Candidate for President-elect

Johanna R. Kirk

Kirk Law Office LLC, Thorp
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Platform Statement and Biography

Thank you for this opportunity to introduce myself. I was raised in rural Lublin, Wisconsin in western Taylor County. I am a 2001 graduate from the University of Wisconsin – Superior. I attended the weekend program at and graduated from Hamline University School of Law (’06). From 2006-2013 I worked at a firm in Superior, Wisconsin. I opened my solo office in 2013. I am a true solo – responsible for the mail, coffee, administration, shoveling snow, and all client matters. My practice focuses mostly on elder and estate planning, probates, and real estate transactions. My practice also includes serving as guardian ad litem in CHIPS, TPR’s, TPC’s, the cases where I think children most need someone advocating for their best interests. I also work with small business owners, helping with their needs from start-up to sell-off.

In July 2024, I returned to my hometown of about 100 people, and my office is now in Thorp, Wisconsin. While in Superior, I volunteered with the UW-Superior Foundation Board, United Way, Rotary, Superior Business Improvement District, Douglas County Bar Association. I taught courses for the UW-Superior Paralegal Certification program and served on the program’s advisory board. I currently serve as President of the Clark County Bar Association.

My volunteer work with the State Bar of Wisconsin began in 2006 and has included:

• Presenting continuing education courses at the Annual Meeting and Conference, Local Bar Leaders Conference, WISLAP training, and Solo/Small Firm Conference
• Solo Small Firm and General Practice Section Board
• Solo and Small Firm Conference Planning Committee
• Law Office Management Assistance Program Advisory Committee
• Local Bar Relations Committee
• Local Bar Leaders Conference Planning Committee
• Challenges Facing New Lawyers Committee
• Professionalism Committee
• Greater Wisconsin Initiative Working Group
• Board of Governors
• Executive Committee of the Board of Governors

My Goals as State Bar President

Responsiveness to Members. The State Bar is your organization. While the Bar will not likely be able to make every member completely satisfied, it can do a better job of being responsive to your needs. The State Bar makes tremendous efforts to provide members with ethical advice, practice tools, crisis support, discounts with partnering businesses, continuing education opportunities, and more. I want to continue supporting members by ensuring the Bar’s services and programs are relevant, accurate, and responsive to your needs. I am willing to listen to you, the members, and gather your thoughts. If members need more affordable continuing education opportunities, let’s explore how to create them. If members need more mental health and well-being initiatives, let’s boost up the ones we have. If members have ideas that the State ​Bar has not explored, bring them to us and we can use your wisdom and expertise to improve the organization. By listening to members, the Bar becomes more relevant and responsive, giving more to each of you.

Greater Wisconsin. I am aware of the State Bar’s recent initiatives focusing on increasing the number of attorneys in rural Wisconsin. I hope to continue the State Bar’s work on this issue, but I believe this is not just the State Bar’s problem to solve. I hope to explore cooperative efforts with law schools to better recruit students who may be inclined to begin and maintain a career in a rural setting. I hope to coordinate with government and small business development agencies to create opportunities maximizing grants, loans, and business support for attorneys. I would like to engage with Courts and government attorneys to identify what needs they have and how to use the State Bar’s lobby efforts to meet the needs of our rural areas. I want to explore the untapped potential of the many attorneys who do not practice in rural areas to see what infrastructure changes could better connect them with clients who need help. The State Bar is a strong organization but cannot solve this crisis alone. The Bar needs to seek and accept help from others. I believe the State Bar should be coordinating with government agencies and private sector influencers to increase incentives and opportunities for greater Wisconsin.

I am not seeking drastic changes. Our State Bar has become a valuable resource to many of us and we don’t need to fix what is not broken. Yet, there are areas for improvement. I look forward to listening to you, the members, to help identify those areas. With your help, we can make the Bar more responsive to your needs.

Again, thank you, for this opportunity to introduce myself.