Oct. 6, 2009 – Members of the State Bar of Wisconsin have been invited to voice their reasons for favoring a mandatory or a voluntary association between now and Dec 4.
A project sponsored by the State Bar’s Strategic Planning Committee is gathering information from members and others regarding the potential impacts of becoming a voluntary organization. The committee is also asking leaders of committees, sections, divisions and other State Bar entities (along with non-bar entities) to identify the likely ramifications of such a change.
The committee will collect written responses to a mailed survey through Dec. 4 and will conduct a public hearing on Dec. 10 – 12 at the State Bar Center in Madison to gather additional perspectives.
“We want to give every member an opportunity to be heard,” explains committee Chair John Macy. “We also want to ensure that all pertinent aspects of this matter, including the potential impacts such a step would have on the State Bar and related entities, are considered by the committee and the Board of Governors.”
He stresses that the project builds on a member satisfaction survey completed last year, but has a different focus. “The intent is to gather information about how conversion to a voluntary bar would play out,” Macy notes. “Our focus now is to gain a deeper understanding of why members favor one option or the other and to inventory the operational, fiscal and other implications of such a move for the State Bar and entities it works with closely. Our goal is to thoroughly study the question, once and for all, and then make a recommendation, based on the data, to the Board of Governors so that they can move forward on this issue.”
The committee will deliver its report and recommendations to the Board of Governors prior to that group’s Feb. 26, 2010 meeting. The BOG is expected to vote on whether or not to petition the court by June 2010.
Additional information about the process, including a message from State Bar President Douglas W. Kammer, is available at www.wisbar.org/stratplancomm.
