The State Bar took occupancy of its new center at 5302 Eastpark Boulevard, Madison, in early August 1999.

Staff work areas on all three levels combine 16 closed offices with open space divided into 78 modular workstations, such as the one shown. Use of the 8' x 8' workstations allows for easy future modification.

The Past President's Board Room, a gift of living past presidents, honors all State Bar past presidents. The nicely appointed room seats 16 at the conference table. The mahogany table sports electric outlets and computer and telephone ports for the convenient use of laptops and other electronic equipment during meetings.

The technology center, with space for 12, will be used for hands-on computer training and possibly testing and demonstrating new hardware and software. The permanent setup includes space-saving flat computer screens connected to laptop computers. With power sources at desk height, there's no more tripping over taped-down power cords.

The order fulfillment team now has sufficient, well-lit space to shelve inventory and process orders for CLE books, videos, and other Bar publications and products. Previously, product inventory was warehoused in rented offsite space.

Once relegated to a rented, offsite location due to space shortage in the West Wilson Street building, the Bar's mailing operation now is back in-house. Gone are the days of staff and courier services transporting materials between locations, leading to inefficiencies, added costs, and opportunities for missed communications.

An in-house EconoPrint shop provides fast, inventory-on-demand, professional service - with 24-hour support from other Madison EconoPrint locations. Working with electronic file transfers - from virtually paperless originals - reduces Bar expenses for materials, staff time, and wasted inventory. Coupled with the lowered cost per impression for the Bar's high printing volume, these expense reductions will benefit the State Bar's bottom line.

CLE seminars can be taped and duplicated quickly for use at any of the remote video locations statewide. An audio feed direct from the seminar rooms immediately alerts video staff, working upstairs on other projects, of any replay problems - saving time, equipment, and money.

The Wingra, Mendota, and Monona seminar rooms individually can accommodate up to 80, depending upon seating style. When combined, as shown here, the space can seat up to 250 using a theatre-style arrangement. Tables contain power feeds for connecting attendees' laptops and other equipment, built in technology could someday be used for video conferencing, and three levels of separately controlled lighting make these rooms functional now and for the future.