Feb. 1, 2017 – In a few months, I will have the opportunity and responsibility to appoint members to State Bar of Wisconsin standing and special committees, effective on July 1.

My main goal as State Bar president-elect is to involve more of our members in this worthwhile organization. Take a look at the various committees and, if you have an interest, let me know of your willingness to serve by May 1.

Influence Important Issues

Committee service can provide you with the opportunity to influence important issues facing the profession, the legal system, and our State Bar membership in general. It is also a great way to meet lawyers from around the state, and even outside the state, who want to make a difference by serving the profession through State Bar activities.

Having served on numerous committees over my volunteer career at the State Bar, I can tell you that active involvement will reward you with the satisfaction of having a role in improving both the State Bar and the legal system. You will make new friends and make important contributions to the State Bar that I am sure you will look back on with satisfaction in the future.

These committees conduct important work of the State Bar, and often influence policy on critical issues. As you look at the various committees, you will see descriptions of what each committee does and the roster of board members currently serving on them.

Your Perspective Is Needed

If you have not been involved in the State Bar in the past and believe that you can give a little time to the profession, I urge you to get involved. If you have been active and would like to stay active, feel free to apply for reappointment or a different appointment.

We need a full range of perspectives – new lawyers, experienced lawyers, specialists, and generalists, from the big cities and the rural communities, and pretty much everything in between. We are a diverse Bar, and it is our goal to get the broader base of members involved in State Bar leadership.

Committee service can provide you with the opportunity to influence important issues facing the profession, the legal system, and our State Bar membership in general.

Please take a moment to visit the Leadership Opportunities and committees pages and submit a Volunteer Interest Form to let me know which committees and issues facing Wisconsin lawyers you would like to contribute to. I will do my best to get you involved so that we can, together, make a difference in our association.

Appointments to standing committees include three-year terms, and appointments to special committees are for one-year terms. All committee appointments begin July 1, which is the beginning of the State Bar's fiscal year.

Don't put this off; do it now, before the May 1 deadline. I look forward to seeing you working actively with the association.