Beginning in 2021, the State Bar of Wisconsin has provided the Wisconsin Supreme Court with a summary of mission-driven highlights at the end of each organizational year. The “Report to the Court” is our annual opportunity to share accomplishments that help us fulfill our unique court-given responsibilities in serving the public, the court system, and State Bar members.

In December, I had the privilege to meet with the justices and present to them our 2021-2022 report. It’s full of charts, graphs, and numbers that help demonstrate the breadth of the State Bar’s reach and impact. And behind every number is a unique story.

Here are a few examples: The member whose life was profoundly and positively affected because another member, trained by our WisLAP program, reached out; a woman who faced potential eviction from her home but continued to have a warm and safe place to live because an attorney, linked through our Pro Bono Portal, agreed to help; the countless times individual ethics and practice management issues were resolved before a difficult situation could occur, thanks to the counsel and expertise that are a phone call away.

The Lawyer Referral and Information Service (LRIS) helps thousands of individuals each year across Wisconsin determine whether they need a lawyer and how to proceed if they do. If the answer is assistance from a non-legal source, LRIS helps make that connection as well.

Thanks to the State Bar’s Wills for Heroes program, which provides pro bono estate planning services, many first responders and front-line health care workers and their families now have some peace of mind if the unthinkable happens. Small-business owners in communities throughout Wisconsin have been able to set up shop, expand business, and hire more employees thanks to the Business Law Section and Marquette Law School working together to provide free legal advice.

Individuals will apply to law school because they were one of the many high school students who participated in the mock trial program and were inspired to join the cause of furthering justice and being a part of ensuring the rule of law in U.S. society.

Residents in every part of Wisconsin better understand their legal rights as a result of our partnership with the Wisconsin Newspaper Association to develop and distribute stories bimonthly to educate the public on various aspects of the law.

Throughout the year, we provided members with high-quality, accessible, and engaging continuing legal education to strengthen members’ knowledge and skills in service to their clients. We also perform administrative tasks on behalf of the court, such as maintaining membership records and providing official notices through our communication channels and publications.

We have worked hard to build a strong partnership between the State Bar, the Supreme Court, and the Wisconsin court system. We greatly appreciate and value the relationship we have with Chief Justice Annette Kingsland Ziegler, and each individual justice, as we continue to work to serve the court, the public, and our members.

To view the full 2021-2022 report to the court go to: wisbar.org/aboutus/reports.

We value the relationship we have with the Wisconsin Supreme Court and will continue to be a partner in the justice system, for the court, the public, and our members.

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