Decisions Available from the Tax Appeals Commission Online

In “Legal Research 101: Finding Tax Law Resources” (InsideTrack, March 2, 2022), Carol Hassler, a law librarian at the Wisconsin State Law Library, provided a quick overview of the primary sources for tax law in general, plus books that can help guide you on your way.

For the sake of brevity, the article focused on federal and Wisconsin sources of tax law, including from the Wisconsin Tax Appeals Commission, and suggested asking a law librarian for help finding international or out-of-state laws or books.

A reader posted an update regarding the Wisconsin Tax Appeals Commission.

Reader: The Wisconsin Tax Appeals Commission finally has its own website, https://taxappeals.wi.gov/pages/home.aspx.

Wisconsin practitioners should be aware that the Tax Appeals Commission is no longer regularly updating its page on WisBar, the State Bar of Wisconsin’s website, although that page will remain as an archive. The Commission is grateful for the many years the State Bar provided this legal research service to the public and to attorneys in Wisconsin.

Elizabeth Kessler, Chair
State of Wisconsin Tax Appeals Commission

Respectful Dialog Is Always Appreciated

In “Communicating Gracefully,” (Wisconsin Lawyer, Feb. 2022), State Bar President Cheryl Daniels wrote about how her daughter, an elementary-school teacher, struggled this year to re-teach social skills – simple courtesy, kindness, and empathy toward one another – that her students forgot during their disrupted 2020 and 2021 pandemic school years. Daniels said she, too, has witnessed this regression among some attorneys, and she mentioned a recent example.

Daniels restated her commitment to engage in discussion on any issues members might have with the State Bar; email her at cheryldanielswisbar@gmail.com. She simply asks each of us to find understanding and empathy with one another as we do our best to navigate through the pandemic and beyond.

A reader posted a comment:

Reader: Every attorney, and in fact every nonattorney, should read Attorney Daniels’ wonderful, to-the-point article every year in order to internalize its undisputedly correct and critically important humane message and theme. We lawyers tell courts that certain cases are “spot-on”; well, this article is spot-on for everyone. Thanks.

Atty. Allen Ratkowski
Milwaukee

Civil Rights Law Might Be a Hot Practice Area, Too

Though not mentioned in the recent “What’s Hot, What’s Not: National Practice Trends 2022” article (Wisconsin Lawyer, Feb. 2022), an emerging nationwide practice niche is enforcing the civil rights of individuals who are discriminated against at their workplaces due to race-essentialist practices implemented under the guise of “anti-racism.”

For example, a New York public defender is suing her employer because of the harassment she alleges she experienced after she refused the instruction to identify herself as a “white woman” at an anti-bias training class and for writing a letter to the editor explaining her disagreements with the existing illiberal form of anti-racism.

Many of her colleagues issued a lengthy public statement calling her a “racist,” saying that she “has no business having a career in public defense, and we’re ashamed that she works for the Legal Aid Society.” They instigated a review of her files, which was determined to be baseless. Her employer continued the public retaliation, saying she was “complicit in the system of oppression” and took the job as a pass for “white supremacy” among many other insults. Maron v. Legal Aid Society.

In Minnesota, a doctor of Filipino descent with one of the highest patient-satisfaction ratings in the hospital, and a pristine record, is suing her employer alleging that she was humiliated and demoted from her position as department chair in retaliation for her vocal objections to race-essentialist practices being implemented at her workplace (including racially segregated care) and for her “internalized whiteness” (as a person of color) causing “trauma” to some coworkers. Gustilo v. Hennepin Healthcare System Inc.

And last fall, a healthcare executive in North Carolina was awarded $10 million in punitive damages by a jury because his employer, a large healthcare organization, fired him without warning based on his skin color and gender (white male) and replaced him with two women to make their leadership more diverse. Duvall v. Novant Health Inc.

The courage of these people is helping to break the spiral of silence. For more information, I encourage you to contact the new Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism, whose mission is to advance a pro-human, anti-racism approach to civil rights and liberties for all Americans. No dehumanization. No division based on immutable characteristics. The website is www.fairforall.org.

Kevin M. Connelly
Connelly Legal Services, Westby