Aug. 2, 2017 – Looking for an opportunity? There are jobs – and a fulfilling life and career – for lawyers in rural Wisconsin.

The second State Bar of Wisconsin Greater Wisconsin Initiative Bus Tour can open the door for you by introducing you to areas in need of lawyers and connecting you with local judges, attorneys, and community and business leaders.

This year’s tour visits Barron, Ashland, and Bayfield. Meet those who are working in these areas to see if a rural practice is right for you.

The bus tour is a free opportunity for lawyers and 3L law students – and their spouses or significant others – to connect with local judges, attorneys, and community and business leaders, and to learn more about life and practice in northern Wisconsin.

The tour is Friday and Saturday, Sept. 15 and 16, and it includes:

• Bus transportation from Madison;

•  A lunch meet-and-greet with area judges in the Town of Barron, and a dinner reception in Rice Lake on Friday; a lunch reception in the City of Ashland on Saturday;

• Informational sessions with local judges, attorneys, and other business professionals in Rice Lake and Ashland;

• An opportunity to explore Bayfield and a guided bus tour of Rice Lake;

• Tours of the courthouses in Barron and Bayfield counties; and

• Plenty of time to network.

Participants are encouraged to bring their family along on the tour.

The bus leaves from the State Bar Center in Madison. Riding on the bus is encouraged but not mandatory.

Sign Up Before Aug. 23

For more information, for the schedule of events, and to apply, visit the tour's website on WisBar.org. Feel free to contact Lois Berning at (608) 250-6125 if you have questions.

‘They Were Almost Begging Us to Come Up There’

Will Baynard, third from right, poses with participants at the start of the 2016 Greater Wisconsin Initiative Bus Tour – which helped him find his current position with Wisconsin Judicare.

Will Baynard – after moving to the Midwest from Alaska – took the first State Bar of Wisconsin Greater Wisconsin Initiative Bus Tour in October 2016. The tour introduced him to northern Wisconsin, and to lawyers and judges practicing in Rhinelander and Wausau.

He used the opportunity to make connections – and ended up in Wausau with Wisconsin Judicare. The tour is a great idea for those contemplating a change, or looking for a new opportunity, he said.

“The tour was a lot of fun, with beautiful weather and good food. Everyone was very welcoming – and they were almost begging us to come up there,” Baynard said. “It was very well planned.”