July 18, 2018 – A big-firm lawyer may be able to name dozens of fellow attorneys down the hall who can answer questions and act as mentors. Solo and small-firm lawyers may not have that luxury – but they do have several thousand other Wisconsin solo/small-firm attorneys to seek out.

Have you asked one of those colleagues for help on a case? Have you gotten advice or inspiration through the Solo/Small Firm & General Practice Section’s elist? Have you learned something new from a Solo/Small Firm Conference speaker? Has someone in a similar practice setting ever helped you feel more confident or optimistic about the future?

The John Lederer Service Award

Practicing as a solo or small-firm attorney often means knowing who has your back.

And if you’d like to say “thank you,” submit a nomination for the John Lederer Service Award, which recognizes those focused on improving the lives and practices of solo and small firm attorneys in Wisconsin. The award is presented at the Wisconsin Solo & Small Firm Conference, Oct. 25-27, 2018, at the Kalahari in Wisconsin Dells. Find out more about the conference in this issue of InsideTrack. 

The award is presented annually to an individual, group, or organization exemplifying the leadership, spirit, and dedication of John Lederer, who saw it as his mission to help solo and small firm lawyers master the skills and technology needed to build their practices. Lederer, who died in March 2009, spearheaded many of the things Wisconsin lawyers take for granted in their work today – such as the Uniform Citations System.

Meet Our Past Recipients

The John Lederer Service Award is presented annually to an individual, group, or organization exemplifying the leadership, spirit, and dedication of John Lederer, who saw it as his mission to help solo and small firm lawyers master the skills and technology needed to build their practices.

The first recipient of the award, Milwaukee attorney Ross Kodner, followed in Lederer’s tech-savvy shoes. Kodner, a legal technology and law practice management consultant, spoke at more than 1,400 CLE sessions and wrote more than 60 articles on legal technology and law practice management.

Kodner received the first award in 2009 because of his numerous, tireless volunteer efforts over the years on behalf of solo and small firm attorneys. His presentations, blogging, and helpful activity on elists proved invaluable to Wisconsin solo and small firm practitioners.

Elkhorn attorney Lowell Sweet won the following year thanks to his ability to mentor other attorneys with “simple practical solutions to common practice problems,” noted attorney Daniel L. O’Brien of Carlinville, Illinois, who nominated Sweet. O’Brien added, “Without Mr. Sweet’s constant advocacy of a conference for solo and small firm practitioners – going back to the days of the Midwest Conference – the Solo and Small Firm Conference would not exist.”

One-on-one help to new lawyers and tireless volunteer efforts at the State Bar and to her community helped Adell attorney Roberta Heckes win the award in 2011. “The foundation of Roberta’s practice is doing well by helping others in need,” Milwaukee attorney Nicholas C. Zales wrote in her nomination.

And in 2015, Wausau attorney William “Byll” Hess won for his “years of leadership in the legal profession,” as well as for his role in the creating the State Bar’s Law Office Management Assistant Program (LOMAP) and the Practice411 elist, said Melissa Mortensen, who chaired the section’s selection committee that year. Now Practice411^™, the program helps lawyers reduce risk and improve client relations, and manage the business aspects of their practices, including the use of technology.

Other Lederer Award recipients include Paul F. Angel (2012), Nancy L. Trueblood (2013), Nerino J. Petro (2014), Terry Dunst (2016) and Wm. Pharis Horton (2017) – all were honored for similar reasons.

Each has taken time out of their busy work lives to “give back” to the professional community of solo and small firm attorneys in Wisconsin.

Seeking the Leaders

The Lederer Service Award nominee must show leadership in furthering the mission of the Wisconsin Solo and Small Firm Conference – to educate and support solo and small-firm attorneys as they practice law, manage their businesses, and enjoy their lives.

Nominees are evaluated on their continued, selfless service to projects, efforts, or organizations of benefit to solo and small-firm practitioners across Wisconsin.

So, who has your back? Let others know by submitting a nomination for this year’s John Lederer Service Award.

Nominations Due Sept. 10

Nominations may be made via letter or by using the nomination form, and should include:

• Name and contact information of the person making the nomination

• Name and contact information of the individual, group, or organization being nominated

• A one-paragraph statement on how the nominee meets the criteria for the award

• Up to three letters of recommendation detailing the nominee’s qualifications to receive the award.

Nomination letters and forms may be sent to Nancy L. Trueblood.