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Through the Assigned Counsel Program, the Wisconsin State Public Defender (SPD) appoints private bar attorneys to handle overflow and conflict cases, providing attorneys with courtroom experience in criminal cases representing clients charged with misdemeanors and felonies across the state. “You can absolutely do it,” said attorney Kathleen Pakes, director of the Assigned Counsel Program.

Pakes is talking about new or newer attorneys who may be interested in taking assigned cases, noting SPD provides training and other resources. Learn more…
Continue Reading Episode 29: Private Bar Assigned Counsel Program, State Public Defender with Kathleen Pakes and Melissa Lamb

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Jesse Blocher is the author of a recently published book, “Wisconsin Tort Law: Products Liability,” published by State Bar of Wisconsin PINNACLE®. He’s also an award-winning author for Wisconsin Lawyer magazine. In this episode of the Bottom Up Podcast, produced by the State Bar, the conversation explores Jesse’s journey into law, the challenges faced by young lawyers, the decline of jury trials, and the intricacies of product liability law.   A partner at Habush, Habush & Rottier, Jesse shares insights…
Continue Reading Bottom Up Episode 28: Product Liability Law and Legal Writing with Trial Attorney Jesse Blocher

Jesse Blocher is the author of a recently published book, “Wisconsin Tort Law: Products Liability,” published by State Bar of Wisconsin PINNACLE®. He’s also an award-winning author for Wisconsin Lawyer magazine. In this episode of the Bottom Up Podcast, produced by the State Bar, the conversation explores Jesse’s journey into law, the challenges faced by young lawyers, the decline of jury trials, and the intricacies of product liability law.   A partner at Habush, Habush & Rottier, Jesse shares…
Continue Reading Episode 28: Product Liability Law and Legal Writing with Trial Attorney Jesse Blocher

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Mark L. Thomsen’s path to law is unlike any other story. In this episode of the Bottom Up podcast, host Emil Obviagele dives deep with Mark, a veteran Milwaukee-based litigator and partner at Gingras Thomsen & Wachs LLP. The episode explores Mark’s unique upbringing in Nigeria, his return to America, and the cultural shocks he experienced. They discuss his journey into law, activism, and the importance of fighting for justice. The conversation delves into the role of lawyers in…
Continue Reading Bottom-Up Episode 27: From Steelworker to Civil Rights Lawyer – Veteran Litigator Mark L. Thomsen’s Unique Journey

Mark L. Thomsen’s path to law is unlike any other story. In this episode of the Bottom Up podcast, host Emil Obviagele dives deep with Mark, a veteran Milwaukee-based litigator and partner at Gingras Thomsen & Wachs LLP. The episode explores Mark’s unique upbringing in Nigeria, his return to America, and the cultural shocks he experienced. They discuss his journey into law, activism, and the importance of fighting for justice. The conversation delves into the role of lawyers in…
Continue Reading Episode 27: From Steelworker to Civil Rights Lawyer – Veteran Litigator Mark L. Thomsen's Unique Journey

Woman saying no

Want to hear the easiest way to clear up your calendar, your stress, and your risk? How to improve your work and life? It’s simple! Say “no.”

Now, it is simple to suggest that, but we all know it isn’t as easy to do. But I have found it to be easier if I prove to my Agriculture Economics college professor that I was, in fact, listening in class. I remember that opportunity costs are real. “Opportunity cost is…
Continue Reading The Value of No

a group of people smiling at the cameraThe clerks of the Class of 2025 Diversity Clerkship Program. For more photos,
see the album on the State Bar of Wisconsin Facebook page.

Aug. 4, 2025 – It is a program to boost the next generation of lawyers – and also Wisconsin legal firms and organizations who employ them.

The State Bar of Wisconsin’s Diversity Clerkship Program matches first-year law students from all backgrounds from Wisconsin law schools with legal offices, firms, and corporations for a 10-week

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Continue Reading The State Bar Diversity Clerkship Program: A Win-Win for Students and Employers

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Are you a family law attorney or want to learn more about family law as a practice area? In this episode of the Bottom Up Podcast, produced by the State Bar of Wisconsin, attorney Max T. Stephenson describes his experiences as a family law attorney with Gimbel Reilly Guerin & Brown LLP for more than a decade.

Starting as a new lawyer with no family law experience, Stephenson discusses his 12-year career path and provides insights on building and…
Continue Reading Episode 26: Building a Family Law Practice – Insights from Max T. Stephenson

When I started law school, I wasn’t really sure what exactly I wanted to practice. To be honest, I wasn’t even sure at the time if I liked law. I was unsure of myself, I felt out of place in the law school because my classmates seemed to know exactly what they wanted to do and where they wanted to go.

Jonathan Fuller

Jonathan Fuller, U.W. Law School Clas​​s of 2025, has interned at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

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Continue Reading Best Job in the World: A 3L’s Opinion on the Challenges and Thrills of Environmental Law

May 2, 2025 – Some of Wisconsin’s newest lawyers include those fulfilling long-held dreams.

Twenty-two new Wisconsin lawyers were admitted in a ceremony before the Wisconsin Supreme Court on April 23, 2025, taking the Attorney’s Oath and signing the Wisconsin Supreme Court Roll book as the final steps to be admitted.

Jacquelynn B. Rothstein, director of the Board of Bar Examiners, said 41% of the 66 individuals who took the bar exam in February passed it, and 55% of

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Continue Reading State Bar of Wisconsin Welcomes 22 New Wisconsin Lawyers

You’ve probably heard the steps in the “Scientific Method.” There are lots of versions of it, but it boils down to this:

  • Make an observation or two
  • Form a hypothesis based on the observations
  • Experiment to test the hypothesis
  • Accept or reject the hypothesis
  • Repeat

We hear it in business, too. And, I love it. I apply this all over life. New recipes, new driving routes, all sorts of things. It is not unusual to hear me grumble about…
Continue Reading The Null Hypothesis

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In this episode of the Bottom Up Podcast, produced by the State Bar of Wisconsin, host Kristen Hardy talks with former Milwaukee Circuit Court Judge Ellen Brostrom, now a mediator at Resolute Systems LLC, and Wauwatosa Municipal Court Judge Krista LaFave, also a personal injury attorney at Warshafsky Law.

Both explore their unique career paths, motivations for public service, and the differences between circuit and municipal courts. They discuss the importance of courtroom presentation, the challenges with pro se…
Continue Reading Episode 25: Practice Insights and Tips with Judges Ellen Brostrom and Krista LaFave

As a senior in high school, I must make a lot of decisions for the next steps in my life. The questions people always have for me these days are; “How is senior year going?” “Do you know what you want to do or where you want to go?” I always reply that I am ready to be done and move on to the next chapter in life! Or that I plan to go for political science, but I…
Continue Reading Build stress reduction into your routine

Exciting News! Starting in 2025, two new podcasts will join Bottom Up in a rotation of podcasts produced by the State Bar of Wisconsin. Bottom Up, co-hosted by Emil Ovbiagele and Kristen Hardy, will continue to explore topics of interest to lawyers in the early stages of their careers. They’ll be back in March 2025. Two new podcasts – Listening to Lawyers and Practice Pulse – will expand the State Bar’s family of WisLawNOW podcasts, giving lawyers more access…
Continue Reading Episode 24: Listening to Lawyers and Practice Pulse Join the Podcast Mix in 2025

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Exciting News! Starting in 2025, two new podcasts will join Bottom Up in a rotation of podcasts produced by the State Bar of Wisconsin.

Bottom Up, co-hosted by Emil Ovbiagele and Kristen Hardy, will continue to explore topics of interest to lawyers in the early stages of their careers. They’ll be back in March 2025.

Two new podcasts – Listening to Lawyers and Practice Pulse – will expand the State Bar’s family of WisLawNOW podcasts, giving lawyers more access…
Continue Reading Bottom Up Episode 24: Listening to Lawyers and Practice Pulse Join the Podcast Mix in 2025

The current legal landscape might be comparable to an alien world in a sci-fi movie, exceedingly complex and constantly changing. Myriad statutes, regulations, rules, ordinances, case law, and other sources of law create a legal multivariate calculus problem. Due to practical necessity and ethical requirements, attorneys are required to understand applicable law in order to provide guidance to their clients.

Regardless of the preparation that law school provided, that preparation will be insufficient for legal problems that attorneys eventually…
Continue Reading Tips for Lawyers: Keeping Pace with the Law