Members of the State Bar Board of Governors got festive at the Dec. 2, 2022, board meeting. We also have fun!

There is an adage that many hands make for light work. In any given year, more than 800 members run for office or volunteer to serve on numerous boards, committees, sections, and task forces. The State Bar of Wisconsin is truly a member-driven, member-run organization.

Thousands of member leaders have served this organization over its history. Their collective wisdom, efforts, time, and talent have shaped what we do and who we are today. But we always need new people and new ideas to keep us moving forward. As the legal profession becomes more diverse, so too must our leadership.The talents of our members and their collective experiences are the State Bar’s ultimate strength.

This spring, members will elect new representation to be their voice on the State Bar of Wisconsin’s 52-member Board of Governors. The board is the organization’s policy-making body, addressing access to justice, the rule of law, criminal justice reform, and many other issues that shape the delivery of legal services in our state.

Serving on the board (or “BOG”) is an opportunity to give back to the profession and shape vital public policy matters, while furthering your leadership development skills. Members serving come from across the state and nation (through our Nonresident Lawyers Division) and represent a gamut of practice areas.

You need not wait to be asked nor wait your turn. The board is an incredible mix of seasoned State Bar veterans and colleagues who are newer to their involvement with the State Bar and to the profession. We need you to help lead now!

The process to run is simple. If there is an opening this year in your State Bar Board district, you must file an official nominating petition that includes signatures of 10 active State Bar members in your district. File your completed petition with Jan Marks, State Bar executive coordinator, by Wednesday, March 1, 2023. For information and to find out if there is an election in your district, contact Jan at (608) 250-6106, (800) 444-9404 ext. 6106, or jmarks@wisbar.org.

I urge you to consider serving your colleagues and the profession. Only through the collective leadership efforts of our members will we continue to meet our mission of furthering justice and strengthening the rule of law in our great state.

The talents of our members and their collective experiences are the State Bar’s ultimate strength.

» Cite this article: 96 Wis. Law. 7​ (January 2023).