From the Archives
Women’s History Month: Mabel Watson Raimey
Mabel Watson Raimey is one of the first lawyers featured in The History of Wisconsin’s Black Lawyers, a new publication released by the Wisconsin Association of African-American Lawyers (WAAL).
The WAAL publication notes that Mabel Raimey was the first African-American woman to earn a degree from U.W.-Madison when she graduated in 1918.
After working as a legal secretary, she attended Marquette Law School and gained admission to practice law in 1927, becoming Wisconsin’s first African-American woman lawyer.
“By the time of her death in 1986, Mabel Raimey had received numerous honors and recognitions for her unique achievements during a very challenging period in history for African American attorneys,” the publication notes.
Today, a historical marker honoring Ms. Raimey stands outside Marquette University’s Sensenbrenner Hall on Wisconsin Avenue.
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Quotable
“With this project, we are setting the stage for future lawyers to be recognized and to complete the list of Black attorneys in Wisconsin.”
– Opening remarks in The History of Wisconsin’s Black Lawyers, a new publication from the Wisconsin Association of African-American Lawyers (WAAL).
The publication contains selected biographies and a roster of Black Wisconsin attorneys from 1888 to 2019.
“Our work was premised on a group seeking to make sure that our history in the legal profession in Wisconsin is accurately reflected and recorded. It serves as a foundation to lift up the journey of those who have come before us. We hope that it will be continued with a commitment to who we are and where we have come from.”
The publication is available at wisbar.org/aboutus/legalhistory.
On the Radar
Election Season: Supreme Court Race and State Bar Offices
Supreme Court: Daniel Kelly and Jill Karofsky will face off in the April 7 statewide election for a 10-year term on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. They emerged as the top two candidates in February’s primary election.
Kelly was appointed by Gov. Scott Walker to the supreme court in 2016 and faces his first election as the incumbent. Karofsky has served on the Dane County Circuit Court since 2017.
The State Bar of Wisconsin is hosting a debate between the two candidates on March 19, at the State Bar Center in Madison.
State Bar Elections: In April, the State Bar of Wisconsin holds elections for officer positions and seats on the Board of Governors.
Elections will be held via electronic ballot. Ballots will be emailed by the second week of April, and the election closes at noon on April 24.
Read about the candidates at wisbar.org/elections.
Tech Tip
3 Strategies to Improve Productivity
The year is nearly three months old. How is your productivity level thus far in 2020?
If you are looking for more ways to boost productivity, Attorney at Work has some ideas on where to focus.
1) Your Calendar is Your Friend. Review every open and active file, and add a calendar or appointment entry. Add administrative and nonclient-related items, too.
2) Tame Your Email Inbox. Schedule specific time to process emails. If you keep your email open all day on your computer screen or get notifications each time you receive an email, you will waste a lot of time and find it difficult to accomplish your big tasks.
Consider email add-ins that can create efficiencies, such as one that helps you more quickly file emails to the correct folders.
According to Wisconsin lawyer Nerino Petro, SimplyFile by TechHit Software is a good add-in. “SimplyFile bills itself as an intelligent filing assistant. With a little training, SimplyFile will predict which folder an email should be saved to and with one click you can save the email to the correct folder,” Petro said.
3) Streamline Tasks. Track how you are doing a particular task and look for ways to remove steps (streamline) or automate them, or delegate them to an assistant.
Source: Joan Feldman, Attorney at Work, Productivity Tools and Tips to Jump-start Your Year
Good Idea
Wisconsin Supreme Court Needs You
The Wisconsin Supreme Court appoints lawyers and nonlawyers to several committees and boards that serve the legal profession.
For lawyers, these appointments include positions on committees for the Office of Lawyer Regulation, the Access to Justice Commission, the Judicial Commission, and the Board of Bar Examiners.
If you are interested in seeking an appointment, fill out the form at https://wicourts.gov/courts/committees/participate.htm, and submit your resumé and letter of interest. To be considered in the next round of nominations, submit your application by April 10, 2020.
Nominations for these positions are made to the Supreme Court’s Appointment Selection Committee, which makes recommendations to the court. Learn more at https://wicourts.gov/courts/committees/index.htm.
Direct your questions to Anna Yarish in the Director of State Courts Office at (608) 266-1298.
Out There
Rain Delay: Cloudy Skies for Astros
Spring training is in full swing for Major League Baseball (MLB). The Milwaukee Brewers’ home opener is March 26 against the Chicago Cubs at Miller Park, the last season before a name change to American Family Field.
But one team will face a different kind of opponent this year: The Houston Astros were recently fined $5 million by the MLB for using technology to decode pitching signs that benefited the team’s 2017 World Series run. The fine is the highest allowed by the MLB Constitution.
In February, some Astros season ticket holders filed a class action against the club for deceptively overcharging them season tickets while the team “surreptitiously engaged in a sign stealing scheme” and “secretly put a deficient product on the field” that could, and did, result in severe penalties.
The Brewers went 2-2 against the Astros last year. They did not play each other in 2017.
Source: Jurist; Channel 3000; baseballreference.com
