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At the Board of Governors December meeting, State Bar President Ryan Billings speaks on a proposed increase to the fee that lawyers pay towards the public legal interest services fund (PILSF).

Dec. 9, 2024 – The State Bar of Wisconsin will soon present – to the Wisconsin Supreme Court – the results of a survey that asked if State Bar members would support or oppose increases to the fee that lawyers pay towards the public legal interest services fund…
Continue Reading Petition to Increase $50 PILFS Fee: State Bar Will Present Survey Findings to Court

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Ben Payne, chair-elect of the State Bar BICR section, presented a proposal to expand attorneys’ online access to court records to the State Bar Board of Governors.

Dec. 10, 2024 – The State Bar of Wisconsin’s 53-member Board of Governors (Board) recently discussed – but took no action on – a proposal from the State Bar Bankruptcy, Insolvency and Creditors Rights (BICR) Section to expand attorneys’ online access to court records.

BICR’s proposal, submitted for discussion at the Board’s…
Continue Reading State Bar Board Discusses Proposal to Expand Attorney Access to Online Court Records, Takes Other Actions

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Nov. 27, 2024 – ​As we approach Thanksgiving and the holiday season, we reflect on our commitment to upholding justice and the rule of law. Each of you – lawyers, judges, and justices – play a critical role in maintaining fairness and trust in our legal system. Together, you help ensure that our shared legal values remain steadfast in Wisconsin.

In this season of gratitude, we extend our deepest thanks to each of you for your dedication, integrity, and…
Continue Reading A Message of Appreciation to Wisconsin’s Legal Community

Oct. 28, 2024 – Dan D. Gartzke is elected president-elect of the State Bar of Wisconsin.

In a special election that closed at noon on Friday, Oct. 24, 2024, Gartzke defeated David Lasker of Mauston by 1,417 votes to 1,006.

Gartzke (U.W. 1986) practices family law with Boardman & Clark LLP in Madison.

Gartzke immediately becomes president-elect, filling a vacancy in the position, followed by a one-year term as president starting on July 1, 2025, and a one-year term…
Continue Reading State Bar President-elect Post Goes to Dan Gartzke

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Oct. 8, 2024 – A 7-year pilot project that established circuit court dockets solely for large claim business and commercial cases in numerous counties will phase out,
under an order the Wisconsin Supreme Court issued Oct. 7, with three justices dissenting.

In 2017, under then-Chief Justice Patience Roggensack, the Wisconsin Supreme Court initially established the “commercial court docket,” or business court, as a temporary 3-year pilot project rolled out in eight counties – Brown, Door, Kewaunee, Marinette, Oconto,…
Continue Reading Wisconsin Supreme Court Order Discontinues Business Court Pilot Project

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Byron B. Conway

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​Sept. 25, 2024 – By a vote of 58-37, the U.S. Senate today confirmed Green Bay attorney Byron B. Conway as a federal judge for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.

Conway, who previously served on the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Board of Governors (2013-18), is a personal injury attorney and a shareholder at Habush Habush & Rottier.

He graduated from Marquette University Law School in 2002 and holds a…
Continue Reading U. S. Senate Confirms Byron Conway to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin

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New admittees take the oath in the 1:30 p.m. ceremony.

Sept. 26, 2024 – They are from Wisconsin and across the country – and the world, with one thing in common: On Sept. 23, 2024, all 66 individuals became Wisconsin lawyers.

In two separate ceremonies before the Wisconsin Supreme Court on Sept. 23, they took their final steps, taking the Attorney’s Oath and signing the Supreme Court Roll Book.

Chief Justice Annette Kingsland Ziegler and the other justices hosted…
Continue Reading Admissions: Welcome to 66 New Wisconsin Lawyers

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Former Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Richard Sankovitz, a member of the Wisconsin Access to Justice Commission Board, requests the State Bar’s support for a petition that would increase the amount that lawyers must annually pay towards the Public Interest Legal Services Fund (PILSF), a Wisconsin Supreme Court assessment established in 2005.​ Sept. 24, 2024 – The State Bar of Wisconsin’s 53-member Board of Governors recently discussed a petition – filed by eight organizations – that would increase the annual court…
Continue Reading State Bar Board Discusses Petition to Increase Annual PILSF Assessment

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​​Aug. 20, 2024 – A party alleging the State Bar of Wisconsin uses membership dues to fund political and ideological activities cannot seek money damages, under a
recent ruling from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.Atty. Daniel Suhr, represented by the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL), filed a complaint in December 2023, alleging that the State Bar’s mandatory status is unconstitutional because, Suhr alleges, the State Bar uses membership dues to fund political…
Continue Reading Litigation Update: State Bar Will Vigorously Defend Keller Procedures

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Aug. 6, 2024 – Former State Bar of Wisconsin President Michelle Behnke was elected ABA President-elect at the end of the ABA’s annual meeting in Chicago on August 6.​“Congratulations to Michelle Behnke on her election as American Bar Association President-elect,” said State Bar of Wisconsin Executive Director Larry Martin. “Her extensive experience in the ABA and her tenure as a trailblazing State Bar President will serve the ABA and it’s 400,000 members well.”

Behnke served as president of the…
Continue Reading Michelle Behnke Elected American Bar Association President-elect

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Hon. Jeh Charles Johnson, former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security and ABA Task Force for American Democracy co-chair, speaks on “The Threat to Democracy.”

July 11, 2024 – A dozen speakers recently gave sobering presentations on the threat to democracy during a nonpartisan event from the American Bar Association’s Task Force for American Democracy, in partnership with the State Bar of Wisconsin.

The program, called
Wisconsin: Elections in the 21st Century (watch now) was held in-person July…
Continue Reading American Bar Association Brings Democracy Listening Tour to Wisconsin

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Dan D. Gartzke

David E. Lasker

July 10, 2024 – The State Bar of Wisconsin is holding a special election in October to fill a vacancy at the organization’s president-elect post.

Electronic voting will begin on Oct. 10 and members will have 15 days to vote, with the election closing at noon, Oct. 25, 2024. Results will be announced Oct. 28, 2024.

See more information on voting in this election.
Meet the Candidates
Dan D. Gartzke of Madison…
Continue Reading Meet the Candidates for President-elect: Vote in October

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Outgoing members of the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Board of Governors were honored by outgoing State Bar President Dean Dietrich at a luncheon prior to the board’s final meeting of the fiscal year.

June 20, 2024 – The State Bar of Wisconsin kicked off its 2024 Annual Meeting & Conference in Green Bay yesterday as the Board of Governors took several actions at its final meeting of the term and heard opening remarks from Director of State Courts, Judge…
Continue Reading State Bar Board of Governors Opens 2024 Annual Meeting & Conference

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Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Annette Ziegler administers the oath of office to Ryan Billings, who becomes the 69th president of the State Bar of Wisconsin on July 1.

June 20, 2024 – Ryan Billings set his sights on a legal career after excelling in mock trial competition as a Sheboygan South High School student.

Along the way, Billings obtained a law degree from Harvard Law School and learned the ropes of business litigation at the white-shoe law firm of…
Continue Reading Into the Breach: Ryan Billings Sworn in as 69th State Bar President

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New lawyer Hannah Fontaine (center) celebrates with her parents immediately after she became a Wisconsin lawyer. See more photos of the event on the State Bar of Wisconsin Facebook page for the noon and 2:30 p.m.​ ceremonies. June 3, 2024 – They are new attorneys ready to start their careers – 200 recent graduates of the U.W. Law School, now sworn in as new Wisconsin lawyers. Welcomed in two separate ceremonies by Chief Justice Annette Kingsland Ziegler and…
Continue Reading UW Admissions: Welcome to 200 New Wisconsin Lawyers

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The admissions ceremony was held before members of the Wisconsin Supreme Court in the Assembly Chamber in the State Capitol building. For additional photos, see the albums on Facebook for the 9:30 a.m. and the 1:30 p.m.​ ceremonies.

May 24, 2024 – The new Wisconsin lawyers include a math professor, a young man who faced drug charges and whose public defender changed his life, a paralegal who wanted to do more to help people, and several first lawyers…
Continue Reading Marquette Admissions: Welcome to 185 New Wisconsin Lawyers