|
Increase public
understanding of citizens' legal rights and responsibilities
 Previous
Page
The State Bar is committed to educating the public
about the legal system, reaching the public through numerous law-related
education activities, consumer publications, and Internet legal resources.
These ongoing efforts reach thousands of Wisconsin residents, making them
better legal consumers. FY00 featured a special Law Day effort that focused
on increasing the public's understanding of their rights regarding health
care - Life Planning 2000.
The Life Planning 2000 program takes off. The collaborative effort
between the State Bar, the State Medical Society of Wisconsin, and the
Wisconsin Health & Hospital Association to empower all Wisconsin adults
to discuss and document their wishes for future health care had statewide
impact.
Educational activities took place in nearly
50 communities, led by 75 local coordinators and hundreds of volunteers.
The message reached the public via an advance care planning consumer guide
entitled A Gift to Your Family, public service announcements, billboards,
newspaper advertisements, and statewide media coverage. The Bar distributed
20,000 free consumer guides throughout the campaign and continues to distribute
it through WisBar at www.wisbar.org/lifeplan. The National Association
of Transplant Surgeons honored the State Bar with a public service award
recognizing its efforts to increase public understanding of advance care
planning and organ and tissue donation. President Leonard Loeb, the Elder
Law Section, and Local Bar Relations Committee were instrumental in organizing
the efforts.
Teaching teachers about the court system. Teachers from across
Wisconsin gathered in Madison in February to learn new ways to educate
students about the legal system. The first-ever teachers' institute, "From
the Courtroom to the Classroom," was a cooperative effort between the
State Bar, the UW-Madison Department of Curriculum and Instruction, the
Wisconsin Law Foundation, and the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Funding was
provided through a grant from Youth for Justice, with additional support
from the State Bar General Practice Section.
LegalExplorer.com hits cyberspace. The State Bar worked throughout
FY00 to launch LegalExplorer.com,
the new consumer Web site that debuted in July 2000. The service educates
consumers about the law, government, and the legal profession, answers
commonly asked legal questions, and provides links to valuable legal resources.
The site has a searchable database of State Bar publications, videotapes,
and programs for use in client education, law-related education, and community
outreach efforts. The site also features an online lawyer referral service,
making it easier for consumers to find a lawyer.
Next Page
|
