Aug. 12, 2026 – Could sharper public-speaking, conflict-resolution, and time-management skills translate into more clients, smoother operations, and clearer leadership opportunities at your firm?
Milwaukee attorney Annie T. Stanford thinks so. Fresh from participating in the
G. Lane Ware Leadership Academy, she sat down at the State Bar’s
Annual Meeting & Conference to share what the experience meant for her small firm practice and why she believes it’s a valuable investment for any Wisconsin lawyer.
A Crossroads Moment
Stanford had just finished a judicial clerkship and joined her father’s long-standing firm when an Academy email landed in her inbox. “I was kind of at a crossroads between what he’d been doing and wanting to change it, fashion it to my interests,” she recalled, so she decided to submit an interest form and never looked back.
Interactive Learning
Stanford admits the program surprised her – mostly by how interactive it was. Participants rotated seats, worked in small groups, and dove into exercises that pushed them to open up about their insecurities with strangers who quickly became friends.
Peter Kraemer is Digital Communications Coordinator with the State Bar of Wisconsin. He can be reached by
email or by phone at (608) 250-6139.
“It wasn’t just sitting and listening to speakers,” Stanford said.
Those strangers are now colleagues she texts for referrals, shared cases, and even a scholarly research project. “I have the phone number of almost everyone in the Academy,” she noted.
Public Speaking: From Pain Point to Strong Suit
If one skill delivered an immediate payoff, it was public speaking.
At the first session, participants recorded brief career-highlight videos that Stanford found “tough” to watch. By the final session she delivered a confident six-minute presentation – steady eye contact, no stall words, no shaky hands. “I felt so much more confident,” she said.
Time Management and Values-Based Leadership
Public speaking wasn’t the only takeaway. A time-management workshop offered practical frameworks Stanford now uses daily.
In addition, a values-driven leadership session helped Stanford articulate the principles that will steer her firm as she assumes the reins. Selecting her top three professional values with a roomful of new peers felt, in Stanford’s words, “like an out-of-body experience.”
Stepping into Leadership Quickly
Results arrived sooner than Stanford expected. After the very first session, she accepted an invitation to the Milwaukee Bar Association Referral Committee – Stanford’s first committee appointment ever – and found herself “really vocal…not afraid to share my ideas.”
Stanford credits the Academy for the confidence to recognize that her contributions were valid in a leadership space.
Back at the office, she is putting fresh motivation and morale-building techniques to work with staff as her father transitions out of day-to-day management.
Key Takeaways for Small-Firm Lawyers
Confidence on Camera and in Court – systematic practice turned a pain point into a standout strength.
Practical Time-Management Frameworks – ready to implement the very next Monday morning.
Values That Guide Firm Culture – critical when steering a solo or small firm practice.
Instant Statewide Network – referral partners and sounding boards you might not otherwise meet.
Early Leadership Roles – committee service and firm-level influence start sooner when you feel prepared.
The next
Leadership Academy cohort convenes this fall. If you want to sharpen the skills that matter most – without stepping away from your clients for more than a couple of days at a time – follow Stanford’s lead and submit an interest form.
The interest form is due by Mon., Sept. 14, 2026.
Networking That Turns into Work
Relationships forged over coffee breaks have already produced tangible benefits. Stanford is co-counseling a matter with a criminal defense lawyer she met at the Academy, has referred out family-law matters, and received a case in return.
Those statewide connections pay particular dividends for small-firm attorneys who can’t always rely on large-firm benches for cross-referral support.
Moments That Stick
Two exercises continue to shape Stanford’s thinking. First, the values-ranking drill forced immediate, candid discussion among her peers.
Second, an implicit-bias card game – whose true purpose was revealed only afterward – illustrated unconscious assumptions in an unforgettable, lighthearted way. “Games are always fun, and that’s again what I loved … how interactive it was,” she said.
Was It Worth It?
Absolutely, according to Stanford. “I feel I could benefit from doing [the Academy] every year … taking time out from the hustle and bustle of work to really focus on developing ourselves.”
The six-day program awards CLE credit, and delivers broad gains in confidence, efficiency, and professional network growth.
Invest in Yourself
Her message is simple: “Don’t hesitate.” Soft skills like public speaking, conflict resolution, and value-driven decision-making can feel elusive until you practice them in a structured, supportive environment.
Even associates without a formal leadership title will walk away with the tools and the confidence to advance.
Sponsored by the Wisconsin Law Foundation
G. Lane Ware Leadership Academy scholarships are funded through the G. Lane Ware Leadership Fund, a designated fund of the
Wisconsin Law Foundation, the charitable arm of the State Bar of Wisconsin. Find out more about the Foundation’s programs by visiting
wisbar.org/wlf.
