Candidate for President-elect

Stephen W. Sawyer

Sawyer Law LLC, Stevens Point
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Platform Statement

I grew up in a family that placed a high priority on education, service to others, and treating everyone, regardless of station in life, with respect and kindness. Success in any endeavor never came at the expense of doing what was right. Playing by the rules and knowing right from wrong was second nature. A worthy goal always included leaving every situation better than I found it and recognizing the value of every individual.

These values instilled in me by my parents, family members, friends, and mentors lead me to many years of service in the United States Navy as an officer and helicopter pilot, and ultimately to a career in law.

I am a bit of an idealist. I believe very strongly in the ideas of democracy, equality, fundamental fairness, and the rule of law. Law is the foundation and structure that keeps society from descending into chaos. It is what makes this world work for all of us, and it should strive to make the world work for each of us. There is a large tapestry that hangs in the law library at my law school, the University of Notre Dame, that reads “If you want Peace, work for Justice. – Pope Paul VI”. Law is that essential framework that helps us work towards equal justice for all.

The State Bar is a creation of the Supreme Court of Wisconsin. SCR 10.01(2) states in part that, “the [State Bar] shall promote the public interest by maintaining high standards of conduct in the legal profession and by aiding in the efficient administration of justice.” I believe that the State Bar best maintains high standards of conduct by providing our legal practitioners with outstanding educational and practice resources, as well as quality opportunities to exchange ideas with other practitioners.

There are three issues that I believe need renewed emphasis from the State Bar of Wisconsin in order to aid in the efficient administration of justice, and if elected I would work to provide that emphasis. Those issues are as follows:

• the shortage of lawyers serving less-populated areas of Wisconsin;
• the erosion of respect for our legal system and its value in the eyes of our citizens; and
• the lack of appropriate public funding for legal representation of the indigent.

Lawyer Shortage

There are many areas of our state where lawyers are retiring at rates that far surpass the rate at which new lawyers are entering practice. A recent study that compared average lawyer incomes across the state has found that the average lawyer incomes in our underserved areas is virtually equal to those of our well-served larger cities. The recent increases in salaries for district attorneys and public defenders has been a step in the right direction, but does not address the larger need. I believe that new approaches must be explored and robust efforts must be made toward finding effective incentives for new and existing lawyers to establish practices in smaller communities. Some of these efforts will require funding that must come from our state legislature. Such ideas would include programs that tie a certain amount of law school loan forgiveness to establishing and maintaining a law practice in an underserved community for a specified amount of time.

Respect for the Legal System and Appropriate Funding

The various components of our state’s legal system have faced funding shortages for decades. From infrastructure upgrades to ensure the safety of our court staff and officials and the general public; to salaries for judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys; to funding for civil legal representation for our state’s indigent populations; the growing needs of our legal system have been ignored by those in our legislature. It appears as if our citizens do not value the vital role that is played in our society by the effective administration and enforcement of our laws. The average taxpayer in Wisconsin is not motivated to support adequate funding of our courts and the people who make them run well. I believe that educational initiatives to teach the students in our classrooms across the state about the role of law in society and the ideals upon which the system is founded are crucial to laying the groundwork for decades of future legislative priorities. Our lobbying efforts in Madison need to be redoubled in order to impress upon our legislators that the judicial branch of government is of critical importance to peace in our society and order in our communities.

Biography

I grew up in Fox Point, a suburb of Milwaukee, and attended Nicolet High School where I was co-captain of the boys swim team and a member of the National Honor Society. I received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Marketing from Colorado State University where I served on the student council.

To satisfy my desire to learn how to fly, and to make it up to my grandfather (who was a Navy flight surgeon during WWII and who wanted me to be a doctor), I attended Naval Aviation Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Florida and received my commission in the United States Naval Reserves. I completed basic flight training at Naval Air Station (NAS) Corpus Christi in Texas, and later earned my “Wings of Gold” (designation as a naval aviator) at NAS Whiting Field in Milton, Florida after training to become a helicopter pilot. I learned to fly the H-3 helicopter (the helicopter the U.S. President flies in) at NAS Jacksonville in Florida, and then moved to NAS Norfolk in Virginia to stand up a new helicopter squadron to support the Commander in Chief of the Atlantic Fleet and to be the new squadron’s non-lawyer legal officer. While stationed in Norfolk I completed two six-month deployments; one to the Persian Gulf to fly the Commander of Middle East Forces; and one to the Mediterranean for fly the Commander of the Sixth Fleet. I then was transferred to NAS Key West in Florida where I flew search and rescue (SAR) missions and trained SAR pilots and rescue swimmers. While in Key West, I received a Master of Science degree in Business Management (4.0 GPA) from Troy State University (now Troy University).

Then after eight and a half years on active duty, I left the Navy and went to the University of Notre Dame Law School in South Bend, Indiana where I graduated with honors. After graduation, I moved to Milwaukee and practiced finance and financial institutions law at Foley & Lardner. After two and a half years I was hired by a client, Case Corporation in Racine, where I worked as a finance attorney for one year. After Case was acquired by New Holland, I left Case and returned to private practice in Milwaukee at Quarles & Brady where I continued to practice finance and financial institutions law.

After September 11^th in 2001, I decided to completely switch gears in my legal career and for a brief time became an Assistant District Attorney in Milwaukee County before going out on my own as a criminal defense attorney.

I married another criminal defense attorney, my wife Julie, who was offered a short-term job as a committee clerk and legislative aide for a legislator in Madison, where we spent one year. Julie was then offered a position as Assistant State Public Defender out of Stevens Point, Wisconsin where we have lived ever since. Julie retired from the State two and a half years ago and we formed a small law firm together, Sawyer Law LLC. Julie handles Child In Need of Protection or Services (CHIPS) and Termination of Parental Rights (TPR) cases, while I practice criminal defense over much of the northern half of the state. At last count, I have had cases in 33 different counties in Wisconsin.

Education

• ​ 1983 - BS in Business Administration (major in Marketing) Colorado State University
• 1993 – MS in Business Management – Troy State University Florida Region
• 1996 – JD from the University of Notre Dame (with honors)

Professional Experience

• Current: Criminal Defense Attorney with Sawyer Law LLC, Stevens Point, WI
• Former: Finance and Financial Institutions Law, and Asst. DA – Milwaukee County

State Bar Leadership and Civic Involvement

• Board of Governors (District 7) (7/1/2021 – present)
• Chair of the BOG Governance Committee (7/1/2023 – present)
• BOG Liaison to the Continuing Legal Education Committee
• Former President, Vice-President, & Secy/Treasurer of the Portage Co. Bar Assn.
• Member of the Criminal Law Section
• Board Member of the Portage County Legal Aid Society
• Fellow of the Wisconsin Law Foundation
• Commissioner City of Stevens Point Redevelopment Authority (five years)