Doug Kammer with Chief Justice Abrahamson after being sworn in as State Bar President.
May 20, 2009 – The State Bar Annual Convention is the largest gathering of Wisconsin lawyers and judges who come together for networking, CLE, and recognition of colleagues. Carrying on this tradition, more than 50 lawyers and organizations were recognized at the 2009 convention in May.
Kammer sworn in as president
Douglas Kammer, Kammer & Studinski Chartered, of Portage was sworn in as the 54th State Bar president. Chief Justice Shirley S. Abrahamson administered the oath of office. Kammer’s term begins July 1. In his comments following the ceremony, Kammer called for greater openness and responsiveness to members. He addressed the need to protect the courts and improve the public image of lawyers.
State Bar President Diane Diel and Chief Justice Abrahamson honor 50-year members Adrian Schoone (left) and Ramon Klitzke. Former State Bar presidents Schoone and Gerald O’Brien reached this 50-year milestone.
50-year members recognized
Twenty-five of the men and women who achieved 50 years in the practice of law in 2008 attended the Members’ Recognition luncheon.
Acknowledging the honored members, Chief Justice Abrahamson said, “The bar and the bench are independent entities, independent from each other but collaborative – most important they are independent so they can provide equal justice for all the citizens of this great state … Our pledge today should be to continue equal justice for a all,” she said.
Judicial awards
Justice Ann Walsh Bradley presented the judicial awards on behalf of the Bench and Bar Committee. “Our circuit court judges are on the front line of justice day in and day out. We call upon them to serve the people of this state and make tough decisions every day,” said Bradley
Judge of the Year recipient Tom Wolfgram with Justice Bradley.
“I am particularly happy that the Bench Bar Committee of the State Bar annually selects one of our circuit court judges to receive the Judge of the Year Award, which honors a judge who has improved the judicial system in the past year. I am pleased to present this year’s award to Ozaukee County Circuit Court Judge Tom R. Wolfgram.
“In the nomination for this award, Tom is praised for having the perfect combination of knowledge, character, and demeanor,” noted Bradley. “He always takes the time in court to make sure that the litigants understand what has transpired, the victims know that their interests have been considered, and the defendants truly understand why they have received a particular sentence. He never misses an opportunity to teach and to instruct. He also is active in the community promoting events to enhance public awareness of the trust and confidence in our judicial system.”
Accepting the award, Wolfgram said, “Wisconsin’s judicial system faces many challenges, among them an ever increasing case load with no reasonable prospect of additional branches of assistance. Therefore, judges utilize effective methods of case load management to deal with many cases before them. We are dealing with an increased population of pro se litigants, and we develop programs to assist them adequately in the court system. Judges all across the state work to meet these many challenges, and I am very proud to receive this award in recognition of my small contributions to preserve and enhance Wisconsin’s strong and independent judiciary.”
Bradley presented the Lifetime Jurist Achievement Award to Dane County Circuit Court Judge Michael N. Nowakowski.
Lifetime Jurist Achievement Award recipient Michael Nowakowski with Justice Bradley.
“Judge Nowakowski is retiring this year and his loss to the bench and the bar is immeasurable,” said Bradley. “Every single one of his colleagues on the Dane County bench signed his nomination letter. They wrote, ‘He is renowned for a complete and thorough presentation on every case,’ in addition his colleagues describe his willing involvement in administrative matters especially his tireless work in bringing about the reality of a new Dane County Courthouse, a cause he championed from 1990 until fruition in 2007.
“The supreme court also recognized judge Nowakowski by naming him chief judge of the fifth judicial district for two terms and then his colleagues elected him chief of chiefs. His accomplishments while on the bench are long,” she said.
Accepting the award, Nowakowski said, “When I decided to run for judge in 1984, the job I sought, the job I aspired to was, as is true I’m sure of most judges, as a decider of cases. One cannot ever overstate the importance of the work we do in resolving the conflicts of the people who come before us seeking justice. As I quickly learned, for over 99 percent of the people who come into a circuit court judge’s courtroom, we are the supreme court. Those people will never see any higher court. It was crucial that I treat their case with the same individual importance that they attach to it.
“What I also quickly learned was that deciding cases was not the only job of a judge” he said. “Assisting with efforts to improve the system, to make it more efficient for the lawyers and their clients, and to preserve the sacred independence that our constitution envisioned was just as crucially part of the job that I was elected to perform. I hope I have contributed in some small way to realizing that part of the job and in accomplishing those things.”
Senior Lawyers Division (SLD) award
Stephen DiTullio, DeWitt Ross & Stevens, accepts Senior Lawyers Division award for Jack DeWitt from SLD president Margadette Demet.
SLD President Margadette Demet, Madison, honored Jack R. DeWitt of Madison with the Leonard L. Loeb Award, which recognizes a lawyer who has improved the legal system and shown leadership in advancing the quality of justice for all.
“I can’t think of anyone that I would rather honor than Jack DeWitt,” said Demet. “He is a certifiable member of the greatest generation. Jack has done so much for so many people in our profession and for the whole state of Wisconsin.”
Demet noted that DeWitt’s distinguish military service career, which includes the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Purple Heart, and the British Cross, was only the beginning of a life-long career of service to others and even includes time as a district attorney and of course his life-long dedication to mentoring young lawyers.
DeWitt Ross & Stevens managing partner Stephen A. DiTullio, who accepted the award on behalf of DeWitt, said, “If Jack was here, he would express his gratitude in a very modest way. His accomplishments are incredible. What’s amazing about Jack is that he just does it with a good heart. Certainly one of the greatest things he offered our firm and the State Bar is his mentorship.”
Wisconsin Law Foundation (WLF) award
Foundation President Dean R. Dietrich presented the Charles L. Goldberg Award to Charles (Chuck) Hanson of La Crosse. The award recognizes lifetime achievement of legal professionals who have a record of service to the profession and to the public.
Charles Hanson (left) accepts the Wisconsin Law Foundation Charles L. Goldberg Award from WLF president Dean Dietrich.
“We are not here to talk about Chuck’s legal skills or legal successes,” said Dietrich. “We are here to talk about Chuck’s devotion, Chuck’s giving back to La Crosse and the Coulee region. There is another part about our profession of being a lawyer – and that’s giving back to our communities and using the skills that we have to give back. That’s what the Goldberg Award is all about.
“I can’t do justice to all of the activities that Chuck has been the leader in giving back to his community. From helping WWII veterans go to Washington, D.C., to visit the wonderful statues and honorariums that appear in their honor, to helping make La Crosse an international place to live with the gardens and the sister cities, to helping new parents in their new jobs as parents, Dietrich said, “Those are the things that are the true signs of a professional giving back to our community.”
“This is a very humbling experience for me when I look at the prior recipients of this award and the bar that they have set,” said Hanson. “I am grateful to have had the opportunity to serve others by initiating and participating in many fantastic projects, but none of these adventures would have been possible without the work of many many people. Hundreds of people sometimes even thousands. In receiving this award, I want to acknowledge all of them.
Quoting Martin Luther King, Hanson said, “‘Life’s most persistent and urgent question is what are you doing for others?’ That is a personal question that each of us must answer in our own way. A career in law certainly provides daily opportunities to answer that question, serving our clients, being involved in the state and local bar associations and related associations to improve justice and access to our legal system by supporting the important work of the Wisconsin Law Foundation with its crucial mission of enhancing the law through education and service. These are all examples that for us lawyers can come easily to mind.”
Nonresident Lawyers Division (NRLD) award
NRLD President Steve Schuster, Washington, D.C., presented Ben Strauss of Northbrook, Ill., with the NRLD Founder’s Award, formerly the Dick O’Melia Award.
Nonresident lawyer Ben Strauss (right) receives the division Founder’s Award from NRLD president Steve Schuster.
“This award recognizes a nonresident member who has brought positive change to the division and has actively participated in State Bar activities for many years,” said Schuster. “Ben’s work over the past 14 years has enhanced the interest of several thousand nonresident State Bar members.
“Ben has been an active contributor and division leader who has consistently blended hard work with talent and mentorship advice wisdom camaraderie and the highest ethical and personal behavior,” said Schuster. “Ben’s reputation with the State Bar is exemplified by the fact that he has been appointed as the first nonresident lawyer to serve on the State Bar’s Finance Committee.”
“It’s an honor and just plain fun to accept this award and that’s pretty much how I see my involvement with the Nonresident Lawyers Division,” said Strauss. “There are about 6,000 members of the bar who reside and work in other states, and that’s not just a testament to how good Wisconsin law schools are but also to the loyalty of the out-of-state lawyers who have kept up their bar membership.
“You were told that the Wisconsin Bar membership is a mandatory but that’s really only true for the people who practice here regularly,” said Strauss. “There are a few NRLD lawyers who need to be State Bar of Wisconsin members, but most of the rest of us could drop our Wisconsin Bar membership and still be members of another bar or two. We are Wisconsin Bar members and supporters because we believe that the State Bar of Wisconsin has something special to offer. It means many services, networking, access to information, CLE, camaraderie and so forth.”
President’s Award
President Diel presented the President’s Award to Jim Cole (left) and Greg Van Rybroek.
State Bar President Diane Diel presented the President’s Award to Jim Cole and Greg Van Rybroek, both of Madison, for their service on the Wisconsin Lawyers Assistance Program (WisLAP) and Mark Pennow, Green Bay, for his work on the State Bar Strategic Plan. The award recognizes lawyers who have made a difference during the president’s term.
“One of the privileges of being president of the State Bar is to be made fully aware of the number of people who volunteer, who give their talents, their service, their skills, their contributions of time and energy to the Bar,” said Diel. “The president has the very challenging job each year of selecting from among the host of members who volunteer specifically to award merit with the Presidential Award. It is no small task and very difficult to do.
President Diel and Chief Justice Abrahamson with Mark Pennow, who received the President’s Award.
“This year’s selection was made easier by understanding the contributions of Jim Cole and Greg Van Rybroek in assisting through their leadership of the WisLAP Committee. They are recognized for their long tenure on the committee and their dedication to helping identify lawyers who are suffering from mental illness, depression, and addiction that do affect our profession in large numbers. These gentlemen have led the committee through the design of new programs to help lawyers and judges. Jim and Greg are truly dedicated to not only helping the individual lawyer one on one but helping all of us as professionals be what we can be.”
“It is my absolute privilege to honor Mark Pennow. Mark is a private practitioner from Green Bay” said Diel. “There isn’t a subject that comes up before the Finance Committee, upon which he serves, or about the CLE Committee, which he chairs, or on the floor of the Board of Governors, for which Mark doesn’t have specific concrete information that can help the body move forward with constructive information.
“Mark has been incredibly instrumental in developing, refining, and making accessible to this organization its strategic plan, which the Bar started a number of years ago,” said Diel. “He has taken strategic planning from the theoretic level to the action level, evaluating all of the many Bar entities to form a single strategic evaluation of how each entity is moving our Bar association forward … doing it with good humor, good grace, and incredible creativity. This has been a remarkable accomplishment, and I am proud to honor Mark Pennow with the President’s Award.”
The next State Bar Annual Convention will be held in Madison, May 5 - 7, 2010.
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