The following State Bar Executive Committee actions were taken at its June 5 meeting. Members may request a copy of the minutes from the State Bar by calling (800) 728-7788 or (608) 257-3838.

RECOMMENDED to the Board of Governors to accept an offer for purchase of the Bar Center subject to some negotiated flexibility with respect to the offered closing date of June 1, 1999, and review by counsel for the Bar.

DECIDED that President Sorenson and President-elect Steingass should appoint an ad hoc committee to look at all recommendations in Part A of the draft report from the Elections Policies Committee. The Board may consider the recommendations in Part B in June.

HEARD a Staffing Committee Report that included several staffing changes, including the Board's approval for a designer position and a marketing director/assistant executive director position. The Executive Committee recommended the Board approve a proposed LRIS assistant and a position to repackage print material for an online environment, which are included within the personnel calculations for the FY99 budget.

DISCUSSED possible appointments to the Legal Action of Wisconsin Board.

REVIEWED a plan to communicate the new Bar Center to members. President-elect Steingass is working with the State Bar public relations coordinator and others on fundraising and communications issues with respect to the new building.

REFERRED the issue of mailing unnecessary ballots in uncontested elections, particularly with respect to sections, to the Section Leaders Advisory Council for a recommendation back to the Board of Governors.

HEARD a report that there will be no increase in the Board of Attorneys Professional Responsibility assessment. Earlier, the Finance Committee had opposed the BAPR budget sent by BAPR to the supreme court calling for a per member assessment increase of more than $5 and suggested ways to avoid an increase.

DISCUSSED the trust account overdraft reporting rule. Because the bankers are very concerned about the implication of this new requirement, it may well be that the Wisconsin Bankers Association and the State Bar should engage in a joint effort to educate the bankers.

REPORTED on the Finance Committee's recommendation to create a dues stabilization fund and transfer up to $150,000 of FY98 surplus to it. Creation of the fund will be an agenda item for the Board of Governors in June.

NOTED that the Wisconsin Supreme Court is planning to change the rule requiring graduation from an ABA-accredited law school in order to take the Wisconsin Bar exam.

APPROVED the revised section carryover policy provided that it is linked with formation of a study committee concerning the impact of low cost and no cost CLE by sections and other State Bar entities.

Wisconsin Lawyer