May 6, 2010 – Declaring the State Bar of Wisconsin to be a "strong and vital organization," James Boll was sworn in as the organization's 55th president yesterday at the State Bar's Annual Convention in Madison.
Boll took the oath of office from Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson and thanked his wife and former presidents Douglas Kammer (2009-10) and Diane Diel (2008-09) before addressing the status of the State Bar and the work that lies ahead.
Referencing the mandatory-voluntary bar debate, Boll noted the organization as one that can handle dissent — "dissent as fundamental as the structure of the organization itself." He noted that the Board of Governors and the Strategic Planning Committee will continue its work on the issue.
Newly sworn-in State Bar President James Boll is congratulated by Chief Justice Shirley S. Abrahamson.
Boll vowed to work with the Insurance and Member Benefits Committee to provide the best possible benefits to members, charging a subcommittee to evaluate existing plans and determine how the national health care policy can benefit members.
Hoping to strengthen connections between members, local bars and the State Bar, Boll promised to work with the Local Bar Relations Committee to create a vehicle whereby local bars can provide benefits directly to their members. This would include developing criteria for local bars to assess member concerns and make submissions to the State Bar about services or benefits.
"As we provide member-benefit service, we have to always be conscious of the fact that we are the State Bar of Wisconsin, and that the services we provide cannot just benefit the lawyers that practice in Madison and Milwaukee," Boll said.
Boll also focused on the issue concerning reimbursement rates for state public defender work. He promised to work with the Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the State Bar's Criminal Lawyer Section to raise money for a study that will demonstrate how the current $40 rate negatively impacts the constitutional rights of Wisconsin citizens.
"If the State Bar President doesn't stand for the constitutional rights of our citizens and stand with public defenders as well as those of the state bar that do this important criminal defense work, I don't know what the State Bar President should stand for," Boll said.
Boll concluded by "tipping a hat" to his father Hon. James Boll Sr., who was in attendance, stating that the "best days for the State Bar of Wisconsin still lie ahead."
Boll is a Marquette University Law School graduate and corporate counsel for Madison Gas & Electric.
