payne Legal Advocacy Group LLC, Milwaukee Jenna L. Riddle, Godfrey & Kahn SC, Madison Rebecca Jeanne Shepro, Pruitt Ekes & Geary SC, Racine Peter G. Tongas, Certus Legal Group Ltd., Milwaukee Theodore Wegner, Milwaukee Public Schools, Milwaukee James Brian Woywod, Stafford Rosenbaum LLP, Madison Magdalena Yeakey, Hawks Quindel SC, Madison |
