Inside the Bar
August 2008
Board discusses Attorney General's request to support
Siefert, among other actions
At its final 2007-08 meeting in June, the Board of Governors approved a
motion to seek member feedback on a case concerning three provisions of
the
Wisconsin Code of Judicial Conduct, among other actions.
Siefert v. Alexander. The Attorney General asked the
State Bar to file
a brief amicus curiae in support of the state's position
in the case of
Siefert v. Alexander, Case No. 08-CV-00126-BBC.
Judge John Siefert, Milwaukee, has challenged the
constitutionality of
three provisions of the Wisconsin Code of Judicial Conduct as an
infringement on
his right to free speech. The case against the Wisconsin Judicial
Commission
is pending in the U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin.
Rather than take up the issue immediately, the board chose to
actively
seek input and comments from members on each individual rule being
challenged.
The board will take the issue up at its September meeting, unless a
filing is
made before the meeting that would mandate that the Bar have a voice. If
a filing
is made before the September board meeting, the Executive Committee will
respond. While the deadline for feedback has passed, visit
www.wisbar.org/siefert
for more information on this issue.
Appointments/elections. The board approved the Nomination
Committee's recommendation to appoint Howard Bichler, Bowler, to serve
as FY 09 board chair.
The board elected the following to serve on the FY 09 Executive
Committee: Carmen Ortiz-Babilonia, Milwaukee; Thomas W. Bertz, Stevens
Point;
Margaret Wrenn Hickey, Milwaukee; Eugene A. Gasiorkiewicz, Racine; Kevin
Palmersheim, Middleton; and Mark Pennow, Green Bay.
The president, president-elect, past president, chair of the
board, and
one representative each from the Nonresident, Government, Young, and
Senior
Lawyers divisions also serve on the committee. All terms began July 1.
The board approved the appointment of N. Lynnette
Mc Neely, Brookfield, and public member Joel Bailey, Janesville, to the
Wisconsin Trust Account Foundation (WisTAF) board. The supreme court
created WisTAF
in 1986 to manage the state's Interest on Lawyers Trust Account program
and
provide financial support for the delivery of legal services to
Wisconsin's
low-income residents.
The board approved the FY 09 annual State Bar budget.
The minutes will be posted on WisBar after approval at the September
meeting.
Inside the
Bar
