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Vol. 73, No. 8, August 2000 |
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The Impact of the Internet
on CLE
The Internet offers great potential in assisting Wisconsin
lawyers in their practices by providing instant and continuous
access to legal resources. The State Bar is experimenting with
a variety of ways to use the Internet to access Wisconsin-specific
legal resources and delivering continuing legal education programming,
according to State Bar CLE Seminars Director Katy Duren.
The
CLE department is creating an online resource library, which
features a searchable database of State Bar CLE materials and
practice resources, including CLE seminar and convention outlines,
CLE Books, and Wisconsin Lawyer articles. These materials will
be downloadable from WisBar, or may be ordered and delivered
in print format.
The CLE department also is experimenting with a variety of
other Web-based and Web-enhanced projects, including Web-enhanced
telephone seminars for credit (the first of which, "Wisconsin
Legal Research Resources on the Internet," is scheduled
for Oct. 16, 2000).
While the potential for delivering CLE programming over the
Internet is exciting, Duren notes that there are some challenges
to overcome, including lawyers' comfort level with technology.
While the technology exists (with some limitations, including
bandwidth) to provide Internet-based resources and learning opportunities,
some of the most innovative models require relatively sophisticated
computer equipment and users. In addition, Wisconsin Supreme
Court Rules governing continuing legal education currently do
not allow credit for many forms of Web-based training. In the
not too distant future, however, Duren anticipates that Internet-based
CLE will be accredited in Wisconsin.
In addition to its Internet initiatives, the State Bar offers
a variety of training opportunities to assist lawyers in increasing
their computer skills and efficiency. Offerings include seminars
on computer-assisted legal research and specific law office computer
applications for common programs such as Word® and WordPerfect®.
The technology training room in the new Bar Center allows for
hands-on technology courses for lawyers and law office staff.
For more information, contact Katy
Duren at (608) 250-6040.
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