The State Bar's Board of Governors invited Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Brian Hagedorn to give opening remarks at the Board's meeting on April 11, 2025. He discussed the high cost of entering the legal profession coupled with the problem of legal deserts, and ideas to consider. He also discussed the politicization of the bar and other institutions, and threats to the constitutional order. Photos: Shannon Green.​

April 14, 2025 – Jill Creston Rothstein will become the State Bar of Wisconsin’s next executive director after Larry J. Martin retires, effective Sept. 2, 2025. Rothstein emerged as the top candidate after a monthslong national search and interview process.

A 12-person Executive Director Transition & Search Committee recommended Rothstein, and the State Bar’s 53-person Board of Governors (Board) approved her for the role at its April 11 meeting in Madison. Rothstein, currently general counsel for the South Carolina Bar, has a wealth of experience, including nearly two decades of bar association experience.

The State Bar’s executive director is the organization’s chief executive officer and recommends and participates with the State Bar’s elected leadership in formulating policies and programs consistent with the purposes for which the State Bar was established. Read more about Rothstein’s background and experience.

FY 2026 Budget Approved

The Board approved the fiscal year 2026 (July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026) budget. The FY 2026 budget is the product of lengthy review process and was recommended unanimously by both the State Bar’s Finance Committee and Executive Committee.

The budget that the Board approved is balanced without reliance on volatile investments, and includes a small dues increase of 2.36% (an increase of $7), to $303. It maintains personnel and programming at current levels. The Board discussed the budget at its February meeting and approved it unanimously last week.

“I am extremely hawkish when it comes to dues increases,” State Bar President Ryan M. Billings told the Board in February. “I think we have our most important mission to be good stewards of our members’ funds entrusted to us.”

Nonresident Lawyer Division Rep. Daneka Hill asks Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Brian Hagedorn a question after his opening remarks to the State Bar's Board of Governors.

Billings said he came in as president “extremely skeptical of any dues increase.” If a budget came to him with a dues increase, he said he would “challenge every aspect of that budget.” He did so line-by-line, along with the Strategic Planning Joint Review Committee, considering whether expenses could be cut or revenues increased.

Even with the proposed dues increase, Billings said, State Bar fees remain under the rate of inflation since 1983, when dues were $100, “which is worth $335 today.”

“On the expense side, I will tell you that staff has cut the hard-cost expenses, in my view, to the absolute bone. The only way we could cut further is if we cut programs, and people with them, which I think is something we should be very, very, very hesitant to do as we bring on board a new Executive Director.”

District 7 Gov. Stephen Sawyer, noting recent stock market volatility, asked to what degree investment income affects the budget.

All investments are excluded at the start of the budgeting process, Interim Administration & Finance Director Jackie Jacobson explained. Only after the first round of review does interest and dividend income – safe investments – count toward balancing the budget.

Unrealized gains or losses on volatile investments are left to fall to the bottom line, which are budgeted conservatively at $47,000 for FY26.

Member dues make up 46% of the State Bar’s $13.5 million budget. Registrations, sales, subscriptions, grant income, advertising, and other revenue sources account for 54%.

Past President Dean R. Dietrich moved to approve the proposed fiscal year 2026 annual budget, “which includes the Keller reduction amount, and the dues increase included as part of the proposal.” The motion passed unanimously.

State Bar Treasurer Deanne Koll asks a question about a proposal, filed by the Board of Administrative Oversight, to eliminate the Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR) system's district committees.

Board Not Opposed to Petition on OLR District Committees

The Board also agreed not to oppose a petition to the Wisconsin Supreme Court to eliminate the Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR) system’s district committees.

Dietrich reported on a pending petition before the Wisconsin Supreme Court, No. 24-06, submitted by the Board of Administrative Oversight (BAO) to amend SCR 21.06 and eliminate the district committees. Comments are due to the supreme court May 28.

The district committees allow local lawyers to investigate complaints against a lawyer in that district. The OLR refers grievances to the district committees for investigation. The district committee returns its investigation to the OLR to decide the grievance. However, the committees have been dormant in recent years, Dietrich said.

The OLR has developed an investigative team that now handles intake and investigating grievances, Dietrich explained.

The supreme court considered a petition eliminating the district committees in 2019. At that time, the Board voted to oppose the proposal.

District 4 Gov. Julie F. Stodolka inquired about why the district committees had become dormant. “I did have the chance to tell my constituency in District 4 about this proposal, and several people indicated that they had positive experiences being on the committee, but not recently.”

Section Leaders Council Rep. James Goldschmidt adds to the Board's discussion. Goldschmidt will be the moderator in the closing plenary on judicial review of agency decisions at the State Bar's Annual Meeting & Conference in Madison, June 18-20. Panelists include Hon. Patience D. Roggensack (Ret.), former chief justice for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, as well as Hon. Shelley J. Gaylord (Ret.) and Northwestern Pritzker School of Law Professor James B. Speta.

“Quite a few people felt that it was useful to have input from a local area and for the local area to have input for OLR about how they were viewing these ethics issues,” Stodolka said.

Treasurer Deanne M. Koll, who is a BAO member, explained that “this is in line with OLR’s … strategic plan movement, which is to be able to more efficiently, effectively, and quickly resolve all OLR complaints.”

However, Koll added, “the other side is, then you have local representation on those [committees], and which is more important?”

Section Leaders Council Rep. James Goldschmidt asked, “in the absence of the district committees, what is my right to [a voice from lawyers who know me] under the process or approach that’s being proposed? What is the guarantee?”

At the OLR hearing, one could still request testimony in support before the referee, said Dietrich, who in his experience with the committees said, “I don’t think any Wisconsin lawyer is losing any of their protections, any of their rights if they don’t go through a district committee.”

In addition, Koll said that any OLR complaint goes through the Preliminary Review Committee that comprises lawyers and nonlawyers statewide.

The motion that the Board “authorize the communication to the court in a timely fashion indicating that the Board of Governors is not opposed to the petition as presented,” passed unanimously.

Dist. 2 Gov. Randall Brotherhood explains a proposal to reapportion State Bar districts, which it is required to do every 10 years to account for population changes.

Board Discusses Reapportionment of State Bar Districts

The State Bar under SCR 10.05(2) is required to redistrict the Board based on population changes every 10 years. District 2 Gov. Randy Brotherhood presented the proposal developed by a five-member committee chaired by Past President Jill Kastner.

Districts should be fairly equal in population, compact, and contiguous, and an effort is made to keep together in the same district counties that share a bar association, Brotherhood explained.

In the past 10 years, population has grown in Dane, Ozaukee, and Door counties while Milwaukee County has lost population, Brotherhood said.

The changes proposed include moving Polk County from District 8 to District 11, combining Kenosha County with Racine County in District 15, and moving Dodge County to District 1 with Jefferson and Walworth counties. District 13 would contain only Ozaukee. Milwaukee County would lose one governor from its 12 and Dane County, which now has seven governors, would gain one.

The proposal is scheduled for a vote at the June Board meeting to be effective for the spring 2026 elections, Brotherhood said.

Treasurer Koll pointed out that removing Polk County from District 8 separates it from other counties in the St. Croix Valley Bar Association. “Practical interactions among the counties for the district should take precedence over just trying to hit a number,” she said. Brotherhood said the committee will consider this suggestion.

Consent Agenda

Access to Justice Commission. The Board approved appointment of Dawn Caldart, Pro Bono Director at Quarles & Brady LLP in Milwaukee, to the Access to Justice Commission. The State Bar appoints four members, with staggered terms, to the commission. A second appointment will be presented at the June 18 Board meeting.

Website Housecleaning. The Board approved updating the State Bar website to consistently describe the definition of diversity adopted in 2024 for the State Bar’s Diversity Clerkship Program. The definition is: “Diversity means including people with differing characteristics, beliefs, experiences, interests, and viewpoints. Diversity promotes an environment in which all individuals are treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their differences and without regard to stereotypes, and helps to ensure a better understanding and consideration of the needs and viewpoints of others with whom we interact.”

2028 Annual Meeting and Conference. The Board approved setting the 2028 Annual Meeting & Conference for June 7-9 at a location to be determined in Madison.

Members may obtain a copy of the minutes of each meeting of the Board of Governors by contacting State Bar Executive Coordinator Kim Jansen by email or phone at 608-250-6106.