Madison attorney Mary C. Turke was celebrated as the 2025 recipient of the John Lederer Distinguished Service Award for her commitment to excellent small-firm practice and helping attorneys thrive.
July 15, 2026 – Some people do more than participate in a professional community. They help it thrive.
The State Bar of Wisconsin Solo/Small Firm & General Practice Section awards the John Lederer Service Award, honoring exceptional service to Wisconsin’s solo and small-firm lawyers.
We are now accepting nominations for this award, which will be presented at the 2026 Wisconsin Solo & Small Firm Conference (WSSFC), Oct. 22-24, 2026, at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells.
About the Lederer Award
The Lederer Award recognizes lawyers focused on improving the lives and practices of solo and small-firm attorneys in Wisconsin. The only criterion for the award is that the nominee shows leadership in furthering the mission of the Wisconsin Solo & Small Firm Conference – which is to educate and support solo and small-firm attorneys as they practice law, manage their businesses, and enjoy their lives.
It is presented annually to an individual, group, or organization exemplifying the leadership, spirit, and dedication of attorney John Lederer of Oregon, Wisconsin, who saw it as his mission to help solo and small-firm lawyers master the skills and technology needed to build their practices.
Nominations Due Sept. 10
The deadline for nominations is Sept. 10. Nominations may be sent as a letter via email or by using the nomination form available for section members
on the section's webpage on WisBar.org (section membership and WisBar.org login required).
Nomination letters or the completed form should be sent to award selection committee member Nancy L. Trueblood at
nancy@ntruelaw.com.
Nominations via letters should include:
name and contact information of the person making the nomination;
name and contact information of the individual, group, or organization being nominated; and
a one-paragraph statement on how the nominee meets the criteria for the award.
Nominations are evaluated on the nominee’s continued, selfless service to projects, efforts, or organizations that benefit solo and small-firm practitioners across Wisconsin.
Register Now: WSSFC is Oct. 22-24, 2026
The John Lederer Service Award will be presented at noon on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, at the
Wisconsin Solo & Small Firm Conference (WSSFC).
The 2026 WSSFC takes place in person at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells. Save the date and look for more information at
wisbar.org/WSSFC.
Who was John Lederer?
John H. Lederer (1948-2009) saw it as his mission to help solo and small-firm lawyers master the skills and technology needed to build their practices. A 1973 U.W. Law School graduate, he was a visionary when it came to integrating technology into the practice of law, and chaired the State Bar’s Technology Resource Committee (TRC) from 1991 to 1996.
While serving on the TRC in 1996, he took on the copyright controversy with Westlaw, participating in an ad hoc coalition that defeated a legislative attempt to create private-publisher property interest in federal case law, and facilitated Wisconsin’s universal citation program. The universal citation, issued by courts, prevents any company from claiming a copyright on the publication of cases, making them available to attorneys at no cost.
Past Recipients of the John F. Lederer Service Award
