Judicial Council volunteer members (from left): Sarah Zylstra, Vice Chair Margo Kirchner, and Hon. Kristine Snow.

Feb. 25, 2026 – The bottom line is: the State Bar needs you. State Bar members are essential for its leadership and programs.

We know we ask for volunteers quite a lot and your time is precious. But we also know that members who get involved with the State Bar boost their careers and gain leadership skills. Leadership skills are not a prerequisite to volunteer – because by serving in these positions, you become leaders.

Note that most of these positions do not require a large time commitment. Consider volunteering to run for State Bar leadership, as a committee member for the 2026-27 year, or in one of the many ongoing State Bar programs that help your colleagues or the public. And you can find more on the Get Involved webpage on WisBar.org.

Run for State Bar Board of Governors: Deadline is March 2

The board meets five times per year; meetings take roughly 3-4 hours.

Members who wish to run for these positions must file a petition signed by 10 active State Bar members by March 2, 2026. To receive a petition, see the form on WisBar.org, or contact Kim Jansen via email or call (608) 250-6106. For more information, visit the Board of Governors’ page on WisBar.org.

State Bar Committees for 2026-27: Deadline is April 15

State Bar President-elect Stephen Sawyer recently listed the benefits of volunteering to serve on a State Bar committee. Interested in volunteering but want to learn more about what opportunities are available and what time commitment is involved?

• Additional information about each of the State Bar committees can be found on the Committees webpage on WisBar.org.

• A Committee Volunteer Time Commitment fact sheet for each of the State Bar committees can be found on this form.

Looking Ahead: Upcoming Opportunities for 2027-28

Need some time to prepare? The call for Board of Governors officers and governors nominations typically goes out in September. For officers, submit your expression of interest by mid-October. For governors, the deadline for a petition to run is the first business day of March (see above, there’s still time for 2026-27!). Look for the announcement in InsideTrack this fall (as an example, here is the one for 2025).

Sections and Divisions leadership and committees: The State Bar's 24 sections and four divisions offer volunteer opportunities for their members. While the self-nomination window for 2026-27 positions has closed, some sections still have openings on their boards. Visit the Divisions page on WisBar.org for more information. For sections, visit the Sections page on WisBa​r.org to find your section.

Periodic and Ongoing Volunteer Positions

Some volunteer positions are short-term and once per year, like the High School Mock Trial regional and semi-finals tournaments in February and March.

Others are ongoing, like for the Wisconsin Lawyers Assistance Program (WisLAP) and the State Bar's mentoring program, Ready.Set.Practice.

Another ongoing need is for the State Bar's Fee Arbitration program, which uses volunteer arbitrators to hear disputes between attorneys and clients over legal fees and related costs. Free training is provided. Getting involved is easy, and you can contact the program manager for more information.