Vol. 77, No. 7, July
2004
Letters
Letters to the editor: The Wisconsin Lawyer
publishes as many letters in each issue as space permits. Please limit
letters to 500 words; letters may be edited for length and clarity.
Letters should address the issues, and not be a personal attack on
others. Letters endorsing political candidates cannot be accepted.
Please mail letters to "Letters to the Editor," Wisconsin Lawyer, P.O.
Box 7158, Madison, WI 53707-7158, fax them to (608) 257-4343, or email
them to wislawyer@wisbar.org.
Firefighter-lawyers Make a Difference
I was very happy to see that the Bar is spotlighting in May the two
attorneys who are also firefighters. I have been a volunteer
firefighter/paramedic for about 15 years and can understand the
commitment that those two gentlemen are making. My fire department
responds to about 4,000 calls a year. Their commitment goes far beyond
responding to emergency calls; I can imagine that they also go through
extensive training exercises to prepare for those responses.
I'm looking forward to seeing the ad and keep up the good work.
Jerry Dietz
Waukegan, IL
Response: Thank you for your feedback and kind
comments concerning the "Lawyers Who Make a Difference" TV pilot project
currently airing on WISC-TV 3 and UPN-13. This project is one component
of the State Bar's Branding the Profession effort. It was certainly
difficult to select individual lawyers to represent our profession as a
whole, because so many lawyers contribute to their communities. However,
the choice of the volunteer firefighters was a good one. The commitment
necessary to engage in this work is daunting, and I commend you and
others who invest such time and effort _ especially in addition to your
duties in private practice. To learn more about this program and the
Bar's efforts to educate the public about the value of lawyers, go to
www.wisbar.org/bar/brand/.
Kevin Palmersheim
Chair, Public Image Committee
Shelter From the Storm Offered to Bar Member
On Friday, May 21, I was riding [my motorcycle] from a judicial law
seminar in Waukesha to home in Rhinelander when "The Perfect Storm"
struck as I got into Madison. I hightailed it to the State Bar
headquarters, well under the speed limit of course. I fled into the
building without even bothering to take off my helmet; there didn't seem
to be enough time for safety.
My heartfelt thanks to staff members Dan Rossmiller and Jason
Westphal for helping me pick up my bike after the high winds knocked it
over in the parking lot ... all 900 pounds of it. My thanks also to
Dan for the dry towels and to Dee Runaas for the hot coffee and use of
her computer to check the weather so I could eventually hit the road
again.
And thanks to Pat Morgan for not throwing the black leather clad
biker out on his ear when he initially invaded the building, although
that was her first instinct.
See what you get for being a member of the Bar in good standing?
Judge Timothy L. Vocke
Rhinelander
Editor's Note: The State Bar welcomes all members to the Bar
Center, regardless of their rain-soaked condition. We're glad you made
it home safely, Judge.
Recognition for 50 Years of Doing What Should Be Done
I was pleased and honored to be able to participate in the
recognition program the State Bar of Wisconsin held on May 7 for those
of us who have been practicing law for 50 years in Wisconsin.
It was a great privilege for me to have practiced this long and I
have to say that there have been difficult times and experiences, but by
and large it was exactly where I should have been in my own work life
and experience.
I thought that the whole affair with the reception luncheon was
extremely well done. Not only was it well organized, but it was handled
in a timely and efficient manner. Those of us who were the 50-year
recognition recipients could not have improved upon the manner in which
the affair was handled and we were treated.
Everyone that was involved in the Bar generally have my deep
appreciation for their recognition of a lifetime of hopefully helping to
do what should be done not only in practicing law, but also in helping
people understand how important the practice of law is to our society
generally.
From the staff people who welcomed us to the items that we received
for recognition to the pictures with the Chief Justice and the Bar
president, to the emcee, the comments of the Chief Justice, and the
entire program, everything was outstanding!
Thanks again for your efforts and the privilege of being in
attendance.
Daniel H. Mundt
Duluth, MN
How You Advertise May Tarnish Our Profession
I recently was involved in an auto accident in Milwaukee. The police
officer issued a ticket to the other driver because he was at fault.
Within a week or so, I received almost a dozen letters from
Milwaukee-area law firms advertising the legal services they offer. One
firm went so far as to attack another law firm that also solicits by
mail. I was stunned.
If Wisconsin lawyers are trying to "brand" the legal profession as a
good thing, the "brand" certainly is tarnished by the way in which some
lawyers choose to advertise their legal services.
Anne T. Sulton
West Windsor, N.J.
Wisconsin Lawyer