Staff Liaisons
The function of the staff liaison is to facilitate the operations of the particular division by acting as the information conduit between the division and the rest of the Bar and to assist the division president with organizing, planning and recordkeeping. The staff liaison works with the division president to ensure that all division work is consistent with the association's goals and objectives. The staff liaison acts at the direction of the division president, but should not actually perform the functions of the division. The staff liaison is listed at the bottom of the division board roster.
Specific staff liaison duties may include:
- Schedule meeting rooms, including arranging for catering
- Coordinate mailing of all meeting notices, minutes and other materials
- Work with division president to prepare agendas
- Attend division board meetings
- Coordinate the distribution of division information
- Provide information to division from Board of Governors, other divisions, committees or sources that may be relevant to the division's work
- Advise division about relevant policies and administrative deadlines
- Assist division treasurer in preparing budgets and financial planning documents.
- Inform division about finances
- Explain expense reimbursement rules and procedures
Administrative Support
Administrative support provided by the State Bar staff includes:
- Board meeting planning and coordination
- Arrangement of tabulation of division election results
- Financial accounting for division activities
- Posting of materials (received electronically, on disk or by email) to division's homepage on WisBar
- Coordination of division mailings (although divisions will be billed for all printing, postage and other out-of-pocket expenses)
- Newsletter printing and mailing coordination (although divisions will be billed for all printing and postage expenses)
- Basic legislative information
- Other incidental assistance such as budget planning, reports on State Bar programs, membership development, etc.
Institute and Conference programs
Division leaders must determine whether their division will present CLE programs at State Bar Institutes and Conferences. They must also notify the State Bar of this decision and provide their staff liaison with the name and address of the program chairperson. The program chairperson is responsible for planning the convention program and selecting speakers. To help in timely program planning, the State Bar will notify you of program planning deadlines as they become available.
Division mailings
State Bar staff will assist you in sending out mailings to members of your division. In order to make sure that your mailing gets out in a timely fashion, please provide copy two weeks before the mailing date. The costs of division mailings are allocated to the division budget line item.
Division mailing labels and lists
Mailing labels, lists and demographic information for members of your division are available from the Bar Center. Call your staff liaison to request these materials.
Publications, CLE Seminars and speaker referrals
Division presidents are sometimes asked to identify members who are willing to review substantive law articles submitted for publication in the Wisconsin Lawyer, review CLE books or help select CLE seminar speakers.
If your division anticipates developing a consumer publication, please refer to the Policy on Funding Non-CLE Publications in the section entitled "Policies." The State Bar encourages you to discuss with the Communications Director and your staff liaison any publication projects early in the development process, so they can alert you to similar projects and provide you with budgeting, editing and production guidance.
Division leaders often work closely with the CLE Seminars Department in planning and producing CLE programs. The State Bar encourages you to discuss with CLE Director Trish Carrera and your staff liaison any potential CLE seminar programming early in the development process.
Address and phone number changes
Please notify the State Bar customer service representatives immediately of any changes in address, phone numbers or email for division board members. This will eliminate misrouted mailings and phone calls.
Division web pages on WisBar.org
Current rosters of the division boards are available on the State Bar's website. Other information including past newsletters, minutes, and division resources are also listed. Please submit any updated information for your division's homepage to your staff liaison.
Division files
The State Bar attempts to maintain a complete file of division documents. Your division file includes copies of past minutes, correspondence, rosters, and annual reports. Please submit copies of all relevant material to your staff liaison so that your files are complete.
Electronic mailing lists
An electronic mailing list, also commonly referred to as listserv or Internet mailing list, enables people with common interests to share information easily through email. Messages are sent just like email, except they go to all subscribers of the mail list instead of to just one recipient. List participants can respond to messages, creating two-way communication among members. Email lists are a cost-effective way to improve member communication and camaraderie. It's a great way for associations serving large geographic areas to quickly communicate a timely message to all members, remind people of upcoming meetings, distribute information traditionally done through print communication, and so on. Contact the staff liaison for additional information about electronic mailing lists for each Division.
Email List Rules & Usage Guidelines
Complete List of State Bar Email Lists
