Feb. 4, 2013 – Visitors to WisBar.org will find a whole new website today, designed to give our members and the public faster access to the knowledge and information they need.
“In Internet years, WisBar® was an old house, and a fresh coat of paint couldn’t solve the cumbersome navigation and technical challenges members were experiencing,” says State Bar Executive Director George Brown. This website overhaul, the first since 2005, improves how WisBar looks and functions.
Get Acquainted With WisBar
Take a few minutes to get acquainted with the new WisBar. For an overview of the site, click on the links in the “Take a Quick Tour” sidebar. Or, take a self-guided tour at your leisure.
To get started, here are some things to know about the new WisBar:
A Whole New Way to Get Around
New tabbed navigation makes it easy to get around. Look at the top of WisBar. You’ll notice five main categories to quickly move around the site: About Us – forMembers – Marketplace – News & Publications – forPublic. Hover over each of these tabs, and a drop-down menu allows you to scan the content in each section.
If you are more inclined to use the site search to locate information, you’ll find the Google search more intuitive. Search the entire website or use the Advanced Search to narrow your search to a specific area if the site, publication, or other criteria.
Login Now Required to Access Member-only Content
The new WisBar features two distinctive homepages – one for the public and one for members. When you arrive at WisBar, you will land on a page targeted to the public and those interested in law-related education. This page features resources previously located on a separate consumer website, LegalExplorer.com, including how to find a lawyer and answers to common legal questions.
But, don’t linger here. You’ll want to log in to access member-only content and benefit from discounts on State Bar products and events.
A new member homepage features daily legal news and upcoming events. In addition, myStateBar links provide one-click access to your purchased products (including Books UnBound titles), your profile, and other information unique to you.
After logging in, the new WisBar offers you access to thousands of pages of practice resources, including Fastcase legal research. You’ll also experience unique site features such as enhanced lawyer profiles through Lawyer Search; group pages for committee, section, division members; and the ability to interact with other members by posting comments in articles and news stories.
Give Your Staff Access to Member-only Content
We realize that your staff may need access to member-only content to support your practice. The solution? Add your staff as a registered user. Click on the myStaff link in myStateBar, and add any staff you wish to have access. (And, at any time, return to myStaff to remove staff.)
Please note that registering staff gives them access to some, but not all, member-only content. Some content, like Fastcase legal research, are exclusive to State Bar members. However, Books UnBound subscribers continue to access their book titles on your myState Bar page.
Your staff now will need to be registered users to view InsideTrack content on WisBar and receive CaseLaw Express.
Editor's Update: The ability to add your support staff is undergoing some fine-tuning. If your staff need immediate access to member-only content, please call Customer Service at (800) 728-7788 for assistance until the feature is in place.
A Better Lawyer Search
Look for Lawyer Search on the top of every page. Lawyer Search’s advanced search form is gone, replaced by a Google-powered search, which means an easier, quicker way to retrieve member contact information. No need to complete “first name,” “last name” or other fields. Just enter the information you know.
Let’s say you met a “Kevin” at a local bar meeting last night. You forgot to ask for his business card, but you know he works in Phillips – or does he work for a firm with “Phillips” in its name? Try a few scenarios. The more information you add, the more relevant the results.
Enhance Your Lawyer Search Profile
With thousands of searches conducted through Lawyer Search last year, don’t overlook WisBar as an important resource for lawyer-to-lawyer networking and referrals. Increase your visibility through Lawyer Search by adding a photo, a biography, courts of admittance, other licenses, social media links, and website links. While most of these enhancements are visible only to the legal community, photos and website URLs also will appear in searches conducted public view of Lawyer Search.
Editing your profile is easy. Simply login, go to the myStateBar, then myProfile. Look for the Advanced Profile section, and add in the desired information.
Editor's Update: The ability to add your biography is not yet in place; however, you can add your photo, courts of admittance, other licenses, and social media and website links. We are working to resolve this issue as quickly as we can.
Other Notes About the New WisBar
Marketplace is No Different. Members will still use the “Marketplace” to find CLE programs and events, books and publications, online forms, and other State Bar products. And, the new site does not change how members log in to access their PINNACLE Books UnBound subscriptions, forms, seminar materials, and other downloaded electronic products. Editor's Update: You may experience a delay in accessing your downloaded products, such as forms, on-demand seminars, and other materials. We appreciate your patience as we work to improve the delivery speed for these materials.
Get Back to the Home Page. Getting to member home page is easy. Just click on the State Bar’s logo, located in the upper left-hand-corner of every WisBar page.
Call if You Need Help, and Let Us Know What You Think! We’ll post tips and tutorials on how to navigate the site and find the information you need. If you need help with the new site, or logging in, just contact Customer Service at (800) 728-7788.
Finally, like all projects of this magnitude, we know the new WisBar will have some kinks to work out. Continue to send us your feedback – what’s working, what isn’t, and what we can do make the site better. Send us your thoughts by posting a comment below or sending your feedback to feedback@wisbar.org, or give us a call at (800) 728-7788.
