Improving the Present

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Educating Our Members

State Bar CLE continued its commitment to provide quality legal education to Wisconsin attorneys. In addition to producing the familiar and highly regarded State Bar books and seminars, the Bar is exploring ways technology will affect the delivery of CLE. At present, Wisconsin lawyers can peruse the State Bar CLE Books catalog, search an interactive CLE Seminars calendar, and place their orders and register online. The Bar added an information technology staff attorney to help develop technology-based systems for the delivery of continuing legal education, including an online CLE index and searchable database of material published by the State Bar, and an online practice reference library.

CLE Books continued to spotlight the expertise of some of Wisconsin's most talented attorneys as more than 350 lawyers volunteered to serve as authors or reviewers. Wisconsin Trial Practice was copublished this year with the State Bar's Litigation Section. The new book picks up where Wisconsin Civil Procedure Before Trial leaves off, covering issues that arise at every stage of jury and bench trials, from pretrial conferences to post-trial motions.

LLCs and LLPs: A Wisconsin Handbook, also published in FY 99, is a completely revised edition of one of CLE Books' most popular practice books. Other notable revisions include The Marital Property Classification Handbook and the Wisconsin Attorney's Desk Reference. Ten other revisions, 27 supplements to existing publications, and a new statutory compilation - The Real Estate and Real Property Codebook - rounded out the CLE Books' publication list for the fiscal year.

Finally, CLE Books' comprehensive elder law book, Advising Older Clients and Their Families, was recognized this year by the international Association for Continuing Legal Education (ACLEA). ACLEA granted the two-volume work its highest award for a CLE publication, the Award of Professional Excellence.

CLE Seminars presented nearly 80 live programs during the past fiscal year. It also offered video replays in 11 locations across the state, along with six telephone seminars, offering a total of 408 credits and reaching more than 15,661 registrants. More than 250 Wisconsin practitioners volunteered their time and expertise as seminar faculty.

Every year the CLE Seminars department collaborates with State Bar sections and committees, other legal organizations, and interdisciplinary professional groups to provide substantive and practical CLE. This year, the State Bar Appellate Practice Section and the CLE Seminars department put on a highly successful Appellate Advocacy Workshop. Supreme court justices and court of appeals and federal court judges provided personal, one-on-one coaching and commentary to a small group of appellate practitioners to help them develop and refine their advocacy skills.

The State Bar also cosponsored CLE programs with the Corporate Practice Institute, the Wisconsin Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the American Board of Trial Advocates, the Wisconsin Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and the Wisconsin Psychological Association.

The theme for last year's Midwinter Convention at the Midwest Express Center in Milwaukee was "Tools for 2000." The convention offered 31 CLE seminars on topics ranging from alternative dispute resolution to "Truth-in-Sentencing" legislation. The Bar also offered programs on stress management for lawyers and year 2000 computer problems. At the annual Member Recognition Luncheon, Outagamie County Circuit Court Judge Harold V. Froelich was honored as State Bar Judge of the Year.

The State Bar's Annual Convention, held in Green Bay, offered "More Tools for 2000." Chief Justice Shirley S. Abrahamson swore in Leonard L. Loeb as the new State Bar president. At the annual President's Luncheon, Hon. Patrick Sheedy and Hon. Peter Pappas were corecipients of the Lifetime Jurist Achievement Award. Justice Jon P. Wilcox presented the awards and noted that between the two, they have served the public, the bench, and the bar for more than 102 years. Also recognized was Charles "Chuttie" Senn, who received the Heffernan Award for his long commitment to law-related education. Susan Steingass awarded three members with the Distinguished Service Award, including John Macy, for his work on the Finance Committee; Nathan Fishbach, for chairing the "Building the Future" Campaign Cabinet; and Gary Yakes, for his many years on the Board of Governors. Other honorees at convention were the winners of the Local Bar Grant Competition Awards. These awards recognize local and specialty bar associations that have completed public service projects within the last two years. During FY 99 the Bar Grant Competition Committee awarded $9,000 in grants to develop a supervised visitation program in Milwaukee County for statewide use, parenting programs in Iowa County, a Family Law Information Center at the La Crosse County Courthouse, and a high school curriculum on obligations of entering into contracts and loans.

Reaching Outside the Profession

The State Bar is committed to educating the public about the legal system - reaching the public through the mock trial program, consumer publications, and legal resources.

The State Bar's Law Office Videotape series, respected nationally for its quality, is an economical and effective way to educate clients and legal staff. In FY 99 the Law Office Videotape Committee produced "Preparing for Your Personal Injury Case" to help clients understand the options available to them and the process they'll go through when they pursue a personal injury case.

The Communication Committee oversees development of the 16-title consumer pamphlet series, providing attorneys with a low-cost way to dispense basic legal information to clients and the public. In the past year, nearly 100,000 pamphlets on topics from arrest to wills and estates reached Wisconsin consumers. New titles completed during the year include "Guardians ad Litem in Family Court," which was distributed to family court commissioners statewide, and "Hiring and Working with a Lawyer."

During the year, staff worked with various consumer education committees to develop a consumer Web site, www.legalpointers.com, a "sister site" to the existing WisBar. The goal is to create a site that allows consumers to easily access information tailored to their needs, such as finding an attorney, and answers common questions about the law and our legal system. The public debut is planned for January 2000.

The Public Service Announcement series, sponsored by the Professionalism Committee, continued its statewide radio announcements on such topics as automobile insurance, divorce, buying a used car, employee rights, drunk driving, eviction, worker's compensation, child support, and harassment by a collection agency.

Law Talk, a 30-minute public affairs television program sponsored by the Cable and Broadcast Outreach Committee, continues to air on cable access stations in various parts of the state. Participating cities include Madison, Milwaukee, Whitewater, Stoughton, Lake Mills, Oshkosh, Baraboo, Mineral Point, Wisconsin Rapids, and Janesville. The show educates the public about the legal system and how it works in an easy-to-understand, entertaining format. This year's topics included "truth-in-sentencing" legislation, consumer issues, employment discrimination, and the jury system.

The Clients' Security Fund, established in 1981 by the Wisconsin Supreme Court, reimburses people who have lost money through dishonest acts of Wisconsin attorneys. The program is financed by an annual assessment of all practicing attorneys in the state. In FY 99 the Fund acted on 32 claims. Of the 24 claims approved for payment, 23 were paid for a total amount of $214,607.95.

The Lawyer Referral and Information Service refers citizens in need of legal services to attorneys or appropriate government and community agencies after careful screening. Last year, LRIS fielded 50,000 calls. A fourth, full-time legal assistant was added in FY 99 to increase service to the public and the members. Attorneys who participate in the service collectively received $2 million from referrals in FY 99. The Lawyer Hotline program coordinates volunteer lawyers who answer consumers' simple legal questions. A State Bar staff member travels to cities across the state providing attorneys with a unique opportunity to serve the public by hosting a lawyer hotline. More than 1,500 callers are served annually by the program.

The State Bar produced a second edition catalog of Volunteers in the Courts, in partnership with the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Containing information on more than 200 programs that use volunteers to aid the work of the courts, the catalog, the first of its kind in the nation, was recognized by Attorney General Janet Reno as a successful way to enhance public involvement in the judicial process.

For the 16th year, the State Bar sponsored the Wisconsin High School Mock Trial Tournament. Involving more than 1,600 students and many judges, attorney/coaches, and teachers annually, the tournament culminated last May with Sheboygan High School placing fourth in the nation during the National Mock Trial Competition in St. Louis, Missouri.

The Mock Trial Journalism program offers high school students an opportunity to attend the state mock trial competition and test their news- and opinion-writing skills under deadline pressure. Approximately 25 high school students participated in FY 99.

The State Bar's Law-related Education Committee teamed up with the Wisconsin Association of Trial Lawyers (WATL) for its 10th year in presenting 90-minute versions of fictional criminal and civil trials as part of the State Fair Mock Trial program. The program educates fairgoers about the jury system, and shows how judges, lawyers, and lay people operate in a courtroom. Audience volunteers participate in the trials by acting as the jury.

Peers in Education Addressing Conflict Effectively (PEACE) teaches educators conflict resolution techniques to reduce the level of violence in their schools. PEACE successfully completed its fourth year, gathering 17 elementary schools from around the state in Madison for training. Sponsored by the State Bar and the Attorney General's office, the program trains teachers, parents, and others to create student peer mediation programs in their schools. The trained adults then teach the students, who make the program work.

The Court with Class program gives high school students an opportunity to attend a Wisconsin Supreme Court oral argument. The program, cosponsored by the Wisconsin Supreme Court and the State Bar, attracted more than 850 students last year from both public and private high schools. To enhance the visit, students receive a plain-English synopsis of the case they will hear, and have a chance to visit with a justice afterward.

The Business Assistance Program continued in FY 99 to offer guidance to new and expanding businesses. Participating attorneys donated legal counseling to businesses and nonprofit organizations to help them avoid legal problems that could end in bankruptcy.

The Alternative Dispute Resolution and Business Law Sections became the first two sections to work together to develop a public service project, the Y2K Dispute Resolution Program. This service will offer businesses and other organizations a fast, low-cost, and confidential method of settling disputes over Y2K computer problems without going to court. The program uses trained volunteer attorneys as mediators and arbitrators to settle such disputes.

The State Bar Media-law Relations Committee and the Wisconsin Supreme Court cosponsored the first-ever Media-law Seminar in Green Bay to help the media and the judiciary understand each other's roles and responsibilities, and to build bridges between the two. Nearly 40 judges and journalists participated in a fictional sentencing of a drunk-driving case. The judges and journalists, who were asked to decide appropriate sentences and write potential headlines, had a lively discussion.

Special Events

Aside from the day-to-day services and programs that the State Bar offers, each year the Bar organizes a host of special events to involve both members and the public.

The State Bar and the Wisconsin Law Foundation annually recognize outstanding volunteer work by attorneys who provide pro bono legal services, public service, and law-related education to the community at the Volunteer Lawyer's Recognition Celebration. Last year, 12 individuals and two firms were honored at a celebration held at the Monona Terrace and Convention Center in Madison. Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Shirley S. Abrahamson delivered the keynote address and reminded those present that, "Together, we can make a huge difference."

The Delivery of Legal Services Symposium, offered during the Annual Convention, provided a forum to discuss ways to provide adequate legal services to all citizens, regardless of income. Topics included the role of law schools in instilling the pro bono ethic, institutionalizing with bar leadership the importance of pro bono and delivery of legal services issues as a vital part of the association and profession, and ethical issues confronting lawyers who are acting in a pro bono capacity. The State Bar's Legal Assistance Committee sponsored the event.

The State Bar cosponsored the second-annual Midwest Small Firm Success Conference in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The state bars of Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and Nebraska participated in the two-day event that drew more than 200 participants. The conference provided a forum for rural attorneys and small, urban practitioners to network and share ideas to improve their practices.

Nearly 50 local and specialty bar association leaders participated in the 1999 Wisconsin Bar Leaders Conference (WBLC) sponsored by the State Bar and the Local Bar Leaders Conference Committee. For the first time, the conference was held as a stand-alone event in the spring instead of during the traditional pre-Midwinter Convention time slot. Participants liked the change and said that the WBLC provides a great opportunity to meet other bar leaders in a relaxed atmosphere while discussing issues of mutual interest.

Preparing for the Future