Nov. 1, 2023 – In recent years, tragic and violent incidents against members of Wisconsin’s legal community serve as stark reminders of the real-world risks faced by legal professionals.

Unfortunately, these incidents are only a small sample of the violence and harm the legal community has endured, and continues to endure, both in the workplace, be it a law office or courthouse or conference room in a far-flung community, and at home.

For example, in Chapter 3: Staying Safe in the Office, author Odalo Ohiku says that by modifying behavior and making simple changes, risk can be reduced. For example, he recommends that lawyers mitigate the risk of falling prey to workplace violence by maintaining adequate lighting in their private office. He advises that:

… having a well-lit office, hallway, and entryway deters crime because most would-be assailants want to conceal themselves from view to foil later identification. The more any would-be assailants believe they could be identified for committing a crime, the less likely they are to commit a crime.

Find more information and tips in Reduce Your Risk: A Guide to Personal Safety and Security for the Legal Community from State Bar of Wisconsin PINNACLE®.

This book specifically addresses the unique safety and security challenges faced by legal professionals and their staff, and is the culmination of research and collaboration with experts sharing information and guidance on how the legal community can successfully navigate the many threats it faces.

This book is a guide to help the legal community understand where to look for threats, and to provide ideas and resources you can use to help better protect yourselves and your loved ones.

Chapters cover staying safe online, in the office and at the courthouse, and outside the legal workplace. Each chapter provides guidance on where threats can arise and how to identify them, and offers recommendations, suggestions, and resources for what you can do to prevent, avoid, or lessen any harm. There are chapters as well on building resilience and well-being and on ethical considerations for lawyers. See the table of contents on WisBar’s Marketplace.

Reduce Your Risk helps you to:

• make informed decisions to minimize your risk at the office and courthouse, at home, while traveling, and online;

• create an actionable safety plan based on real-world scenarios and expert recommendations;

• understand how safety and your ethical obligations go hand in hand; and

• incorporate well-being strategies that contribute to your sense of security and safety.

As a witness to these attacks on the legal community and in response to the growing dangers facing our community, the State Bar of Wisconsin has created a resource and guide for lawyers, judges, paralegals, and others who work within and alongside the legal community to help them protect themselves and their families.

Reduce Your Risk: A Guide to Personal Safety and Security is available on Wisbar’s Marketplace.