Vol. 76, No. 2, February 2003

The Years in Review

by George C. Brown,
State Bar executive director

The State Bar Association of Wisconsin held its first meeting in the Wisconsin Supreme Court hearing room in the State Capitol on Jan. 9, 1878. That makes 2003 the 125th year of the organized bar in Wisconsin. That first meeting was reenacted by members of the Wisconsin Law Foundation and others on Jan. 9, 2003, in the newly restored supreme court hearing room. Numerous State Bar past presidents, other attorneys, and interested citizens filled the hearing room to learn about the organized bar's founding principles and about major events in the Bar's history during the last century and a quarter.

This year also marks the 150th anniversary of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, the 75th anniversary of this magazine, whose antecedent was called the Bulletin of the Wisconsin State Bar Association and then the Wisconsin Bar Bulletin until 1989, and the 25th anniversary of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals.

To celebrate these anniversaries, the State Bar, the supreme court, and the State Historical Society are sponsoring a series of events and recognitions. An exhibit on the history of the supreme court, funded with grants from the Milwaukee Bar Foundation Inc. and the Wisconsin Humanities Council, will travel to various courthouses statewide. The State Historical Society of Wisconsin has published and is selling at a modest price an updated Portraits of Justice, a collective biography of all the lawyers who have served as justices of the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The Winter 2002-2003 issue of the society's Wisconsin Magazine of History included a brief history of the Wisconsin Supreme Court and articles about Wisconsin's territorial court and the recent restoration of the supreme court hearing room. The State Bar annual convention in May will feature numerous recognitions of the Bar's history and the impact of the organized bar on the public, profession, and justice system. A Spotlight CLE program will feature local historian, judge, and attorney presentations on significant legal cases, issues, and personalities from Wisconsin. Other events will be announced later.

Throughout the year, the Wisconsin Lawyer will recognize important events and people in the history of the State Bar and the legal profession. A series of articles by attorney Joseph Ranney and other authors on former chief justices will appear in 2003. A monthly column, "From the Archives" - which debuts this month - will identify fascinating tidbits from past magazines, including personalities, trends, statistics, and changes in the law. This "Inside the Bar" column will join the effort beginning next month with an exploration of some of the 265 founders of the organized bar - where they came from and where they went.

Wisconsin's lawyers have played a significant role in the physical, cultural, economic, and political development of our state. The State Bar of Wisconsin looks forward to celebrating these successes in our 125th year.

Wisconsin Lawyer