Congratulations to the Class of 2021 Fellows of the Wisconsin Law Foundation. See more photos of the event on the
State Bar of Wisconsin Facebook page.May 10, 2022 – It was a night of celebration and speeches – and the first gathering since 2019 for the Fellows of the Wisconsin Law Foundation. After two years of COVID-19 pandemic cancellations, nearly 200 lawyers and their friends and family members gathered to celebrate two years of new Fellows at a
Continue Reading 45 New Fellows Inducted into the Wisconsin Law Foundation
WisBar News
News and developments from the State Bar of Wisconsin.
Blog Authors
Latest from WisBar News
State Bar Board Approves FY 2023 Budget, Well-Being Task Force Report
District 14 Governor Sherry Coley, a member of the finance committee, discusses the proposed FY 2023 budget. (Photo by Shannon Green) May 2, 2022 – The State Bar of Wisconsin’s Board of Governors recently approved the organization’s budget for fiscal year 2023, among other actions.
At its April 29 meeting at the State Bar Center, the 52-member board unanimously approved the proposed $12.7 million budget recommended by the Finance Committee.
State Bar Chief Financial Officer Paul Marshall said the…
Continue Reading State Bar Board Approves FY 2023 Budget, Well-Being Task Force Report
State Bar President-elect Post Goes to Dean Dietrich
Dean Dietrich of Wausau said he plans to work with State Bar leadership and members toward lawyer wellness and expanding legal services throughout the state.
April 22, 2022 – Wausau attorney Dean Dietrich is the next president-elect of the State Bar of Wisconsin.In the elections ending April 22, 2022, Dietrich defeated John Danner of Minocqua by 1,850 votes to 1,231.Dietrich will serve a one-year term as president-elect starting July 1, 2022, before succeeding Margaret Hickey of Milwaukee on…
Continue Reading State Bar President-elect Post Goes to Dean Dietrich
Welcome to 19 New Wisconsin Lawyers, Admission by Bar Exam
Accompanied by his daughter Gabriella, 3 1/2, Gregory James Mayew signs the Attorneys Roll book following an admissions ceremony in the Supreme Court Hearing Room on April 12, 2022. April 15, 2022 – Two U.S. Navy veterans. A former paralegal. A Madison native happy to return after practicing in Chicago. A lawyer headed to rural practice. These are among the 19 new Wisconsin lawyers, taking the final steps April 12 after passing the bar exam. Seventeen passed the Wisconsin…
Continue Reading Welcome to 19 New Wisconsin Lawyers, Admission by Bar Exam
Mock Trial Competitors ‘Wow’ Judges, Attorneys
Brookfield Central’s mock team took first place in the state finals on March 9. Pictured, front row, from left: Jana Gharia, Greta Stalter, Alisha Saeed, Max Hsu (pictured on an iPad). Back row, from left: Teacher-coach Jon Vogt, team co-captain Abbey Prudlow, Ben Kim, team co-captain Cynthia Lu. March 10, 2022 – The
State Bar of Wisconsin High School Mock Trial Tournament, held virtually for the second year in a row, declared its 2022 winner recently: Brookfield Central…
Continue Reading Mock Trial Competitors ‘Wow’ Judges, Attorneys
State Bar Hosts Delegation from the Bar Council of the Maldives
March 2, 2022 – Hoping to learn more about Wisconsin’s lawyer regulation system and the State Bar of Wisconsin’s structure and programming, a delegation from the Bar Council of the Maldives (BCM) visited the State Bar Center in Madison last week.
The delegation, led by BCM President Maumoon Hameed, was visiting the U.S. to study and observe administration of the bar exams in Illinois and Wisconsin and learn about best practices for bar association management and operations.
BCM is…
Continue Reading State Bar Hosts Delegation from the Bar Council of the Maldives
State Bar Board Approves Recommendations of Racial Justice Task Force, Takes Other Actions
Feb. 28, 2022 – The State Bar of Wisconsin’s 52-member Board of Governors recently approved recommendations outlined in a Racial Justice Task Force Report to cultivate a more diverse and equitable legal system.
The Racial Justice Task Force was formed in 2020 following the officer-involved murder of George Floyd and other deaths of Black Americans at the hands of police officers, which sparked a summer of national, state, and local protests.
The group, formally created by then-president Kathy Brost,…
Continue Reading State Bar Board Approves Recommendations of Racial Justice Task Force, Takes Other Actions
State Bar Open Today Despite Building Closure, Some Services Limited
Feb. 22, 2022 – Due to icy road conditions in the Madison area, the State Bar of Wisconsin building (State Bar Center) is closed today. However, the State Bar is still officially open as most team members are working remotely.A limited number of staff – including the customer service team and others who cannot currently work from home – will not be available today. Again, if you have immediate needs or questions, the State Bar’s remote staff is
available …
Continue Reading State Bar Open Today Despite Building Closure, Some Services Limited
Wisconsin Supreme Court Adopts New CLE Requirements for Reactivated Lawyers
Wisconsin Supreme Court Adopts New CLE Requirements for Reactivated LawyersJeff M. BrownDec. 17, 2021 – The Wisconsin Supreme Court has issued an
order, effective Jan. 1, 2022, establishing new continuing legal education (CLE) attendance and reporting requirements for lawyers who reactivate their State Bar of Wisconsin membership or who are readmitted or reinstated to the State Bar.The State Bar filed the petition in 2021, seeking CLE rule changes to create a “comity rule” for “inactive” members who practice…
Continue Reading Wisconsin Supreme Court Adopts New CLE Requirements for Reactivated Lawyers
State Bar Board Supports Petition Against Indiscriminate Juvenile Shackling

Members of the State Bar Board of Governors pose for a group photo during their meeting in Madison on Dec. 3. Board members were invited to wear holiday attire.
Dec. 6, 2021 – During its Dec. 3 meeting in Madison, the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Board of Governors voted by consent to support a petition – filed by numerous circuit court judges – that would create a presumption against indiscriminate shackling of juveniles in juvenile court.
Under petition 21-04…
Continue Reading State Bar Board Supports Petition Against Indiscriminate Juvenile Shackling
Meet the Candidates for State Bar President-elect, Secretary, and Judicial Council

Dec. 3, 2021 – Dean R. Dietrich and John E. Danner have accepted nominations to run for 2022 State Bar of Wisconsin president-elect.
The president-elect serves a one-year term before becoming State Bar president on July 1, 2023.
Dietrich is with Weld Riley S.C., Wausau. Danner is shareholder and director with Harrold, Scrobell & Danner S.C., in Minocqua.
The nominees for secretary are Robert Held of Legal Action of Wisconsin, Inc., Racine; and Anna Muñoz, senior director of Legal…
Continue Reading Meet the Candidates for State Bar President-elect, Secretary, and Judicial Council
Our Gratitude To You: Helping Us Build Resilience in Challenging Times
With Thanksgiving 2021 upon us, this year has proven to be more challenging than we had hoped, as the pandemic lingers, and we are still finding our way to keeping everyone as healthy as possible while moving forward. To keep building the resilience we all need to make our way, we want to lean on our gratitude to support us on this journey. While we are grateful as we see new prevention and treatments for Covid-19 unfolding at breathtaking…
Continue Reading Our Gratitude To You: Helping Us Build Resilience in Challenging Times
Appeals Court Allows Mandamus Action on School Records to Proceed
Nov. 10, 2021 – An action to compel a school district to turn over applications for a vacant school board position and applicants’ personal information will go forward under an opinion issued by the Wisconsin Court of Appeals District II last week.
In Mastel v. School District of Elmbrook, 2020AP1871 (Oct. 28, 2021), a three-judge panel held that a Waukesha County Circuit Court judge erred by dismissing a mandamus action brought by a public records requester.
The requester,…
Continue Reading Appeals Court Allows Mandamus Action on School Records to Proceed
State of the Judiciary: Chief Justice Ziegler Highlights Success in Meeting Pandemic Challenges
Nov. 4, 2021 – During her State of the Judiciary yesterday (Nov. 3), Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Annette Ziegler said the state’s justice system will build upon innovations forced by the pandemic to become more efficient.“Ultimately, people got creative and found new ways to get the work accomplished,” Chief Justice Ziegler said during the address at the 2021 Annual Meeting of the Wisconsin Judicial Conference. “The last year-and-a-half may not have felt like a success as it unfolded.
Continue Reading State of the Judiciary: Chief Justice Ziegler Highlights Success in Meeting Pandemic Challenges
Vel Phillips Capitol Statue Proposal Moves Forward with State Bar Support
Nov. 1, 2021 – Plans for a statue of the Hon. Vel Phillips, one of Wisconsin’s most prominent and influential attorneys over the last 100 years, moved a step closer to reality today with a combined $25,000 donation from the State Bar of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Law Foundation.
The State Capitol and Executive Residence Board today officially approved the statue and siting on the Capitol grounds, which now allows the board to engage a sculptor to create…
Continue Reading Vel Phillips Capitol Statue Proposal Moves Forward with State Bar Support
Wisconsin Solo & Small Firm Conference: A Focus on Virtual Law Practice
Nov. 1, 2021 – For the second year in a row, meeting the challenges posed by the virtual practice of law was the main topic of discussion at the Wisconsin Solo and Small Firm Conference (WSSFC) hosted by the State Bar of Wisconsin (Oct. 27-30).
With 18 months of pandemic experience under their belts, presenters shared a wealth of tips with conference attendees, who accessed the conference through a web portal and mingled in a virtual lobby and a…
Continue Reading Wisconsin Solo & Small Firm Conference: A Focus on Virtual Law Practice