President's Perspective
Crafting a Mission:
A Bottom-up Review of the State Bar
By Steven R. Sorenson
Last spring the State Bar of Wisconsin embarked on a program
of self-examination and strategic planning, which I have labeled
"Project Vision." My goal is to develop a long-range, strategic plan
that will meet the growing and changing needs of the membership into the
21st century. To date, more than 50 State Bar committees, sections and
divisions participated in this grassroots effort, each developing its
own mission statement, vision for the future and strategies for
achieving its vision. The Project Vision Task Force used this collective
work product to develop the State Bar's mission statement.
After careful review, representatives of various State Bar entities
refined the mission statement to personalize their commitment to the
profession, to reaffirm the purpose of the State Bar and to enhance
public understanding of the State Bar's mission.
I ask each of you to review the proposed mission statement. Does it
reflect your view of the purpose of your association? Does it represent
the association's responsibility to the profession, its members and the
public? If the State Bar's mission statement is truly a statement that
represents these "grassroots" efforts, it must be based on the comments
of the collective membership. I intend to keep my original commitment:
Project Vision will be based on member input, not leadership directives.
Please send your comments about the draft mission statement to Kaye O'Kearny at the State
Bar.
Draft State Bar Mission Statement:
The State Bar of Wisconsin is the association of and for all persons
licensed to practice law in Wisconsin. Our association's strength is
derived from inclusiveness, collegiality and diversity in pursuit of a
common cause.
The mission of our association is to educate our members in the
continuing development of the law; to improve the law and its practice;
to aid in the effective administration and delivery of individual and
social justice; to advance the interests of a profession dedicated to
integrity, honesty and compassion; and to instill in the public an
understanding and appreciation of its legal rights and
responsibilities.
We undertake this mission in association to better enable Wisconsin's
lawyers to protect the rights and advance the interests of their clients
and of the public, and to further secure to the people of Wisconsin the
blessings of ordered liberty and equal justice under law.
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Interestingly, an issue that surfaced in strategic planning sessions
of the State Bar's various committees, sections and divisions is the
need for a facility that is conducive to member wants and needs, is
flexible and allows staff to work efficiently. The Facilities Committee
has concluded that it is time we do something about the shortcomings of
our 40-year-old facility. Discussions about space limitations, resulting
in inefficiencies and restricted member access, have been going on for
10 years. This committee has looked at various solutions to this
space-crunch issue, from adding onto the current facility to splitting
staff over multiple locations to exploring work-at-home options for
employees to locating to a larger facility.
I am pleased with the Facilities Committee's efforts to educate the
membership about this issue and its interest in responding to member
questions and concerns. This open dialog is reflected in the pro and con
discussion in this issue. I encourage you to read this material and send
your thoughts to committee chair Jerry O'Brien or other Facilities
Committee members.
The Facilities Committee will bring its recommendation to the Board
of Governors in late January. Its recommendation will reflect the State
Bar's commitment to the services it provides to our growing membership;
to the requirements of our committees, sections and divisions; to our
ever-evolving technology needs; to public education and service; and to
our profession's future.
As I travel throughout Wisconsin, I am impressed by members' support
of our long-range planning efforts. While in Hudson a few weeks ago, I
had the opportunity to discuss with area lawyers the findings of Project
Vision and the Facilities Committee. They universally talked of the need
for the State Bar to grow, to meet the demands of a profession that has
more demands placed on it, and our staff's ability to serve the
membership. But Hudson lawyers are not alone. The same support was
evident at recent local bar meetings, including the Winnebago, Green
Lake and Marathon county bars, and other lawyer gatherings.
I ask you to view the mission statement and the facilities situation
keeping in mind our responsibility to the profession and the public.
Wisconsin Lawyer
