Building the Future - Fund-raising Success
Construction of the new center met no delays or cost overruns, and
staff moved in on schedule in early August. Milwaukee attorney Bill
Mulligan, State Bar Facilities Committee member, credits those results
to the contractors, the staff, and those involved in all stages of
planning. "People came to grips quickly with what the needs were," he
says, "and they were planned into the building. There were no
last-minute change orders that can generate tremendous additional
cost."
100 Percent Club members, the 223 law firms that pledged
contributions of at least $300 per attorney to the fund-raising
campaign, are displayed near the CLE registration desk located outside
the Mendota, Monona, and Wingra seminar rooms on the rotunda's main
floor.
To help pay for the building, the fund-raising campaign raised more
than $1.2 million. Loans, cash from investments, and sale of the old
building account for the remaining dollars needed.
The Bar opted for a do-it-yourself fund-raising approach. "The easy
way to handle a campaign like this is to hire a professional fund-raiser
to run it for you," points out Nathan Fishbach, a Milwaukee attorney and
general chair of the Campaign Cabinet. "Instead we worked with the State
Bar staff, particularly coordinator Trina Haag, in developing the
campaign. That saved us many administrative costs. So almost all the
money raised could go to the new building."
Launched in early summer 1998, the "Building
the Future" fund-raising campaign was in full swing by Labor Day of
that year, Fishbach says. The 33 members of the cabinet, with statewide
representation, reached out to local bar leaders to spread the word
about the campaign. Nonlawyer members of the cabinet were instrumental,
too. "We had some incredible assistance from Bill Neill, director of
charitable gift and estate planning at Ripon College," Fishbach says.
"Bill and I were on the phone constantly, and he gave us many excellent
ideas to ensure that we were getting our message across."
Response from members, staff, and friends of the Bar was
overwhelming. "We never would have dreamed that we would be able to
raise $1.2 million in just nine months," Fishbach notes. All donors are
acknowledged in the facility in various ways.
Leadership Gifts
Several areas are named in honor of large contributors. The Habush,
Habush, Davis & Rottier West Foyer; the Foley & Lardner East
Foyer; and the Quarles & Brady Technology Center. The Whyte
Hirschboeck Dudek Conference Room; the Reinhart, Boerner, Van Deuren,
Norris & Rieselbach Conference Room (in honor of John Reinhart,
Roger Boerner, Richard Van Deuren, Richard Norris III, Allen Rieselbach,
and Paul Lucke); and the Joseph R. Filachek Conference Room, donated by
Michael Best & Friedrich. The Past Presidents Board Room off the
second floor galleria was sponsored by the living past presidents to
honor all State Bar past presidents. In addition, the American Board of
Trial Advocates members are listed on a special plaque in the
rotunda.
Founders Club
The names
of the 30 contributors who gave more than $10,000 are featured
prominently on the second floor galleria.
Recognition Wall
Located in the second floor rotunda, this
mosaic recognizes all donors who contributed more than $500.
Honor Roll
A mahogany-framed listing of the 245 contributors who donated up to
$499.
100 Percent Club
On the main level is the wall with names of the 223 law firms that
pledged contributions of at least $300 per attorney.
All told, individual and group campaign pledges represented more than
8,000 attorneys - including Bar members from all types of practice
settings, from firms of all sizes, and from all over Wisconsin as well
as out-of-state. Says Fishbach, "This is truly a Bar center, built by
its members."
Wisconsin Lawyer
