Lawyers who spend a lot of time talking for a living might view media relations as a no-brainer. Seven media-savvy individuals debunk the myth that ‘talking is talking,’ and explain why professional skill is needed in media relations and what works best when relating to news reporters.

2009 Wisconsin Act 20, effective July 1, 2009, expands Wisconsin’s Fair Employment Law to make available compensatory and punitive damages for employment discrimination, unfair genetic testing, and unfair honesty testing in an employment setting. These damages are in addition to other remedies available under the Fair Employment Law. Act 20 more closely aligns Wisconsin’s Fair Employment Law with Title VII of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.

Federal court interpretations of Wisconsin law are persuasive, but not binding on Wisconsin courts. Yet they affect how Wisconsin law develops and is argued. Here is a look at some significant Wisconsin federal court decisions interpreting Wisconsin law since 2007, encompassing common law claims, statutory interpretations, and a criminal case considering Wisconsin law under federal habeas corpus jurisdiction.