Features

As I See It
Let the Good Time Roll: Early Release for Good Behavior in Prison

Reinstituting programs that allow prison inmates to be released early for good behavior is a cost-effective and safe way to reduce prison populations and decrease the likelihood that former inmates will commit more crimes once released.

By Michael O'Hear

Held Together by Wires: A Primer on Practicing Before the PSC

Dramatically changing electric-rate designs and unprecedented expansions of the state’s transmission system underscore the importance of understanding the Public Service Commission’s workings and of knowing how to help your clients be heard in matters it oversees.

By Edward S. Marion

Avoid Cat-and-Mouse Tactics: Planning for Electronic Discovery

Nothing can take the adversariness out of litigation but you can avoid the cat-and-mouse tactics of burying a party in discovery requests. Preparing and using an e-discovery plan can help keep the focus on the underlying legal dispute instead of on wading through unnecessary bytes of data.

By Timothy D. Edwards

Web Extras

'Good Time': Earning Early Release from Prison

Reinstituting programs that allow prison inmates to be released early for good behavior is a cost-effective and safe way to reduce prison populations and decrease the likelihood that former inmates will commit more crimes once released, says Marquette University Law Professor Michael O'Hear.

Opinions, Voices & Ideas

President's Message
Two (or More) for the Price of One
Bob Gagan says member involvement in the State Bar has many rewards, not only for the profession and the public but also for the member.

Your State Bar
More than Scotch and Cigars
If you haven’t attended a State Bar Annual Meeting and Conference because you think it’s just for a bunch of old guys, George Brown says you are in for a surprise.

101
How to Give Clients Bad News – Without a Spoonful of Sugar
Gretchen Viney provides a three-step approach to present bad news in such a way that clients will likely continue to trust in and work with you.

Managing Risk
Scams and Hackers: Or, 12 Security Basics Every Lawyer Should Know
Law firms can be particularly vulnerable to computer fraud, says Tom Watson. While there is no magic answer to protect your data, he presents 12 security basics lawyers should know.

Technology
So You Want To … Read and Edit Documents on the Go (or on Your Couch)
Tison Rhine looks at four devices that require neither desk nor lap for you to read or edit documents on the go.

On Balance
Rethinking Lawyer Motivation and Well-being
Research points to very specific ways that lawyers and law students can build their well-being and stay motivated to practice at high levels. Paula Davis-Laack provides some strategies for doing just that.

Ethics
Rude Behavior at Depositions
The fact that certain actions do not violate the Rules of Professional Conduct does not make that behavior appropriate in professional situations, says Dean Dietrich.

Final Thought
That Guilt Shall Not Escape or Innocence Suffer
Peter Tempelis says the loss of funding for pay progression for prosecutors, to curtail high turnover, jeopardizes the delivery of justice and public safety in Wisconsin.