- Bill White responds to questions about delivering services to members and the public
- Pat Fiedler responds to questions about delivering services to members and the public
Bill White
What do you think is the most pressing issue facing the legal profession in 2012 and beyond?
The most pressing issue facing the legal profession is maintaining our position as trusted advisors and advocates. There is a great tendency to lump our profession in with other professions. Historically, members of the legal profession have been considered “trusted advisors” and not simply “professionals providing commodity services.” That important role should be reinforced.
What are the major challenges that members face today and how will you help State Bar leadership address them?
I see one external and three internal challenges. Externally, we need clear definitions of the unauthorized practice of law by other professionals who attempt to create legal rights and obligations without proper training and licensure.
Internally, there is the continuing issue concerning mandatory vs. voluntary membership in the Bar Association. This issue needs to be confronted head on and resolved. I believe that mandatory bar membership is critical to our ability to timely and forcefully respond to external challenges. However, our Bar Association must also be responsive to the individual needs and beliefs of our members.
Another emerging internal issue is the increasingly large number of recent law school graduates who are unable to gain a foot-hold into the profession. This is a waste of talent and our profession needs to establish a means of bringing talented young attorneys into the profession. The Bar Association should take a role in integrating the new graduates into the mainstream of the profession.
Finally, the State Bar should continue to promote diversity in the profession to more closely mirror the multi-dimensional society in which we live and work. My experience in law firm management as well as community leadership uniquely qualifies me to address these ongoing major challenges.
In your opinion, what determines the success of a State Bar president?
Success is a subjective determination. In my view, the abilities to listen, interpret and address issues of concern to the Bar Association membership are critical to the success of a State Bar President. I also believe interacting with the judiciary is essential to bridging the gaps between members of the Bar and those who sit in judgment of how we carry out our professional obligations as lawyers.
What unique qualifications do you bring to this position?
We have two very qualified candidates for the State Bar presidency. I bring 35 years of practice experience, 30 of which have been in the State of Wisconsin. I have addressed issues on a day-to-day basis which confront the overwhelming majority of the State Bar members. Through these experiences, I have successfully solved problems and created solutions to what were apparently thorny issues. I have gained respect from those I have worked for as well as those I have worked against. My history of collaboration and cooperation uniquely qualifies me to lead the Bar into the future. I thank the Bar Association for providing the opportunity to stand for election.
Pat Fiedler
What do you think is the most pressing issue facing the legal profession in 2012 and beyond?
I think that the most pressing issue is keeping the legal profession relevant in an ever-evolving society. This is the information age and the typical client no longer relies exclusively on a lawyer’s advice. In order to be a successful professional, today’s lawyer has to adapt or face the reality of no longer being relevant.
The State Bar of Wisconsin has to lead the profession and be seen as a major resource by its members. The State Bar has to continuously improve member services and benefits to reflect not only changes in the law, but also changes in technology. A timely example of an area that the Bar should address is social media training. Today’s clients use the social media as an essential part of their lives; lawyers need to use it to market their services.
Effective leadership by the State Bar means improving communication with its members. The State Bar is comprised of over 24,000 lawyers, 31% of whom reside outside the State of Wisconsin. These lawyers are a diverse group of individuals who are engaged in many different types of practice: private practitioners, government attorneys, corporate counsel as well as in other areas. It is essential that all viewpoints be considered.
What are the major challenges that members face today and how will you help State Bar leadership address them?
I believe that there are three major challenges that members face today:
- Economic pressures on the practice;
- Technology and the practice of law;
- New lawyer training/development.
1) Economic pressures on the practice
To be successful in the practice of law, you cannot simply continue using the model of “Business as usual.” The present economic situation affects our clients and potential clients which, in turn, affects us. Today’s clients determine what services they want from us and at what cost.
2) Technology and the practice of law
Technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace. Today’s “typical clients” are Information Technology savvy and utilize this resource in their professional, as well as their personal, lives. Often, lawyers are not as adept as clients in this area.
3) New lawyer training and development
Today, there are fewer opportunities for law school graduates. Quite frankly, the legal profession is over-crowded and there are fewer clerkships, internships, and law firms hiring new graduates.
These were three of the top challenges identified by the Board of Governors’ Challenges to the Profession Committee in its July 2011 report. To these I would add the challenge of retraining veteran lawyers because of changes in the law and the business of practicing law. If I am elected, these will be the priority areas that the State Bar will address through communication as well as training opportunities.
In your opinion, what determines the success of a State Bar president?
Success of a State Bar president is determined by the efforts he or she made to address the issues that were topical during his or her tenure. The tenure is actually a three year period. If elected, the first year is spent as president-elect. This is an ideal time to get input from the members as to what are the areas and issues they want to see the State Bar address. The second year is spent as president. During this time, success is measured by the ability to lead. The president must help define the issues, facilitate meaningful discussion, and then bring the matter to a vote. The final year is as past president. This is the time to follow up on implementation of areas that the State Bar has decided to go forward on as well as to assist the current president. Success of a State Bar president is determined by whether he or she made the most out of the three-year period.
What unique qualifications do you bring to this position?
The short answer is that my diverse professional background has given me the insight to frame the issue, facilitate the discussion and bring the matter to a vote.
I graduated from Marquette Law School in 1980. During my career, I have served as an assistant district attorney, a lawyer in private practice, the United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, the Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, a Dane County Circuit Judge for 18 years, and now am again in private practice as a partner at the Axley Brynelson law firm in Madison. As a lawyer, I’ve tried 62 cases before a jury. As a judge, I presided over thousands of cases in all areas of judicial rotation – civil, criminal, family, juvenile and probate. My present practice emphasizes litigation and alternative dispute resolution.
My background reflects the diversity of the membership of the State Bar of Wisconsin. I know how important it is for the State Bar to be all inclusive and to be relevant to its members in order for its members to see the State Bar as being something positive and necessary.
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