From left, current State Bar President Ryan Billings, incoming President Dan Gartzke, and Immediate Past President Dean Dietrich at Board of Governors meeting in Madison​.

​​June 18, 2025 – While the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Board of Governors (Board) bid farewell to several members, and to retiring Executive Director Larry Martin, the Board also selected individuals for leadership positions in the new fiscal year, which begins July 1.

Kicking off the 2025 Annual Meeting and Conference at the Monona Terrace in Madison, the Board heard remarks from guest Judge Audrey Skwierawski, Director of State Courts.

She updated the Board on current concerns, heavily weighted toward security, both electronic and physical, and in developing the people who help keep the court system operating – interpreters, court reporters, and lawyers.

The Director of State Courts works under the direction of the Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court and is the chief non-judicial officer of the Wisconsin state court system in managing the courts.

Foremost among the issues Skwierawski faces involve cybersecurity. With well-known hacks into large computer systems, the state courts need to shield large quantities of personally identifiable information, such as addresses, dates of birth, and payment information.

Looking ahead, Skwierawski said, “AI has been a huge challenge for us, and I think we are behind the curve.” She is developing an artificial intelligence committee to catch up.

Among the legislative requests for funds, Skwierawski said, included more money for physical security, which so far has not been successful. Dangers reported in the headlines keep the issue prominent, especially after the shooting of Minnesota legislators last weekend.

Judges who receive threats report them to the Marshall of Wisconsin Courts and Capitol Police, Skwierawski said.

Judge Audrey Skwierawski, Director of State Courts​, gave opening remarks at the June 18 Board of Governors meeting.​

Capitol Police have stepped up to help protect the court system, Skwierawski said, by providing four assigned sworn officers. “They are a huge assistance.”

Grants good only for a limited time fund those four officers, and Skwierawski hopes that the proposed budget could include funding to keep them.

Courthouses across the state need a thorough security assessment, a cost for which the state courts are seeking funding, Skwierawski said.

The court system feels the effect of reduced individuals in many areas. More interpreters, court reporters, and lawyers are needed, Skwierawski said. Fortunately, task forces are addressing these areas where retirement has reduced available individuals.

It’s hard to get new interpreters. The difficult certification test has a less than 10% pass rate, but the court system has a coordinator working to address the issue, Skwierawski said.

A Court Reporter Advisory Committee is addressing replenishing the pool, Skwierawski said.

And Skwierawski expressed her thanks to the State Bar for its efforts with the Attorney Retention and Recruitment Committee.

While the state budgeting process is concluding, Skwierawski remains optimistic.

The court system has already benefited from some wins, such as more funding for circuit court support, gained with the assistance of the Wisconsin Counties Association, which will help local courts, Skwierawski said.

The Board of Governors took a moment to say farewell to State Bar Executive Director Larry J. Martin, who is retiring this summer. It was his last Board meeting.​

Elected Members to Executive Committee

As required by SCR 10.06, the Board selected six governors elected to the 2026 Board to serve on the Executive Committee in FY 2026 (July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026).

The re-elected members include Dist. 2 Gov. Randall J. Brotherhood, Dist. 9 Gov. Annabelle Vang, Dist. 14 Gov. Rachel Eve Maes, and Section Leaders Council Rep. James Eric Goldschmidt. New members on the committee include newly elected Dist. 2 Gov. Anna Munoz and Dist. 9 Gov. Sam Wayne.

The supreme court rule empowers the Committee to “exercise all the powers and perform all duties of the [Board] between the meetings of the [Board],” with a few exceptions. The Committee receives and acts on reports on committees on disciplinary matters and prepares the annual budget for Board consideration.

The Committee also includes the State Bar president, the president-elect, the immediate past-president, the chairperson of the board of governors, and one representative each from the Nonresident Lawyers Division, Government Lawyers Division, Young Lawyers Division, and Senior Lawyers Division selected from their Board representatives.

Melodie Wiseman (left), the outgoing chairperson of the Board of Governors, with Jennifer Johnson, appointed board chair for FY 2026, beginning July 1.​

Selected Chairperson of the Board

The Board approved Dist. 2 Gov. Jennifer L. Johnson as the new chairperson of the Board for FY 2026, taking the place of Melody Wiseman, who is leaving the board after serving as chairperson for FY 2025.

Consent Agenda

District Reapportionment. The Board approved reapportionment of Board districts. Districts are reapportioned once every ten years to ensure equal representation of lawyers in the sixteen districts. The changes combined Kenosha County with Racine County in District 15 and moved Dodge County to District 1 with Jefferson and Walworth counties. District 13 will contain only Ozaukee and Walworth counties. Milwaukee County (District 2) loses one governor from its 12 and Dane County (District 9), which now has seven governors, gains one. Based on discussion at the last Board meeting, Polk County will remain in District 8.

Wisconsin Delegates to the American Bar Association (ABA) House of Delegates. The Board re-elected Renee Read and elected Megan Lee, a member of the Young Lawyers Division Board, as two of the five delegates representing Wisconsin in the ABA House of Delegates for two-year terms. The House of Delegates next meets on Aug. 11-12 in Toronto as a part of ABA’s annual meeting.

Wisconsin Trust Account Foundation Board. The Board approved four appointees, including three lawyers and one nonlawyer, to the Wisconsin Trust Account Foundation Board: Alison Helland of Madison, Tatiana Shirasaki of Juneau, Jessica Shrestha of Madison, and Michael Wilson of Madison.

Audit Committee. The Board approved the following slate of members to the Audit Committee: Sherry Coley as Chair, Grant Birtch, David Gorwitz, Alexander Lemke, Thomas Phillips, Melody Rute, and Davide Werwie.

Access to Justice Commission. The Board appointed Karen Bauer of Milwaukee to the Access to Justice Commission.

Members may obtain a copy of the minutes of each meeting of the Board of Governors by contacting State Bar Executive Coordinator Kim Jansen by email or phone at 608-250-6106.