Spotlight
David Prosser, Supreme Court Justice for 18 Years, dies at 81

On Dec. 1, 2024, former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice David Prosser passed away at age 81.

Justice Prosser served 18 years on the court, from 1998 to 2016. He was appointed by Gov. Tommy G. Thompson, and subsequently was elected to 10-year terms in 2001 and 2011. Prosser also served almost 20 years as a representative in the Wisconsin Assembly, from 1979 to 1996.

“Justice Prosser was the quintessential public servant who enjoyed a respected career (spanning more than 40 years) in the service of others,” said Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Annette Kingsland Ziegler in a release issued Dec. 2, 2024.

State Bar Executive Director Larry J. Martin noted that “Dave was a strong supporter, friend, and advocate for the State Bar, and his leadership and friendship will be deeply missed.”

Quotable
“If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you.” – Zig Ziglar

Were you admitted to practice law in an even-numbered year? The two-year reporting period for continuing legal education (CLE) technically ended on Dec. 31, 2024.

Good news: The rules grant an additional month to obtain and report CLE activity for the reporting period. That is, to avoid a late filing fee or other penalties, 2023-24 courses must be completed by Jan. 31, 2025, and CLE reports must be submitted electronically to the Board of Bar Examiners on or before Feb. 1, 2025.

Check out the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Marketplace to get those last-minute CLE credits. Up to 15 credits can be on-demand. Three of the 30 credits required for “active” members must be in the area of ethics and professional responsibility (EPR). https://marketplace.wisbar.org.

Good Idea?
No Oath, No Admission

A Nevada resident who applied for admission to practice law in New York, after passing the New York bar exam, was recently denied admission by a state appeals court because she refused to take the constitutional oath of office in open court.

“Here, applicant has made plain that she cannot unequivocally take and subscribe to an oath or affirmation that she will support the Constitutions of the United States and the State of New York, as is statutorily required to be admitted to the practice of law in this State,” a per curiam opinion states.

“Accordingly, we are constrained to conclude that applicant has failed to demonstrate that she presently possesses the character and general fitness requisite for an attorney and counselor-at-law … and, therefore, we deny her application.”

Source: ABA Journal

By the Numbers
56%

The percentage of 2024 first-year U.S. law students who are women. Total first-year enrollment of law students in fall 2024 was 39,689. Of those, 22,260 are women.

According to an annual report from the National Association for Law Placement (NALP), about 50% of associates in U.S. law firms are women, and about 28% of partners are women, compared to 11% in 1991. About 54% of nontraditional-track or staff attorneys are women. Of all lawyers at U.S. law firms, about 40% are women, compared to 26% in 1991.

The NALP also reports that about 20% of associates in U.S. law firms are persons of color, and 12% of partners are persons of color, compared to 2% in 1991. Of all lawyers at U.S. law firms, about 20% are persons of color, compared to 4.5% in 1991.

At 58%, the class of 2023 had the highest law firm employment rate since the class of 1992, according to the NALP.

According to the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), U.S. law school applications for the 2025-26 school year are up 25% compared to a year ago, and up 30% in Wisconsin.

Sources: ABA, NALP, LSAC

Good Idea?
Interpreters in Municipal Court

In December, the Wisconsin Supreme Court held a hearing on a rules petition that asks the court to create new statutes that would “require municipal courts to provide qualified interpreters in all proceedings” involving individuals with limited English proficiency.

Currently, interpreters are only required in municipal court proceedings involving juveniles.

The Wisconsin Justice Initiative filed the petition (24-02) and several organizations and individuals weighed in, including the Wisconsin Municipal Judges Association, the Wisconsin Hispanic Lawyers Association, and the Director of State Courts.

The petition, a supporting memo, and third-party communications are available at the court’s website, https://www.wicourts.gov/scrules/pending/2402.htm.