The Data & Research Subcommittee was formed and charged to establish, update and publish reliable census data regarding the diversity of State Bar members. Currently the subcommittee is working to establish a baseline of information with pertinent data points that will enable an objective evaluation of what programs/initiatives are needed, who the target groups should be, and a method to determine and track whether progress has been made over time. As systems are put in place the subcommittee will publish and regularly update diversity information in the State Bar Annual Report and the Executive Director’s Report to Board of Governors. In the future the subcommittee plans on writing a separate report on the diversity of members of the judiciary. They will also put systems in place to monitor and report on relevant comparisons, (e.g. Wisconsin general demographics, other state bars, other state judiciaries).
The subcommittee is working with Fred Petillo, the State Bar Market Research Manager, to establish a new benchmark survey based on the 1995 Survey completed by the State Bar, a 66-item survey that was mailed to 400 non-minority attorneys and 260 minority attorneys. The new benchmark survey will compare the responses from the 1995 Survey to the current climate of diversity in Wisconsin and provide the means for a longitudinal study on the State Bar's efforts to increase diversity and inclusion. We would contemplate thereafter to have follow-ups every two years.
