April 20, 2016 – What’s in a name? For lawyers, quite a lot. Your name is your professional trademark by which people in the legal and business fields – and the public – know you.
Do you have a professional or personal name different from your formal legal name? Do you have a hyphenated name, or do your clients know you by your middle name, a nickname, or a different last name?
WisBar.org’s Lawyer Search results list lawyers according their legal names on record with the Wisconsin Supreme Court. This means that if someone is looking for you under a different name, like a prior last name (maiden or former married name), a nickname, or a hyphenated name, they may not be able to find you.
But now they can: Newly updated, WisBar Lawyer Search now allows you to designate alternative names by which you can be found. These alternative names – as many as you designate – will be displayed along with your official name in the search results. It’s up to you to decide which names can be searched and displayed under your legal name.
Enter Your Alternate Names: Update Your WisBar Profile for Improved Lawyer Search Results
With more than 200,000 searches conducted through WisBar Lawyer Search each year, WisBar.org is likely the most-visited online directory of Wisconsin lawyers used by the legal community, court personnel, and the public – including potential clients and referral sources for your services.
Have You Customized Your Profile on
WisBar’s Lawyer Search?
When your colleagues look for you in Lawyer Search – the most-visited feature on WisBar.org – will they find a 'Photo Not Found' message? Have you taken the time to customize your Lawyer Search profile to increase your visibility within the legal community?
While you’re adding alternative names to your profile, add a photo, your biography, courts of admittance, other licenses, social media links, and website URL to your Lawyer Search profile. Your expanded profile also includes current State Bar activities, such as section, division, and committee memberships (unless you choose to hide them).
How to Edit Your Profile
To edit or add to your profile, log in to WisBar.org, go to myStateBar, then select myProfile. Look for the Advanced Profile section, and add the desired information. Photos display shortly after they are uploaded; however, other new information displays on WisBar within 48 hours. Return to WisBar to update your profile as often as you like.
Need help? Contact Customer Service at (608) 257-3838 or (800) 728-7788.
Take advantage of the option to increase your visibility through Lawyer Search by adding alternative names to your profile under myStateBar on WisBar.org. Look for the new “Alternative Names” section on your profile page, and enter as many alternative name combinations as appropriate.
Note that alternative names added must include a first and last name.
Any alternative names you add will be searched in the user’s query and displayed, under your official name, in the search results. Please keep in mind that only your official legal name will be listed in the print Wisconsin Lawyer Directory and used for official State Bar communication.
How to Add Alternate Names to Your WisBar Profile
- Log in to WisBar.org.
- Go to myStateBar.
- Click on myProfile.
- Scroll down to the “Alternate Names” section directly beneath your legal name.
- Each alternate name requires a first and last name in the entry.
For multiple last names (ex: former name Smith, new name Johnson)
If your official name is Betty Smith and you are now known as Betty Johnson, add Betty Johnson in the Alternative Names section. If you think someone might search for you as Betty Smith-Johnson, add that combination as well.
For multiple first names (ex: Robert, Bobby, and R.)
Add as many first names as appropriate. If your official name is Robert Smith, but you are more commonly known as Bobby, add Bobby Smith to the Alternate Names section. If your official name is R. John Smith, and you are commonly known as Bob Smith, add Bob Smith as an alternative name.
For multiple first AND last names (ex: Betty Smith, Betty Johnson, Bethany Smith, Bethany Johnson)
Your official name is Bethany Smith. You’ve recently married and are now more commonly referred to by your nickname and married name, Betty Johnson. Add Betty Johnson, Bethany Johnson, Betty Smith-Johnson, and Bethany Smith-Johnson as alternative names.
For a hyphenated last name (ex: Smith-Johnson)
If your legal name is Betty Smith-Johnson, it’s a good idea to add both last names separately in the Alternate Names section – thus, Betty Smith and Betty Johnson.
For a first name that is an initial (ex. B. Ellen Smith)
If your legal name has an initial as the first name, you could add your middle name as an alternate first name (ex: Ellen Smith if your full name is B. Ellen Smith). You may also want to add your full first name as an alternate name (ex: Bethany Smith).
For first or last names with a space (ex. St. Julien Perlmutter, Anne St. Thomas)
If you’re known by a different first or last name than your official name, it’s a good idea to include additional first names in the Alternate Names section. For example, you might add Julien Perlmutter or Anne Thomas.
What if I have already put names in the Prior Last Names field in myStateBar Profile?
If you previously added other names, such as nicknames, in your myState Bar profile on WisBar, these alternatives will now display in Lawyer Search results following your official name. We encourage you to visit your profile to ensure all appropriate alternative names are listed.
Need Help?
Contact Customer Service at (608) 257-3838 or (800) 728-7788.