Increase public understanding of citizens' legal rights and
responsibilities
The State Bar is committed to educating the public about the legal
system, reaching the public through numerous law-related education
activities, consumer publications, and Internet legal resources. These
ongoing efforts reach thousands of Wisconsin residents, making them
better legal consumers. FY00 featured a special Law Day effort that
focused on increasing the public's understanding of their rights
regarding health care - Life Planning 2000.
The Life Planning 2000 program takes off. The
collaborative effort between the State Bar, the State Medical Society of
Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin Health & Hospital Association to
empower all Wisconsin adults to discuss and document their wishes for
future health care had statewide impact.
Educational activities took place in nearly 50 communities, led by 75
local coordinators and hundreds of volunteers. The message reached the
public via an advance care planning consumer guide entitled A Gift to
Your Family, public service announcements, billboards, newspaper
advertisements, and statewide media coverage. The Bar distributed 20,000
free consumer guides throughout the campaign and continues to distribute
it through WisBar at www.wisbar.org/lifeplan.
The National Association of Transplant Surgeons honored the State Bar
with a public service award recognizing its efforts to increase public
understanding of advance care planning and organ and tissue donation.
President Leonard Loeb, the Elder Law Section, and Local Bar Relations
Committee were instrumental in organizing the efforts.
Teaching teachers about the court system. Teachers
from across Wisconsin gathered in Madison in February to learn new ways
to educate students about the legal system. The first-ever teachers'
institute, "From the Courtroom to the Classroom," was a cooperative
effort between the State Bar, the UW-Madison Department of Curriculum
and Instruction, the Wisconsin Law Foundation, and the Wisconsin Supreme
Court. Funding was provided through a grant from Youth for Justice, with
additional support from the State Bar General Practice Section.
LegalExplorer.com hits cyberspace. The State Bar
worked throughout FY00 to launch LegalExplorer.com, the new
consumer Web site that debuted in July 2000. The service educates
consumers about the law, government, and the legal profession, answers
commonly asked legal questions, and provides links to valuable legal
resources. The site has a searchable database of State Bar publications,
videotapes, and programs for use in client education, law-related
education, and community outreach efforts. The site also features an
online lawyer referral service, making it easier for consumers to find a
lawyer.
Wisconsin Lawyer
