From the Archives
50-Year Members:The Class of 1976

The Class of 1976 will celebrate 50 years in the legal profession this year with a recognition luncheon May 13 at the Delafield Hotel. In 1976, Jimmy Carter was elected president, defeating Gerald Ford, who had stepped in to replace Richard Nixon two years earlier. Also in 1976, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak founded Apple, and the first Rocky movie premiered.

The U.S. Supreme Court issued several landmark decisions in 1976, including Gregg v. Georgia, in which the Court held that the death penalty does not violate the Eighth or Fourteenth Amendments, and Planned Parenthood of Central Missouri v. Danforth, in which the Court struck down certain provisions of a Missouri law that regulated abortion.

It also ruled, in Buckley v. Valeo, that restricting individual contributions to political campaigns and candidates to guard against corruption did not violate the First Amendment. Citizens United v. FEC struck down key parts of Buckley in 2010.

On the Radar
USA at 250, the Semiquincentennial

On July 4, 1776, more than 50 men representing 13 colonies (including 25 lawyers) signed the Declaration of Independence, declaring separation from British rule. Next month, in Wisconsin Lawyer, we will publish essays and articles relating to the Declaration of Independence to recognize the semiquincentennial.

Fifty years ago, in 1976, the Wisconsin Bar Bulletin published a series on “The Bicentennial Lawyer,” which explored several Founding fathers who were lawyers.

For the semiquincentennial this year, we asked members to submit an essay, and many did. Some of them will be published in the magazine next month.

If you didn’t get a chance to submit an essay (up to 250 words), it’s not too late. We will collect and publish essays online through the rest of the year. Submit yours to USA250@wisbar.org.

Quotable
“A growing number of law firms are launching under a hybrid model designed to put artificial intelligence-powered legal services at the forefront of their business.”

– Ella Sherman, in an article titled “Legal Tech-Owned ‘Hybrid Law Firms’ are growing. Why Now?” published by Law.com. She said ethical rules in some states allow “hybrid law firms”: a separate legal entity that is created by outside funding from investors who are not partners in the firm. One start-up hybrid law firm, Atrium, shut down after raising $75.5 million. But other companies are still trying.

“The AI native law firms, the new models, they’re taking the approach that this is an opportunity to fundamentally redesign how legal advice is being delivered and how legal services are being delivered, where the technology is front and center with the human providing the governance layer or the judgment layer,” Quislex CEO Sirisha Gummaregula told Sherman.

Quislex bills itself as an alternative legal service provider (ALSP) with specialties in “litigation and data breach document review, contract management, privacy and compliance support, legal spend management, M&A services, and legal operations consulting.”

Spotlight
Readership Survey Coming

Soon, the State Bar will conduct a readership survey to assess member satisfaction with Wisconsin Lawyer (print and online), InsideTrack Weekly, Case Law Express, WisLawNOW, section and division blogs, and podcasts.

We want to hear from you. Your feedback helps us make adjustments and improvements on content and delivery.

Be honest. We want to know what you like and what you don’t like. The last survey, conducted in 2022, gave us valuable insight on how we could improve our publications and provide the most value to you, our members.

Please take a moment to take the survey when you see it in your inbox.

Did You Know? FBI Director Patel Suing The Atlantic for $250 Million

Kash Patel, the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), is suing The Atlantic Monthly Group LLC for $250 million, alleging its publication, The Atlantic, and staff writer Sarah Fitzpatrick defamed him in an article published in April titled, “The FBI Director is MIA.”

Patel says the publication must be held accountable for a “sweeping, malicious hit piece” designed to destroy his reputation. A law firm in Virginia, Binnall Law Group, is representing Patel.

To succeed in a defamation lawsuit against a public figure, the plaintiff must prove actual malice – that is, the plaintiff must prove the defendant published a false statement knowing it was false or with reckless disregard for its truth.

The Atlantic issued a statement: “We stand by our reporting on Kash Patel, and we will vigorously defend The Atlantic and our journalists against this meritless lawsuit.” Source: Reuters