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Vol. 74, No. 8, August 2001
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 Page
2: Research
Advocacy
Many of the State Bar's activities fall under the umbrella of advocating
for the integrity and effectiveness of the legal profession. The State
Bar's government relations and grassroots program is at the forefront
of these efforts, relying heavily upon its network of volunteer lawyers
statewide.
Lawyers Legislative Action Network. This grassroots program,
which is designed to keep members informed and involved with legislative
developments, numbers more than 800 and continues to grow. The network
continued to be a moving force behind the success of the State Bar in
the State Capitol, and its members play an important role in positively
affecting the legislative process.
Legislative Successes. In January 2001, the state Legislature
began its new biennial session. The State Bar and its practice sections
continue to be heavily involved with a variety of issues pending before
the Legislature, including provisions in the state's biennial budget bill,
and separately introduced legislation.
The first year of the legislative biennium typically is consumed by
action on the biennial budget bill and FY01 has been no different; in
the first six months of 2001 only 10 bills were signed into law. Due to
the volunteer efforts of LLAN grassroots members and lawyers statewide,
the State Bar successfully saw one of its bills among the 10 signed into
law. The legislation was UCC Revised Article 9, supported by the State
Bar and its Business Law Section.
While urging legislators to act quickly on issues such as Revised Article
9, the State Bar simultaneously was involved in a multitude of provisions
in the biennial budget bill, such as funding for the State Public Defender,
establishing a court interpreter program, and state funding for civil
legal services to low-income individuals. Additionally, the State Bar
has been able to see other provisions - reasonable fees for obtaining
photocopies of medical records, supported by the State Bar and a priority
for the Litigation Law Section; revisions to Wisconsin's corporations,
supported by the Business Law Section; language and funding to maintain
percentage expressed orders where appropriate, supported by the Family
Law Section; and the use of DNA evidence, supported by the Criminal Law
Section - included at various stages of the budget process.
Page
4: Public Service 
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