F.Y.I.
New group to help law enforcement officers interested in law
careers
Current or former law enforcement officers attending law school now
can join an organization that recognizes how unique their experiences
and backgrounds are to the legal profession.
The Badge and Gavel Society, a nonprofit, fraternal organization of
current State Bar of Wisconsin members, seeks charter members. The
society assists current and former law enforcement officers interested
in law careers by providing mentors and tutors, as well as information
about the local job market and opportunities for clerkships during law
school. It also assists in finding full-time jobs after graduation,
providing emotional and practical support, and granting scholarships to
qualified law students who are current or former law enforcement
officers.
The society formed in March 1994 in Florida as a result of the
increasing number of law enforcement officers attending law school and
seeking careers as attorneys. The society currently has chapters in New
York, California and, shortly, Wisconsin.
Individuals interested in becoming a Badge and Gavel Society charter
member should contact Michael P. Russart at Hinshaw and Culbertson,
(414) 276-6464, or Michael G. Tobin, Milwaukee City Attorney's Office,
(414) 286-2601.
Wisconsin Supreme Court experiments with paragraph numbering
The Wisconsin Supreme Court is numbering paragraphs in the opinions
it releases. According to the court, the paragraph numbering is
experimental, and lawyers are not to use these numbers when citing
cases. This procedure is subject to the court's modification or
termination without notice.
Clerk's office moves but has same phone number
On Sept. 23, 1996, the Clerk's office for the Wisconsin Supreme Court
and Court of Appeals moved to 110 E. Main St, Suite 715, Madison, WI
53703. However, its telephone number remains the same - (608) 266-1880.
Note this change on page 466 of the 1997 Wisconsin Lawyer Directory.
Other changes to the directory include the telephone numbers for
three Columbia County judges. Hon. Daniel George's number is (608)
742-9619; Hon. Lewis Charles' number is (608) 742-9632; and Hon. Richard
Rehm's phone number is (608) 742-9633. Under Corporation Counsel, Donald
Peterson's number is (608) 742-2191.
Study proves lawyers leaping onto the Net
Some 500,000 (52 percent) lawyers now use computers to access the
Internet for email, research and marketing according to a recently
released survey.
The Internet Lawyer - Microsoft Corporation Survey found that the
majority of legal professionals use small local access companies.
Thirty-two percent use local Internet service providers, while 18
percent use America Online and 6 percent use Counsel Connect, the
proprietary online communication service for lawyers.
Perhaps the most anticipated study results relate to how often the
Internet is used for legal research purposes. Since 1975 Lexis-Nexis and
WestLaw have dominated the computer-assisted legal research industry.
Recent technologies, including CD-ROM and the Internet, however, have
eroded the market penetration of these two large online services.
The study indicates that, overall, 72 percent of legal professionals
(54 percent of which are lawyers) use the Internet for legal research.
Federal information is the most commonly accessed legal material.
Forty-eight percent of respondents are using the Net to retrieve federal
court opinions, statutes and regulations. State legal materials are
accessed by 34 percent of those who use the Net for legal research.
Many legal professionals who use the Net for research are not looking
for traditional legal materials like court opinions and state codes, but
instead are searching for information. They use the Net to find missing
people, to investigate trademark infringement or to conduct medical
research. Forty-four percent of those using the Net for research are
conducting company research.
The survey was sponsored by GoAhead Productions, publisher of
Internet Lawyer newsletter, in conjunction with the Microsoft
Corporation.
Wisconsin
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