March 5, 2025 – It’s never too early to start planning for your CLE programs this spring. Among many other programs, State Bar of Wisconsin PINNACLE® offers these programs in March and April:
6.5 CLE, in person 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, March 27, 2025, at the State Bar Center in Madison, and on select webcast dates April through October 2025.
With countless deadlines, complex legal issues, and procedural pitfalls, personal injury cases are demanding. Regardless of your experience level, keeping a personal injury case on track requires familiarity with substantive law plus extensive tactical know-how.
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Handling a Personal Injury Case from Start to Finish, seasoned trial attorneys will guide you through each step in a personal injury case, covering both plaintiff and defense perspectives. You’ll receive practical strategies for screening potential clients, evaluating the need for expert witnesses and the strengths and weaknesses of a case, conducting discovery, and more.
While many personal injury cases are resolved through mediation, trial preparation is essential for the ones that aren’t. Strengthen your courtroom skills with an overview of jury selection, direct and cross-examinations, opening and closing arguments, and presenting evidence.
This program is endorsed by the State Bar of Wisconsin Young Lawyers Division.
4.0 CLE, in person 8:30 a.m. to 12:05 p.m. Friday, March 14, 2025, at the State Bar Center in Madison, and on select webcast dates March through May 2025.
Combining accountability and judicial supervision with rehabilitative support services, treatment courts are effective in reducing recidivism, decreasing incarceration rates, and improving long-term outcomes for participants.
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Innovations in Justice: Treatment Court Standards and Competency Cases, delve into the framework established by the Wisconsin Association of Treatment Court Professionals (WATCP) to guide the operation of treatment courts. Hear from an array of professional viewpoints, including public defenders, city attorneys, judges, and district attorneys, as they share insights on:
Evidence-based practices to effectively address participants’ needs
How team collaboration is used to support participant recovery
Screening, eligibility criteria, and phased treatment plans
The application of incentives and sanctions to encourage compliance
Competency concerns come into play in various legal contexts for individuals with mental health and substance abuse issues. Better understand the definitions and standards for competency in criminal and non-criminal contexts, including Chapters 51, 54, and 55 of the Wisconsin Statutes. Using real-world scenarios, you’ll examine evidentiary standards, medication orders, and court considerations in competency cases.
Co-produced with the State Bar of Wisconsin Government Lawyers Division.
4.0 CLE, in person 8:30 a.m. to 12:05 p.m. Thursday, April 17, 2025, at the State Bar Center in Madison, and on select webcast dates April through June 2025.
The complexity of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) claim system and the Department of Defense (DOD) discharge upgrade process can be daunting. Attorneys can play a crucial role in guiding veterans through these systems to secure the benefits they’ve rightfully earned.
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Understanding and Claiming Veterans Benefits, you’ll find practical pointers and insights into representing those who’ve served the United States. An experienced panel of presenters will cover:
Filing and proving service connection claims
Representing veterans in the discharge upgrade process
Documenting symptoms for accurate disability ratings
Describing the non-adversarial nature of VA claims to clients
Gain an overview of the appellate process, including:
Types of appeals available
Common VA errors and strategies for addressing them
Key considerations for appealing veterans claims
Effective briefing strategies for appeals
The panel will close with a discussion of recent legal developments affecting veterans’ claims, such as water contamination at Camp Lejeune, combat earplug litigation, and allowable compensation structures for VA claims.
4.0 CLE, in person 8:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Friday, April 25, 2025, at the State Bar Center in Madison, and on select webcast dates April through October 2025.
This half-day program gives you essential updates, authoritative analysis, and best practices to help ensure your clients have the resources they need while remaining eligible for public benefits.
Gain practical strategies and key insights from experienced practitioners on:
Lessons in fiduciary oversight from “The Center’s” misappropriation of beneficiary assets
Incorporating authority provisions in estate planning documents
Lifetime financial planning for individuals with special needs
National trends in special needs financial planning
How Wispact meets best practice guidelines from the National PLAN Alliance
In April 2024, Governor Tony Evers signed Wisconsin Senate Bill 668 into law, directing the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions to establish and administer an Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) program. Discuss the status of state-sponsored ABLE program in the Badger State, assess options for residents hoping to open an account, and receive an overview of nationwide standards.
Co-produced with
Wispact and the State Bar of Wisconsin Elder Law and Special Needs Section.
