Guest Column
Does the State Bar Need a New Facility?
The Facilities Committee concludes it is time to do something
about the shortcomings of our 40-year-old facility. Discussions about
space limitations, resulting in inefficiencies and restricted member
access, have been going on for 10 years.
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Pro:
The State Bar Has Outgrown Its Current Building
By Gerald M. O'Brien
 The current State Bar Center is 40 years old. It was built
when membership was approximately 6,500. Today, we have more than 19,000
members, 78 staff, 50 committees, 23 sections and three divisions and a
long list of member service activities. As we approach the 21st century,
our technology needs are changing and our membership is growing by at
least 400 attorneys each year.
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Con:
The State Bar Does Not Need a New Facility
By Robert R. Goepel
 In September the Board of Governors authorized $10,000 to
study sites and requirements for a new Bar building. In summary, a new
building is not needed, is staff driven, poorly documented in terms of
exploration of alternatives, a burden upon the members and sold by a
campaign of misinformation.
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Questions or Comments?
For more background on the State Bar facility or to provide feedback
to the Facilities
Committee, please visit WisBar's Bar
Center Homepage.
If you prefer to contact Facilities Committee members by phone or
fax, please consult the online roster.
Wisconsin Lawyer
