Top Story

• • Corporate Transparency Act on Hold for Now
  • The challenge to the Corporate Transparency Act moved rapidly through the federal system in December, resulting in a nationwide injunction that was briefly vacated then reinstated. Now, the U.S. Supreme Court may decide.

Features

• • New Reporting Requirements for Non-Financed Residential Real Estate Transfers
  • Failure to understand when a FinCEN report is required could subject the lawyer (and potentially the lawyer's firm) to civil penalties of up to $108,489 for a pattern of negligent activity. For willful violations, the lawyer could be subject to imprisonment up to 5 years, a fine of up to $250,000, or both.

• • Welcome to 'InsideTrack Weekly'! Smaller Doses, More Frequency
  • Starting today, InsideTrack will be delivered to your inbox weekly.

• • 'Listening to Lawyers' and 'Practice Pulse' Join the Podcast Mix in 2025
  • Two new podcasts are joining our rotation: Listening to Lawyers and Practice Pulse.

• • CBD, THC, and the Wisconsin Fair Employment Act
  • Wisconsin’s prohibition on discrimination based on an employee’s use of lawful products complicates employer drug testing for marijuana. John Chick offers advice to attorneys on both the management and plaintiff sides when handling cases involving legal use of products that may trigger a positive drug test.

• • Mock Trial Students Need Your Help
  • The 2025 Wisconsin High School Mock Trial season has begun – the program needs attorneys and judges to help make the tournaments happen. No experience is necessary to help these students compete.

• • Forensic Justice Institute Covers Intersection of Science and Justice
  • Accurate and reliable forensic science plays a critical role in the pursuit of justice. The Forensic Justice Institute, held online on Jan. 24, 2025, helps lawyers understand scientific evidence and its application in the courtroom.

• • Federal and Local Court Rules: Latest Updates
  • Court rules for the following jurisdictions have been updated recently: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and Washburn, Outagamie, Langlade, Kenosha, Lincoln, Milwaukee, and Vilas counties.

• • Final Order 24-03: Rules of Judicial Administration
  • On June 19, 2024, The Director of State Courts filed this rule petition asking the court to amend, create, and repeal parts of Supreme Court Rule Chapter 70, pertaining to the rules of judicial administration.

Top Story

• • Meet Johanna Kirk and Stephen Sawyer: Candidates for the State Bar's Top Leadership Spot
  • Johanna Kirk of Thorp and Stephen Sawyer of Stevens Point are candidates for State Bar president-elect. Both have experience as lawyers in Wisconsin's rural areas – and these experiences inform their views on important issues facing the legal profession and the State Bar.

Features

• • Bypass Petitions to the Wisconsin Supreme Court
  • Petitions to bypass have increased in use in the past three years, but the end run around the Wisconsin Court of Appeals succeeds rarely, and not everyone on the supreme court agrees when the court should grant bypass.

• • Judicial Council Update: The Council's Need for Funding
  • Your State Bar representatives on the Wisconsin Judicial Council ask for your help to secure proper funding for the Council's important work to improve Wisconsin's rules of court practice and procedure.

• • We Need Your Insights: Serve on a State Bar Committee
  • Consider stepping forward to accept the challenge of volunteering your time to help the State Bar and those it serves.

• • State Bar Seeks ABA Delegates for Two-year Terms – Petitions Due April 15
  • Do you seek opportunities that will put you in contact with the leaders of your profession? Submit your petition to represent Wisconsin's legal community through the American Bar Association House of Delegates.

• • February CLE Programming from State Bar of Wisconsin PINNACLE
  • Looking for CLE? On topics from business litigation trends and tax law developments to speaking and writing effectively, State Bar of Wisconsin PINNACLE offers programs to keep you on top of your practice.

• • Hearing Order 24-05: To Increase Fee for Public Interest Legal Services Fund
  • On July 3, 2024, a rule petition was filed asking the court to amend Supreme Court Rule 13.045(1) to increase the annual assessment of attorneys for the Public Interest Legal Services Fund (PILSF), which supports legal services for people of limited means in non-criminal matters.

• • Petition to Reinstate Joan M. Boyd
  • On Dec. 30, 2024, Joan M. Boyd filed a petition for reinstatement of her Wisconsin law license.

• • Court Rules Updates: Learn What Local Court Rules Have Been Updated Recently
  • The following court rules have been updated recently: Bayfield, Marathon, Milwaukee, Portage, and Taylor counties.

• • West's Jury Verdicts, Bench Decisions, Settlements, and Arbitration Awards
  • A selection of recent Wisconsin case verdicts are shared below.

Top Story

• • FAA Considering Regulations to Help Stranded Passengers
  • The request for comments to create proposed rules comes at an awkward time for federal agencies, but political dissatisfaction with air travel and the 2024 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act may keep the process moving.

Features

• • Beyond the Billable Hour: Generative AI Is Already Reshaping Law Firm Economics
  • Rapid advancement of generative AI tools are reshaping the legal practice, and law firms are facing a fundamental challenge to their traditional business model. Srishti Ponnala discusses how firms using AI can develop their practice and compensation models to thrive in this new era of legal practice.

• • The Value of Paralegals and Why Certification Matters
  • Paralegals are a vital member of many Wisconsin law firms and play an important role in the legal profession. Angela Gonzalez, a State Bar of Wisconsin Certified Paralegal (SBWCP), shares her insights on the value of paralegals and how certification enhances the quality of service provided to attorneys and clients.

• • Supreme Court: Complainant to Wisconsin Elections Commission Lacked Standing
  • A 4-3 Wisconsin Supreme Court majority declined to decide a voter's complaint of five alleged violations of election law because it concluded those complaints to the Wisconsin Election Commission did not personally affect him.

• • Headed to Madison: 20 High School Mock Trial Teams to Compete in Semifinals
  • Congratulations to the teams who competed in 2025 Wisconsin High School Mock Trial regional tournament! The top 20 teams will compete in the semifinals tournament in early March in Madison.

• • Lawyers: You Don't Need to be Perfect When Organizing Your Work
  • Lawyers can often struggle to become more organized in their professional and personal lives. Are you one of them? Here’s an idea: try using an unconventional organizational method based on emotion.

• • Attend the Young Lawyers Conference on March 28
  • Young lawyers, you're invited to the State Bar of Wisconsin Young Lawyers Conference. Meet in Brookfield on Friday, March 28, for free CLE sessions and networking. ABA President-elect Michelle Behnke will give the keynote speech.

• • Recent Book Releases from State Bar of Wisconsin PINNACLE
  • Keep your practice up to date with books from State Bar of Wisconsin PINNACLE.

Top Story

• • Leading the State Bar: Q&A with President-elect Candidates
  • Candidates Stephen W. Sawyer and Johanna R. Kirk, from central Wisconsin, discuss how they would address the challenges facing Wisconsin attorneys.

Features

• • Hello, Goodbye: CTA Enforcement Suspended
  • The U.S. Department of the Treasury suspended enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) for U.S. citizens and domestic reporting companies. On Sunday night, the Treasury announced that U.S. citizens and domestic reporting companies will no longer face penalties or fines for failure to report under the CTA.

• • Finding Fault: The History of Grounds for Divorce in Wisconsin
  • In Wisconsin, the requirement of finding fault in divorce has come and gone over the decades. Comm. Barry Boline discusses the history of divorce and finding fault in Wisconsin.

• • State Bar Board of Governors Defers Action on Proposal for More Access to Online Court Records
  • The Board of Governors requested further study on the proposed pilot project, which would expand online attorney access to Wisconsin court documents. The Board also discussed a proposed budget for fiscal year 2026 and approved the Keller dues reductions amount.

• • Legal Research and AI with vLex's Damien Riehl
  • A conversation on the transformative impact of AI on legal research, with Damien Riehl from vLex.

• • Appeals Court: Pandemic Medical Malpractice Immunity Unconstitutional
  • The pandemic could not justify eliminating a mother's right to a jury trial for a claim of medical malpractice arising from childbirth and the death of her newborn son in 2020, making a statute granting broad immunity to health care providers unconstitutional.

• • Annual Meeting Is in Madison This June: Register Now for Best Rates
  • Registration is open for the State Bar of Wisconsin Annual Meeting & Conference. This year AMC takes place June 18-20 in Madison. Join us at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center – register now for the best rates.

• • March and April CLE Programming from State Bar of Wisconsin PINNACLE
  • Looking for CLE? From personal injury and treatment courts, to the 2025 Wispact Update, State Bar of Wisconsin PINNACLE offers programs to keep you on top of your practice.

• • Attend the Young Lawyers Conference on March 28
  • Young lawyers, you're invited to the State Bar of Wisconsin Young Lawyers Conference. Meet in Brookfield on Friday, March 28, for free CLE sessions and networking. ABA President-elect Michelle Behnke will give the keynote speech.

• • State Bar Seeks ABA Delegates for Two-year Terms – Petitions Due April 15
  • Do you seek opportunities that will put you in contact with the leaders of your profession? Submit your petition to represent Wisconsin's legal community through the American Bar Association House of Delegates.

Top Story

• • Act 16 Unpacked: New Housing Rules Explained
  • 2023 Wis. Act 16 affects zoning amendments, residential housing permits, judicial review of development decisions, and planned development district zoning. While some provisions took effect immediately, others became effective Jan. 1, 2025. Municipalities, and their lawyers, should now ensure compliance with the Act's requirements.

Features

• • Supreme Court Increases PILSF Fee
  • The Wisconsin Supreme Court approved the petition to increase the annual lawyer fee for the Public Interest Legal Services Fund (PILSF) by $50 in two increments. The State Bar of Wisconsin shared with the court its members' views (largely in opposition) to the petition and argued that only the Wisconsin Legislature can properly fund civil legal aid. To that end, the State Bar plans to pursue further legislative funding.

• • Navigating Flow-Down Clauses in Federal Projects
  • Subcontractors on federal projects must often contend with a variety of standard clauses that are “flowed down” from the prime contract to the subcontract. While the subcontractor may be able to reject certain of these clauses, those that remain can impose significant obligations on the subcontractor, writes Samuel Jack.

• • Legal Research 101: Stay on Track with Law and Regulation Updates
  • Did you know you can set up email or RSS feed notifications for legislative and regulatory updates? Law librarian Carol Hassler takes you through setting up notifications and alerts to keep you updated automatically.

• • 5 Strategies for Lawyers to Prioritize Mental Health in a Stressful Practice
  • Lawyers, how do you find time in your busy and stressful practice to protect your mental health? Cara Lamusga, WisLAP member coordinator, offers strategies to help you lower stress and preserve your joy.

• • Commercial Loan Basics
  • Most transactional attorneys will encounter deals that involve commercial loans. But what exactly does that mean, and what are the basics attorneys should know, even if they don't have primary responsibility for drafting or reviewing loan documents?

• • April Elections: Who Will Represent You on the State Bar Board of Governors?
  • With the April elections approaching, now is the time to learn about the candidates asking for your vote to lead the State Bar of Wisconsin as governors.

Top Story

• • Alternative Business Structures: Big Accounting Firm Establishes U.S. Law Firm
  • International accounting firm KPMG LLP’s approval to open a law firm in Arizona spotlights experiments with Alternative Business Structures (ABS), which allow lawyers to work under nonlawyers, an option not available in Wisconsin or most states.

Features

• • Variations in the Legal Rights of Residential Landlords and Tenants
  • Landlords and tenants may be subject to claims under various provisions of the law, varying by jurisdiction. Jennifer Schank discusses Wisconsin landlord tenant law and how it may vary by city and county.

• • The Corporate Transparency Act is Here (Not Really). Now It’s Off (Mostly)?
  • After a 4-week hiatus, I am back again with what are likely to be the final updates on the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) for a while (famous last words).

• • Why Family Law Attorneys Should Consult with a Defamation Attorney
  • Family law attorneys should consult defamation counsel to evaluate any potential claims, remove unwanted online content, unmask anonymous online actors, and mount an aggressive defense in a contentious divorce.

• • Election-Related Injunction Fails at Wisconsin Supreme Court
  • The Attorney General’s attempt to obtain an injunction to stop Elon Musk’s $1 million giveaways planned at a campaign rally last Sunday as alleged violations of Wisconsin election law failed ultimately at the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

• • Court of Appeals: Statutes Didn’t Allow Rejection for Ballot Error
  • Wisconsin election law prohibited rejection of three ballots that lacked initials from two election officials, although the absence of initials violated another election statute.

• • Deliverability Challenges with State Bar Communications
  • Since last November, the State Bar of Wisconsin has experienced an increase in the number of messages failing to deliver to member email inboxes. Here's more information and how to manage your elists.

• • Law Foundation Grants Available for Charitable and Public Education Programs – Apply by April 18
  • Grants of up to $2,800 are available for programs that help public understanding of the legal system. Past recipients include teen court programs across the state and programs that increase access to justice. Apply by April 18, 2025.

• • State Bar Awards: Celebrate these Leaders in the Law Making a Difference
  • They are members of the legal community who make a difference – by living a lifetime of service, mentoring others, offering their pro bono services, and going the extra mile. Congratulations to these award recipients, all leaders in the legal profession.

• • State Bar Elections: Vote April 10 to 25
  • Help set the direction and policies of the State Bar of Wisconsin by voting in the upcoming elections. Look for your email ballot soon. Here's more about the candidates and what you need to know to cast your vote.

Top Story

• • Demystifying Per Curiam Decisions
  • It may be easier to know what to do with a per curiam decision – usually don't cite it – than why a court would decide to issue one. But settled law, consensus, and caseload management can be factors.

Features

• • Delaware Enacts Significant Changes to its General Corporation Law
  • The Delaware Legislature has been moving quickly to ensure that Delaware remains the preeminent home of choice for many corporations. Eric G. Pearson discusses changes to the state's general corporation law.

• • Jill Creston Rothstein Selected as Next Executive Director for the State Bar of Wisconsin
  • The State Bar of Wisconsin's 53-member Board of Governors today selected Jill Creston Rothstein as the State Bar's next Executive Director. Rothstein, currently general counsel for the South Carolina Bar, will succeed Larry J. Martin, who is retiring Sept. 2, 2025.

• • State Bar Board Selects Next Executive Director, Approves FY 2026 Budget, Takes Other Action
  • The Board of Governors approved the fiscal year 2026 budget, agreed not to oppose a petition to the Wisconsin Supreme Court to eliminate the Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR) system’s district committees, and discussed reapportionment of State Bar districts, among other items.

• • Vote Now: 2025 State Bar Elections Open Through April 25
  • ​Voting is open for the 2025 State Bar of Wisconsin elections. Here is more information on who is eligible to vote, and how to vote.

• • Grassroots, From the Courtroom to the Capitol
  • From sending a message using the Advocacy Network, to testifying at a legislative hearing, to building a long-term relationship with your elected officials, you have power to effect policy change.

• • Nancy Kopp, Wisconsin Supreme Court Commissioner, Retires After 37 Years
  • The Wisconsin Court System is actively seeking candidates to serve as a Wisconsin Supreme Court Commissioner.