July 1, 2026 – Agricultural law may not be the primary focus of your practice, but its evolving issues could soon affect your clients.
Starting this month and new to State Bar of Wisconsin PINNACLE® is the Fields of Change: Wisconsin Agricultural Law series. This series of three CLE programs examines the legal landscape across these pressing issues:
Attend one, two, or all three programs to grow your knowledge in this area of legal practice.
Are these areas outside your practice? Here’s a link to help you see what else is going on this month.
1.0 CLE; via webcast Noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, and on specific dates through Sept. 2, 2026.
Large-scale solar energy facilities are reshaping Wisconsin’s landscape – and the legal landscape along with it. As demand for renewable energy grows, so does a layered regulatory framework that involves federal, state, and local authorities. Counties and municipalities must navigate areas where state or federal law limits their role, even as residents look to them for advocacy.
If you advise clients in environmental, agricultural, real estate, or municipal law, knowing the leverage points has never mattered more.
Large-Scale Solar Energy Facility Siting: Shining a Light on Legal Issues and Trends examines the laws governing large-scale solar facilities and what it means for local governments and the communities they serve.
Through discussion and practical examples, you will:
navigate the multiple legal layers governing large-scale solar facility regulation, from grassroots organizations to federal law;
explore how conflicting regulatory information poses legal challenges and how to advise clients effectively within that uncertainty;
identify the ways clients can participate meaningfully in the regulatory process, even when state law limits local authority; and
understand what is on the horizon for local regulation, including how courts and regulators attempt to balance environmental impacts, renewable energy needs, and public health concerns.
1.0 CLE; via webcast Noon to 1 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026, and on specific dates through Oct. 13, 2026.
When agricultural employers face labor shortages, the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program could be part of the solution. Participation has grown dramatically over the past two decades, but the program comes with a detailed set of legal obligations.
Whether your clients are seasoned H-2A participants or exploring it for the first time, the stakes are high. Wage compliance, housing requirements, worker recruitment, recordkeeping – each carries its own legal risk. Homing in on H-2A: An Overview of the Temporary Agricultural Worker Program gives you a thorough grounding in the program’s legal structure and what it demands of employers to help you develop practical strategies for advising agricultural employers through the H-2A process.
You’ll explore:
the statutory and regulatory framework governing the H-2A program;
eligibility requirements and the application process for employers seeking to hire H-2A workers;
employer obligations related to wages, housing, transportation, recruitment, and records;
the adverse effect wage rate (AEWR) and how it applies to both H-2A and domestic workers; and
common compliance pitfalls, enforcement risks, and legal exposure.
1.0 CLE; via webcast Noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, and on specific dates through Nov. 13, 2026.
In 2018, a single word, “hemp,” was removed from the federal controlled substances list. That change quietly opened the door to a sprawling consumer market that includes hemp-derived beverages, smokeable THC products, and more. By 2026, it had grown into a major industry operating in a largely unregulated space.
Then came the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Passed by Congress in July 2025, the law includes language that, effective November 2026, closes the Farm Bill loophole that made it all possible. For businesses in this space, the implications are significant and the legal questions are immediate.
Wisconsin may respond with legislation of its own, either codifying protections for the industry or shutting the door at the state level too. While that outcome is uncertain, what is certain is that clients in this space need guidance now. At The Future of Hemp Products in Wisconsin, Collin Schaefer brings clarity to a fast-moving situation.
You will:
understand what the One Big Beautiful Bill Act does and how it closes the Farm Bill loophole;
explore what Wisconsin legislation could mean for the hemp industry and for your clients under different scenarios; and
learn how to advise clients on contingency planning to protect their businesses and maintain solvency.
Invest in Your Practice with PINNACLE Seminars
Visit Wisbar’s Marketplace to see schedules, credit details, and registration options, and use this link to see what else is coming this month. Many programs offer both in-person and webcast formats, easy to fit into your busy schedule.
