The following names were submitted by nomination petition for election to the Board of Governors. The Board of Governors is the State Bar's policymaking body. Governors serve two-year terms.
Districts 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, and 16 will elect governors in 2026. District 2 (Milwaukee) will elect four; District 6 (Waukesha) will elect two; District 9 (Dane) will elect five; and all other districts will elect one governor.
All State Bar elections (including for State Bar divisions and sections) will be held via electronic ballot in 2026, starting April 9, 2026. The election closes at noon Central Time on April 24, 2026.
Persons elected will take office July 1, 2026.
DISTRICT 2 (four seats)
DISTRICT 4 (one seat)
DISTRICT 6 (two seats)
DISTRICT 8 (one seat)
DISTRICT 9 (five seats)
DISTRICT 10 (one seat)
DISTRICT 12 (one seat)
DISTRICT 14 (one seat)
DISTRICT 16 (one seat)
District 2
ERIN ELLA BLOCK of Milwaukee. Marquette University, J.D. magna cum laude, 2015, UW-Milwaukee, B.S. Computer Science, 2010. Erin is part of the Intellectual Property, Data Privacy, and AI practice groups at Godfrey & Kahn. She has diverse legal experience in bankruptcy, consumer protection, trusts, estates and probate, criminal, family, and personal injury law. Erin is a member of the American Intellectual Property Law Association serving as a Committee chair and vice-chair (2021-present), International Trademark Association, American Bar Association, State Bar of Wisconsin, and Eastern District of Wisconsin Bar Association. Erin is also a longtime volunteer with the Marquette Volunteer Legal Clinic/Milwaukee Justice Center (2011-15 (student), 2018-present (attorney)) and volunteered with Project Horizon Workforce Development Committee for Meta House (2022-2025). She was selected as a Super Lawyer’s Rising Star 2025-present and has presented and written on many areas of patent law, including the hot topics of subject matter eligibility and artificial intelligence. Erin is married to a software engineer, so she never strays too far from her computer science roots. When she does stray from her computer, Erin enjoys crocheting, strategic board games, and outdoor activities.
Block Campaign Statement
I am seeking election to the State Bar of Wisconsin Board of Governors representing District 2 (Milwaukee) because I believe my breadth of experience across practice areas, firm sizes, and Wisconsin communities uniquely positions me to serve our members and advance the Bar’s mission.
Throughout my career, I have gained a comprehensive understanding of the challenges facing Wisconsin lawyers. During college and law school, I worked as a paralegal and managed the day-to-day operations of two small firms handling criminal, family, CHIPS, personal injury, trusts and estates, and probate matters. After earning my J.D., I practiced bankruptcy, consumer protection, tax, and probate law before focusing for the past eight years on intellectual property, data privacy, and artificial intelligence law. Practicing in diverse substantive areas and in firms of varying sizes, has given me meaningful insight into the operational, financial, and professional realities lawyers experience across the state.
My perspective is also shaped by geography. I was raised in rural northern Wisconsin, moved to Milwaukee for college and law school, practiced in Waukesha County for seven years, and now practice in Milwaukee County. Living and working in rural, suburban, and metropolitan communities has deepened my appreciation for the varied needs of our members and the communities we serve. I have seen firsthand the persistent gaps in access to legal services throughout Wisconsin and understand that solutions must account for regional differences in resources and demand.
In addition to my practice, I am actively engaged in professional and community service. I currently serve as a Committee Chair for the American Intellectual Property Law Association, serve on the Women’s Leadership Forum Committee at Godfrey & Kahn, and volunteer with the Marquette Volunteer Legal Clinic and the Milwaukee Justice Center. These roles have strengthened my commitment to mentorship, professional development, and expanding access to justice.
Although I have not previously served in a leadership role within the State Bar, I was elected last year to represent the Waukesha District on the Board of Governors. Due to my transition to Godfrey & Kahn, I resigned before beginning my term. That experience reinforced my desire to serve and contribute thoughtfully to the governance of our profession. I would welcome the opportunity to bring a fresh, practical perspective to the Board on behalf of Milwaukee County members.
If elected, I will work diligently to advance the State Bar’s mission, advocate for the interests of District 2 members, and support initiatives that strengthen our profession and improve access to justice across Wisconsin.
VINCENT J. BOBOT of Milwaukee. Bachelor of Science Degree, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. Marquette University, J.D., 1992. City of Milwaukee Assistant City Attorney 1993 – 1999 and 2005 – 2008. President of the Municipal Attorney’s Association. City of Milwaukee Municipal Court Judge 1999 – 2003. Attended National Judicial College. Solo practitioner, Bobot Law Office LLC, 2008 – Present. President of the Milwaukee Retirees Association.
Bobot Campaign Statement
One and done is not enough. That is why I am seeking a second term. My pledge during my first term was to explore ways to make the legal practice for attorneys more efficient and effective. Presently, I am scheduled to present a proposal to expand the use of Zoom video in our law practice. I believe enhancement of Zoom video for us and the justice system makes sense.
I also pledge to be available to any member who has thoughts or ideas to enhance our legal profession.
I want to thank you for your vote of confidence in electing me to my first term. I look forward to a second term with your vote.
BENJAMIN E. REYES of Milwaukee. Marquette Law School, J.D., cum laude, 2011. Partner at PKSD Law Firm in Milwaukee. Licensed in Wisconsin, Illinois, New Mexico, and Texas. Ben represents individuals seriously injured and families harmed by negligence or abuse in nursing homes, hospitals, and long-term care facilities. Ben previously served as the Wisconsin Hispanic Lawyers Association Liaison to the Board of Governors, giving him firsthand experience with Board operations, policymaking, and governance. He is a member of the American Association for Justice, the Wisconsin Association for Justice, and Wisconsin Hispanic Lawyers Association. He was also a Big Brothers Big Sisters volunteer and a Pro Bono Attorney Panel Member of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
Reyes Campaign Statement
I am running for the Board of Governors because I believe the State Bar should be as diverse, engaged, and forward-thinking as the attorneys it serves. Having previously served as the Wisconsin Hispanic Lawyers Association Liaison to the Board of Governors, I have seen firsthand how the Board shapes the policies, programs, and direction of our honored profession. That experience left me with a deep appreciation for the Board’s work – and a strong desire to contribute more as an elected governor.
My path to this candidacy has been shaped by a career spent advocating for people at their most vulnerable. I represent individuals and families harmed by nursing home negligence and institutional abuse. Before that, I defended catastrophic injury and product liability claims on the defense side. That experience on both sides of the courtroom gives me a well-rounded perspective on the challenges facing Wisconsin lawyers across practice areas, firm sizes, and geographic regions.
If elected, I intend to focus on two priorities:
First, expanding access to justice and supporting pro bono efforts. Too many Wisconsin residents – particularly in underserved communities – lack meaningful access to legal representation. I have witnessed the gap firsthand, especially in Latino communities throughout the state. I want to work with the Board to strengthen pro bono pipelines, support legal aid organizations, and ensure that the State Bar is actively addressing unmet legal needs.
Second, supporting new and solo practitioners. Having navigated career transitions myself – from defense work to plaintiffs’ advocacy – I understand the professional and financial challenges attorneys face when building or growing a practice. I have experienced the deeply profound impact that inspired mentorship can have on a young lawyer’s career, and I want to ensure that State Bar provides robust resources, mentorship opportunities, and practical programming that help attorneys at every stage of their careers thrive.
I also bring a unique multi-state perspective. Licensed in Wisconsin, Illinois, New Mexico, and Texas, I understand how legal practice varies across jurisdictions and can contribute ideas drawn from a broad professional landscape.
I am committed to being an accessible, responsive, and engaged governor who listens to the concerns of District 2 members and works collaboratively to advance the interests of all Wisconsin lawyers and the public we serve.
I respectfully ask for your vote.
MARY L. SCHANNING of Milwaukee. College of William & Mary, J.D., 1997. Atty. Schanning currently works for the City of Milwaukee as a Deputy City Attorney focusing on real estate development and supervising a team of attorneys. She also spent 2.5 years working for Milwaukee World Festival, Inc., the nonprofit organization that produces Summerfest, as their Chief Administrative Officer & General Counsel. Atty. Schanning has spent over a decade on the State Bar’s Government Lawyers Division (GLD) Board. She previously served on the State Bar’s Board of Governors and its Executive Committee in 2017-18 as the representative of the GLD and as a District 2 representative from 2021 to 2025. She also serves on the boards of her condominium association and the Historic Third Ward Association.
Schanning Campaign Statement
I have spent over 15 years volunteering for the State Bar in various capacities including over a decade on the Government Lawyer’s Division Board serving as its President, Treasurer and a member of various committees and serving five years on the Board of Governors. I have always found service to the State Bar to be rewarding and informative – a large part of my service has been to encourage others, particularly newer and younger attorneys to serve as well. During my time on the Board of Governors in the past, I have become very interested in the State Bar’s efforts to support and inform its members. These efforts include continuance and bolstering of the Lawyer Assistance Program (WisLAP) and other work-life balance and mental health support options for lawyers; searching for ways to assist new lawyers facing large student loans and a difficult job market; seeking funding mechanisms to support civil legal aid and access to justice initiatives; and looking at ways the State Bar can support solo practitioners, small law firms and government lawyers so that the practice of law can be a financially viable, long-term career choice.
I would serve on the Board of Governors again and represent the lawyers of Milwaukee County and I would certainly appreciate your vote. Thank you.
COLLEEN A. TAYLOR is a Local Attorney Manager with the State Public Defender and a current Governor of the State Bar. They are running for a 2nd term. Atty. Taylor works in Milwaukee primarily dealing with sensitive crimes and homicides, specializing in scientific evidence. They have also worked extensively on mass surveillance and police accountability. They have tried over 30 felony cases to verdict, and train attorneys across the country in trial advocacy and scientific evidence. They are a member of the Milwaukee Bar Association, The American Constitution Society, the Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the National Association of Public Defenders. Atty. Taylor went to Case Western Reserve School of Law and graduated in 2017. They received their Masters & Bachelors of Political Science from Ohio University in 2014.
District 4
Vacant.
District 6
SHANNON A. ALLEN is a partner at DeWitt LLP in Brookfield, Wisconsin, focusing her practice on fiduciary (including trust, estate and probate) litigation and commercial litigation. Raised in La Crosse, Wisconsin, Shannon earned her B.S. in Public Administration (honors) from the University of Southern California in 1992 and her J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1995. She has been a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin since 1995. Shannon is an active member of the Milwaukee Bar Association, serving as President from 2017 to 2018 and as President of the Milwaukee Bar Association Foundation for from 2023 to 2025. Since 2009, Shannon has volunteered as an attorney with the Milwaukee Justice Center (“MJC”) and serves on the MJC Advisory Committee since 2024. Shannon served as a mentor in the Eastern District of Wisconsin Bar Association’s The Honorable Charles N. Clevert Jr. Mentoring Program in 2014–2015 and 2018–2019. She has also served as a mentor in the State Bar of Wisconsin Mentoring Program in 2023 and 2025. Shannon received the Association for Women Lawyers Mentoring Award in 2024. Shannon currently serves as a Board Member and Governance Committee Member of IMPACT, Inc.
Allen Campaign Statement
It has been truly an honor and privilege to practice law in our great State of Wisconsin for over 30 years. I am proud to have graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School and resided and practiced law in Wisconsin for my entire legal career. The mentoring and support I have received from fellow State Bar of Wisconsin members through my career has been invaluable.
While I am a bit biased, I believe Wisconsin is the absolute best state to practice law in the country!
I would welcome your vote to be elected to a two-year term to the State Bar of Wisconsin Board of Governors on April 10. If elected, I intend to focus on the following as a new BOG member:
- Meet and collaborate with fellow BOG lawyers throughout the state.
- Learn about of the BOG’s operations and annual goals.
- Learn and support the State Bar of Wisconsin Rural Programs.
- Support both formal and informal mentoring programming through the State Bar. I would like o assist BOG and the State Bar in implementing and maintaining mentoring programming to reach lawyers throughout all parts of Wisconsin.
Thank you for your consideration, Shannon
JESSE B. BLOCHER of Waukesha is an incumbent member and candidate for District 6 Board of Governors, with goal of pragmatic, fiscally responsible, and balanced leadership of the State Bar. Jesse believes that State Bar resources must be dedicated primarily to supporting its member lawyers and helping them improve their practices. Biographical information: shareholder, Habush, Habush & Rottier, S.C; co-chair, State Bar’s Bench Bar Committee (2020-present); State Bar Board of Governors member (2018-22, 24-26); authored first edition of Pinnacle/State Bar book, “Wisconsin Tort Law: Products Liability” (2025); wrote several State Bar book chapters and articles in the
Wisconsin Lawyer including “The Pugilist’s Guide to Brief Writing,” (May 2023) which son the Bar’s Charles Dunn Award; Fellow of the Wisconsin Law Foundation; Fellow of the American Bar Association; Fellow of the International Society of Barristers; Wisconsin Association for Justice board member and amicus committee co-chair; Waukesha County Bar Association board member, litigation section chair, and past president; Board Certified Civil Trial Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy; “Super Lawyer” (2013-present); Best Lawyers Products Liability Lawyer of the Year (2026); Marquette University Law School, J.D.,
summa cum laude, 2006; UW-Madison, BBA-finance, 2003.
District 8
ANJALI PATEL of Hudson. University of Wisconsin Law School, J.D., 2017. St. Croix County Office of Corporation Counsel. Member of the State Bar of Wisconsin, State Bar of Minnesota, Women Lawyers of the North (WLN), and St. Croix Valley Bar Association (SCVBA). Chair of the St. Croix County Child Welfare Subcommittee of the Criminal Justice Collaborating Council.
Patel Campaign Statement
I am running for my first two-year term for the State Bar of Wisconsin Board of Governors for District 8, which includes Dunn, Eau Claire, Pierce, Polk, and St. Croix counties.
I am a 2017 graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School. Since 2018, my legal career has included employment as an Assistant State Public Defender with the Wisconsin Public Defender’s Office, a solo practitioner based in Minnesota, and as an Assistant Corporation Counsel in St. Croix County.
I am running for this position as I am interested in working with others to address issues throughout the State of Wisconsin facing both attorneys and individuals that we serve. I have dedicated my career to public service, and I believe serving the attorneys of Wisconsin is another way to serve others. For attorneys, I think it is important to focus on continuing to provide high-quality CLE programming and other educational opportunities along with expanding opportunities for experienced attorneys to be involved with mentorship programs for new graduates. If elected, I would like to establish a system to connect attorneys with mentorship opportunities by working closely with the members of the St. Croix Valley Bar Association and the Eau Claire County Bar Association.
If elected, I think it is important to continue to address ways to provide free or low-cost legal services to indigent and underserved individuals. Our district continues to struggle with high caseloads and an insufficient number of attorneys to handle the number of cases. In the St. Croix Valley, the need for interpreter services is on the rise and there are only a handful of attorneys who are bilingual. Locating and creating avenues to provide indigent and underserved individuals who are limited English proficient with free or low-cost legal services is another area I would like to focus on if elected to this position.
I look forward to the opportunity to serve Dunn, Eau Claire, Pierce, Polk, and St. Croix counties as the District 8 representative on the Board of Governors.
District 9
GAIL C. GROY is the Founder and President of GROY Law Firm S.C. Gail’s academic credentials include a bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronic engineering from Leeds University, U.K. and a high school teacher of mathematics & technology. Gail’s legal career began in the U.K., after graduating from Kingston University Law School in Surrey and Westminster University in London. Thereafter, Gail received her law license in Wisconsin with subsequent admission to practice law before the State of Wisconsin, the United States District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin. The combination of law and science has perpetuated her active membership as a fellow in the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and Jurisprudence Section Secretary. She is on the board of directors for the Wisconsin Association of Justice (WAJ), a board member of the Legal Association for Women (LAW) in Dane County and a member of the James E. Doyle American Inns of Court. Gail is the 2025/2026 President of the Dane County Bar Association.
ALISON E. HELLAND of Madison. Alison is the Director of Research, Advocacy and Advisor Engagement at the Madison Community Foundation (MCF). Prior to joining MCF, she was a partner at Boardman Clark in Madison, focusing her practice on tax law, business law, and estate planning. She received her J.D. from the University of Iowa College of Law in 2005, and her LLM in Taxation from Northwestern University School of Law in 2006. Alison is an active member of both the American Bar Association and the State Bar of Wisconsin, and has organized and presented at multiple CLE programs for both organizations. In addition to previously serving on the Board of Governors from 2021-2025, she has chaired both the State Bar of Wisconsin Section Leaders Council and the Taxation Law Section. She is a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin Taxation Law and Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Sections, and a Fellow of the Wisconsin Law Foundation and the American Bar Association. In addition to her service to the State Bar of Wisconsin and the American Bar Association, she currently serves on the boards of the Wisconsin Law Foundation, Wisconsin Trust Account Foundation (WisTAF), and Downtown Madison, Inc.
RYAN POE-GAVLINSKI(she/her) of Madison. Quinnipiac University School of Law, J.D., 2004. Clinical Associate Professor of Law, University of Wisconsin Law School. Director, Economic Justice Institute. Director, Restraining Order and Survivor Advocacy Clinic (ROSA) at UW Law School. Member of Leadership Development Committee, Wisconsin State Bar. Graduate of G. Lane Ware Leadership Program, Wisconsin State Bar. Member and serve on planning committee, Inns of Court – James E. Doyle Chapter. Special Investigator Office of Lawyer Regulation.
Poe-Gavlinski Campaign Statement
Ryan Poe-Gavlinski (she/her) of Madison is a Clinical Associate Professor and Director of the Economic Justice Institute at the University of Wisconsin Law School. The Institute is home to the Consumer Law Clinic, Family Court Clinic, Family Legal Advocacy and Supports Clinic, Neighborhood Law Clinic, Restraining Order and Survivor Advocacy Clinic, and the Lawyering Skills course.
In her role, Ryan teaches and supervises students in the Restraining Order and Survivor Advocacy Clinic, guiding them as they provide high-quality legal representation, build practical lawyering skills, and learn to critically examine the role – and limitations – of the law. As Director of the Lawyering Skills course, she collaborates with attorneys across Wisconsin, strengthening the connection between the Law School and the broader legal community.
Ryan’s diverse career includes service as a public defender, legal work supporting individuals living in poverty, and experience in child welfare. She also serves as a Guardian Ad Litem for minor children in Dane County. Having practiced in four states, Ryan brings a broad and unique perspective to the State Bar of Wisconsin.
Ryan has served on the Board of Directors for the past two years for Dane County, and she is now seeking a second term to continue advancing meaningful work on behalf of Wisconsin’s legal community.
Ryan is deeply committed to ensuring access to justice for people who are disadvantaged, living in poverty, from marginalized populations, or unable to speak for themselves. She believes that the legal profession should reflect the communities it serves and is dedicated to advancing cross-cultural competency within the profession. She also hopes to strengthen the bridge between law school and legal practice by encouraging engagement with, and support for, new lawyers entering the field.
Ryan lives in Waunakee with her husband, Jonathan; their daughter, Harper; and their two dogs, Sadie and Scout.
ELIZA M. REYES is an attorney with Richman & Richman LLC. Since 2005, her practice has focused on financial matters, primarily representation of debtors, creditors, trustees, landlords, tenants, investors, and most other parties in interest before the bankruptcy, federal, and state courts, including individual and commercial bankruptcy filings under Chapters 7, 13, 12, and 11; objections to discharge; fraudulent transfer issues; asset valuation issues; defense of foreclosure actions; debt collection; contract disputes; and individual, agricultural and commercial reorganizations. She is a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Bankruptcy, Insolvency & Creditors’ Rights Section and the Solo/Small Firm and General Practice Section, for which she serves as chair of the board. Eliza has been a presenter on topics related to financial matters and bankruptcy and is an author for two State Bar of Wisconsin publications: the Creditor/Debtor chapter of the Wisconsin Attorney’s Desk Reference and the Creditors’ Rights & Remedies chapter of Marital Property Law & Practice in Wisconsin. Eliza is a 1991 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a degree in mass communication/journalism, and she received her J.D. from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law (formerly known as The John Marshall Law School) in 1997.
Reyes Campaign Statement
I am looking forward to the opportunity to serve District Nine as a member of the Board of Governors. I have been active in the State Bar for several years since rejoining private practice after a four-year stint as a CLE Program Attorney with State Bar Seminars (now known as Pinnacle Seminars). For the past six years, I have been a member of the Board of Directors of the Solo Small Firm General Practice Section (SSFGP). I have the privilege of serving as the current Chairperson of the SSFGP Section Board. In addition, I am a member of the planning committee of the Wisconsin Solo Small Firm Conference (WSSFC). I also chaired the WSSFC planning committee in 2024 and have worked on and chaired numerous programming tracks. I am also a member of the Bankruptcy, Insolvency & Creditor’s Rights (BICR) section and member of the planning committee for the Annual BICR Section Social/Educational Retreat.
My involvement with the SSFGP Section, including communications and interactions with practitioners, has given me particular understanding and insight into the needs of solo and small firm practitioners who comprise a large part of the State Bar’s membership. I welcome the opportunity to bring this understanding and insight to the Board of Governors. The issues of great importance to the SSFGP Section align very well with several issues of great importance to the Board of Governors, including the shortage of attorneys in rural areas; financial considerations for the solo and small firm practitioner, including cost-effective access to practice resources and top-notch technology; and developing and maintaining strong networks and invaluable resources for all legal professionals. I will use this experience, coupled with my own experience working at midsize and large firms prior to my current position at a small firm, to provide a voice for all members of District Nine.
I welcome any questions regarding my candidacy, and I urge you to contact me. I can be reached at (608) 630-8990 or at ereyes@randr.law.
I would be honored for the opportunity to serve on the Board of Governors for District Nine.
5th SEAT: Vacant
District 10
LUIS A. Q. GARZA of Keshena. University of Wisconsin-Madison, J.D., 1992. State Bar of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Hispanic Lawyers Association, Centro Legal Por Derechos Humanos, CEO of Nonprofit Legal Services-South, member of Family and Native American Law sections.
Garza Campaign Statement
Since 2023, I have strived to enhance and promote the visibility of sole and small firm legal practitioners in the District 10 area in Northeastern Wisconsin. The five counties represented have a continuous challenge of fewer legal resources than what is needed by the area populations. If reelected for the 2026-28 term, I will continue with this effort, to encourage the outreach of our legal professionals to the remote and disenfranchised communities in our district areas and promote the development and availability of professional, paraprofessional and lay advocacy legal services to our communities.
I humbly request your support and vote in this election,
Luis A. Q. Garza
District 12
RYAN O'HARA of Janesville. University of Wisconsin Law School, J.D., 2013. Wisconsin State Public Defender's Office, Local Attorney Manager-Janesville. State Bar of Wisconsin.
District 14
MARK A. BARTELS of Green Bay. Marquette University, J.D., 1988. UW-Madison, B.S., with distinction, 1985. Shareholder, President, and Executive Committee Member, One Law Group, S.C., Green Bay, Wisconsin. Member, State Bar of Wisconsin, Brown County Bar Association, and WealthCounsel. Past President and Treasurer, Brown County Historical Society. Past Board Member: HSHS St. Vincent-St. Mary’s Foundation Leadership Council, Green Bay-Preble Optimist Club, and Mutual Housing Association of Brown County. Past instructor, NWTC Paralegal Program. Leadership Green Bay graduate.
Bartels Campaign Statement
I appreciate the opportunity to express my interest in representing Brown County on the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Board of Governors.
When I was a young boy growing up in Appleton, I was fascinated by my father’s business card. On the front was the standard information you would expect. On the back was a quote he attributed to Senator Robert F. Kennedy: “Some men see things as they are and ask why. I dream of things that never were and say, why not?” That sentiment has left a lasting impression on me and has guided my personal and professional life ever since.
I adopted that “why not” perspective early on, and it has served me well throughout my education and legal career. For the past 38 years, I have practiced law in Brown County, focusing primarily on solving problems for individual and business clients. Over the years, I have had the privilege of leading talented lawyers and staff and helping build our firm into a premier law firm in Northeast Wisconsin. If elected, I will bring that same experience, leadership, and forward-looking mindset to the Board of Governors, representing Brown County attorneys.
I will be new to State Bar leadership. I do not come with an extensive record of committee service. Instead, my professional focus has been on serving clients, managing and growing a law firm, and raising my family. My children are now grown, and this is the right time in my life to devote more of my energy to serving the legal profession and helping address the challenges facing Wisconsin lawyers.
As a member of the Board of Governors, my priorities will focus on ensuring that Wisconsin lawyers receive meaningful value for the dues they pay, with benefits, programs, and services that support both professional growth and quality of life. I will advocate for high-quality CLE programming and educational opportunities that are practical, relevant, and accessible to lawyers across the state, while also making certain that the voices and perspectives of Brown County attorneys are heard in Madison. I am committed to promoting competence, ethical conduct, professionalism, and civility within our profession; enhancing public understanding and respect for the rule of law and the legal system; and encouraging public service by members of the legal community. Above all, I want the State Bar to remain focused on improving the day-to-day realities of lawyers who practice in the real world.
The State Bar should work tirelessly to serve its members, strengthen our profession, and advance the rule of law. While the State Bar already offers many excellent programs that should continue, no organization can remain static and still grow. Thoughtful reexamination, innovation, and continuous improvement are essential to meeting the evolving needs of Wisconsin lawyers.
Experience matters. I ask for the opportunity to put my experience to work for you. Your vote would be sincerely appreciated.
SCOTT L. STEBBINS of Green Bay. Mitchell Hamline College of Law, J.D., 2014. University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, 2011. Partner, Schuchart Law Offices, LLC, Green Bay. Member of the United States District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin, Criminal Justice Act Panel. Member of the State Bar of Wisconsin, Criminal Law Section, Family Law Section. Member of Rotary International.
District 16
ALAN L. HOUGUM is the founder of Hougum Law Firm, LLC and has practiced law in central and northern Wisconsin for more than 25 years, focusing on estate planning and elder law. Raised in Edgar, Wisconsin, Alan graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a B.S. in Political Science. During college, he worked as a forklift driver for a window manufacturing company and as a textbook salesman in Texas between semesters to help finance his education. He went on to earn his law degree, graduating
cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School. Following law school, Alan returned to central Wisconsin to serve families and seniors through estate planning and elder law. Hougum Law Firm, LLC originally opened in Wausau and has continued to expand its reach, opening a satellite office in Rhinelander in 2021 and a third location in Plover in 2025. Today, the firm includes six attorneys and 31 support staff dedicated to serving clients throughout the region. Alan is an active member of the State Bar of Wisconsin, Marathon County Bar Association, and the Oneida-Vilas-Forest County Bar Association.
Hougum Campaign Statement
I am writing with regard to the open State Bar Board of Governors position in District 16. My interest in District 16 reaches from the southern to the northern ends of the district. I started practicing in Marathon County more than 25 years ago with a specialty in estate planning and elder law, serving clients from the middle of Wisconsin north to the state line. In 2021, we opened an office in Rhinelander to carry on the work of the late Atty. John Priebe. We recently celebrated our five-year anniversary in the Northwoods by purchasing a larger building to expand our practice. Because of our presence serving all the counties of District 16, we share the needs of the communities here both large and small.
Among the requests we hear repeated in the northern part of the state and our more rural areas, many revolve around getting the State Bar of Wisconsin to both acknowledge and respond to the needs of lawyers and firms in areas north of Milwaukee, Madison, and Waukesha. In particular, there is a need for additional attorneys in our counties and it seems to be more difficult to attract both young graduates and experienced candidates to our areas. Our firm had a challenge attracting and recruiting qualified attorneys to both our Wausau and Rhinelander offices, and from speaking with others that appears to be a common theme - not only for those in private practice but also for public interest and government positions. Our firm has attempted to utilize available resources by participating in the State Bar’s Rural Clerkship Program. It is an effort to expose law students (and soon-to-be lawyers) to opportunities in northern and rural Wisconsin. To continue, and to be successful, the Rural Clerkship Program and other similar endeavors will need support from the State Bar in general, and likely from the Board of Governors in particular.
In addition to recruiting talented lawyers Up North, an additional point of emphasis will be to remind those at the State Bar leadership levels that client needs exist, and the practice of law is important, in the northern part of the state. The Board of Governors is a large body of about 53 members, 45 of whom are elected from the 16 districts. By my count, 22 of the 45 district members are elected from just three counties – Milwaukee, Dane, and Waukesha. While the State Bar provides many beneficial services to all of us, we must spend some energy making our northern voices heard. While I understand that those who practice in metropolitan areas will advocate for themselves, we must do the same. It is my intent to be a vocal advocate for lawyers in District 16.
AMANDA J. LEY, of Wausau, is the Deputy Corporation Counsel for Marathon County. Originally from Oneida County, she is a graduate of Tomahawk High School. She attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison, earning a B.A. in Political Science and International Political Economics. Amanda went on to attend law school at American University Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C., graduating in 2011. She served as an Assistant State Public Defender from 2011 to 2019 before joining Marathon County, first as an Assistant Corporation Counsel and later as Family Court Commissioner. Amanda has served on the Board of Directors for Wausau Events and has volunteered with High School Mock Trial as both a coach and a judge. From 2016 to 2020, she represented District 16 on the Board of Governors, where she served on the Strategic Planning Committee. In her free time, Amanda is an avid knitter who enjoys hiking and camping with her husband and young son.
LAWRENCE J. WIESNESKE of Rhinelander, Wisconsin. University of Wisconsin, Madison (J.D., 1982). O'Melia, Schiek & McEldowney, S.C., Rhinelander. Member of: Oneida-Vilas-Forest County Bar Association (President 1999 and currently serving a second term as President); State Bar Member Benefits Committee since 1999; Oneida-Vilas-Forest County Bench Bar Committee Chairperson since 1992; State Bar Member Relations Committee (former Chairperson); member and past President of Rhinelander Kiwanis Club. I am a current member of the LOMAP Committee; I previously served two terms as a member of the State Bar Board of Governors. I am also a Wisconsin Law Foundation Fellow. I will continue to make a search for solutions to the shortage of attorneys in rural Wisconsin my priority.
Wiesneske Campaign Statement
I will continue to make a search for solutions to the shortage of attorneys in rural Wisconsin my priority. I will bring a motion for the State Bar to form a Rural Practice Section. I will also ask that a new tab be added to the State Bar website that will allow law firms to post openings to hire new attorneys or staff positions; similar to a “help wanted” add; that would allow attorneys seeking positions to respond. This may promote rural practice opportunities for more experienced attorneys seeking to leave a city practice.
