Nov. 6, 2024 – Early on in his career, Jeff Krause discovered that his passion wasn’t practicing law, but helping lawyers find and understand the technology they need.

That includes document management systems and billing systems to “you name it … helping other lawyers get their technology right,” he said. For more than 26 years, Krause has helped “law firms big and small as well as corporate legal departments.”

Krause, based in Waterford, is the 2024 recipient of the John Lederer Distinguished Service Award from the State Bar of Wisconsin's Solo, Small Firm & General Practice Section.

He received his award Oct. 18 at the Wisconsin Solo & Small Firm Practice Conference (WSSFC) in Wisconsin Dells.

“Way back when” Krause was in law school, the first recipient of this award, Ross Kodner, spoke in one of Krause’s classes. “It struck me how passionate he was and how much he loved what he did.” That made a strong impression.

Realizing early in his career that he had the same passion and inspired by Kodner, Krause refocused his practice to consulting in legal technology.

Receiving the award, Krause said, “is such an honor because of being included on the list of recipients – that includes Kodner, as well as other colleagues, mentors and friends. To be included on this list is just amazing. … It feels like a lifetime achievement award.”

Jeff Krause (center) is the 2024 recipient of the John Lederer Distinguished Service Award. He is surrounded by past recipients, from left: David Krekeler; Nerino Petro; Tom Watson, representing WILMIC; and Nancy Trueblood.

Distinguished Service

The Lederer Award recognizes those focused on improving the lives and practices of solo and small-firm attorneys in Wisconsin. The award is given annually to an individual, group, or organization that exhibits the leadership, spirit, and dedication of the late John Lederer of Oregon, Wisconsin.

Krause (Marquette 1996) is a senior legal technology consultant at Affinity Consulting Group.

“If you’re a solo or small-firm attorney, you can’t afford to make a technology mistake,” he said. “You can use technology to make your practice so much more efficient and profitable. It’s also going to help your own quality of life.”

Krause “has the same selfless action, spirit, and dedication” as John Lederer, said Nancy Trueblood, chair of the award committee. “Jeff is one of the foremost legal technology consultants in the U.S. who has spent more than 20 years helping legal organizations of all types not only pick the right technology but use it in the right way.”

Krause’s other passion is the WSSFC – he is a long-time WSSFC planning committee member and a past chair of the conference.

At WSSFC “you can learn things you can’t get at any other conference,” he said. For solo and small-firm attorneys, the conference offers a community that can help with practice questions from communicating to implementing a technology project to running your business. “It’s almost like a family in certain ways,” he said. And it is also “a great resource for younger attorneys.”

A Focus on Technology and Legal Practice

Krause’s impact on Wisconsin’s legal community is significant, having a positive impact on how attorneys practice law, said Nerino Petro, who nominated Krause for the award.

“Jeff has been a contributor to the Wisconsin legal community for two decades, giving freely of his time and knowledge,” said Petro. “His contributions have not only been on legal technology subjects, but how to improve our practice overall.”

Krause said his favorite part of his job is the satisfaction of helping someone solve one of their business problems.

“I love what I do every day, and that is wonderful,” Krause said.

His advice? “Don’t be afraid of technology. Don’t be afraid to innovate,” he said. “And don’t be afraid to fail. If you do, “move on to the next thing that will help you – sometimes it takes time to find it.”