Wis Bar Blog

Clement out as AG

2007-09-16T22:58:00.000-05:00

Paul Clement (Harvard '92, Admitted Wis: 2003) is expected to lose his job as interim attorney general, given all the press related to Bush naming Michael B. Mukasey, a former federal judge from New York, as his appointee to the top attorney spot. Clement stepped in for the interim after former AG Gonzales stepped out.

JSOnline: From Cedarburg to the spotlight, Former resident to step in as interim attorney general

NYTimes: Bush Expected to Name Judge as Gonzales’s Successor

Prosecutors: Milwaukee, Discretion, needs

2007-09-16T22:23:00.000-05:00

A Milwaukee prosecutors blog hits the net while juror tales meet the same fate. Who knows all the needs, but perhaps a right to substitute, a speedy trial request or a method to the madness of discretion to charge (Georgia Thompson) ? And what will happen to sentences in Milwaukee. Perhaps we can all comment via this Federal records form.

Wisconsin State Journal: Sex case points up 'deal' not to prosecute

Open Government

2007-09-16T22:19:00.000-05:00

DOJ announces open government seminars while The Capital Times reports the Supreme Court's recent opinions and matters regarding the same.

Green Bay Press Gazette: Open government seminars scheduled around the state

The Capital Times: Your Right to Know: Watch high court for rulings on open government laws

Ziegler fallout hits Hoover

2007-09-16T21:52:00.000-05:00

Judge Hoover (UW'78), Wisconsin Court of Appeals District III, has recused himself and many outlets are reporting that he supported Ziegler during the campaign. Hoover's offical state office address was listed as the source of a $100 2006 donation to the campaign. Hoover was originally selected to be the Presiding Judge. Hoover's contribution was apprently before questions regarding Ziegler's conflict of interest issues came out and the source of the current concern. The new panel includes Judges Fine, Appeals D1 (presiding judge of the panel); Wedemeyer, Jr., D1; and Dykman, D4.

Local: Wausau Daily Herald: Wausau-based judge who donated to Ziegler withdraws from ethics case
WisPolitics: Judge who gave Ziegler $100 withdraws from her discipline panel Order disbanding panel
The Capital Times: Ziegler panel member withdraws
Wisconsin Law Journal: Neighboring states take different approaches to allegations against justices

The Right of judicial subsitution

2007-09-12T19:58:00.000-05:00

The legislature seems to be tinkering with the right of substitution again. Perhaps under the misguided idea that it is an expensive and meaningless right. Timelines are to be considered and rights removed. While some judges (Rock County Circuit Judge James E. Welker UW'69) and District Attorneys (Green Lake County District Attorney Winn Collins UW'03) seem to find the law improper, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has supported the law and written an editorial opposing any change.

JS Online: 6,000 a year switch judges
JS Online: Editorial: Preserve this right
The one free judge substitution a criminal defendant gets is a needed check on a powerful judiciary. The Legislature must not tinker with that check.

More Ziegler... Orders and donors

2007-09-12T19:54:00.000-05:00

The Order referring the current Judicial Commission Complaint can be found here.

More interesting news is the state of Supreme Court races. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that Ziegler gave nearly $825,000 out of her own pocket during the election campaign. Thats for a job which pays less than $140,000 a year. Who knows if this will financial or otherwise will pay off.

All Politics Watch: Ziegler gave

Foley concedes it doesn't know football

2007-09-12T19:48:00.000-05:00

Apparently the Foley suite auctioned off for charity has garnered little interest. According to a recent Wisconsin State Journal story, Foley has a new focus on charity. Although, they admit they didn't know enough about football, the game was chosen before the 0-2 Wolverines season began.

Remember, they do know a little about basketball.

Wisconsin State Journal: Football suite for charity

Supreme Court Update: Bucher not Butler

2007-09-10T20:59:00.000-05:00

Former DA of Waukesha County, Paul Bucher will not be seeking the Supreme Court seat currently held by Butler.

WisPolitics: Bucher opts against Supreme Court bid

The Goat Head

2007-09-09T09:30:00.000-05:00

My favorite godfather meets Wisconsin story so far.

JSonline: Severed Goat head left at law office

Rock County judge race

2007-09-09T09:29:00.000-05:00

Three contenders for the seat of John Roethe, Rock County Court Branch 5, opening at the end of the year.

Gazette

Budget: Close the law school

2007-09-09T09:19:00.001-05:00

This came to the forefront again, due to the continuing budget "negotiations". In a recent opinion article in the Capital Times, Senate majority leader, Sen. Judy Robson (D-Beloit), encourages the budget to move forward and points to some republican oddities. Specifically, Republicans "proposed shutting down the UW Law School in its entirety because one of their members was unhappy with his legal representation during a messy divorce."

Well this was odd when it happened and was fully investigated to be what it was, personal above the public and above public service and was entirely personal politics.

Capital Times: Sen. Robson opinion

Frank Lasee (R-Green Bay) proposal to cut funding

And the backstory:
Seriatim: Why Does Frank Lasee Hate Lawyers
Althouse: What the divorce court transcripts tell us about Frank Lasee
Wisconsin State Journal: Lasee's acrimony on full display

Perks: Foley

2007-09-09T09:10:00.000-05:00

Foley & Lardner has a suite at Camp Randall, which they are auctioning off for charity, for the Michigan game only. Speculation abounds as to whether this has to do with Michigan's recent fall from grace.

What are your fimrs perks? Suites at the Bradley Center, Lambeau, Miller Park? Please post your comments.

Badger Blog: eBay Foley Suite

With 5 days to go, there are no bids... eBAY

The J. Zeigler saga continues...

2007-09-09T08:59:00.000-05:00

Annette Ziegler has appeared to enter into a stipulation, recommending a public reprimand, regarding the conflict of interest issues with West Bend Savings Band. The question remains as to what her fellow Supremes will do, as they sit next to her for the next few years...

The complaint now hits a panel of three-judges set by the Court of Appeals chief judge. They will report to the Supremes.

WISPolitics.com: Stipulation
Appleton Post Crescent: Ziegler did not contest the findings
Wisconsin State Journal: Public reprimand appropriate?

UW on campus interview list

2007-09-05T23:52:00.000-05:00

Firms interviewing at UW this fall (2007)

Firm Name
Andrus, Sceales,Starke & Sawall
Arnstein & Lehr
Axley Brynelson
Baker & Daniels
Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg
Bell, Gierhart & Moore
Boardman Law Firm
Borgelt, Powell, Peterson & Frauen, S.C.
Bowman & Brooke, LLP
Boyle Fredrickson Newholm Stein & Gratz
Briggs and Morgan, P.A.
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella, P.C.
Cargill, Incorporated
Cargill, Incorporated Patent Law Dept.
Chapman & Cutler
City of Chicago Department of Law
Cook County State's Attorney's Office
Cooley Godward
Corneille Law Group
Davis & Kuelthau S.C.
Deloitte Tax LLP
DeWitt Ross & Stevens, S.C.
Dorsey & Whitney LLP
Dow, Lohnes & Albertson, PLLC
Drinker Biddle Gardner Carton LLP
Faegre & Benson LLP
Fitch, Even, Tabin & Flannery (IP Firm)
Foley & Lardner
Foster, Swift, Collins & Smith, P.C.
Fredrikson & Byron PA
Fulbright & Jaworski, LLP
Gabert, Williams, Konz & Lawrynk, LLP
Godfrey & Kahn
Gray, Plant, Mooty
Hall, Render, Killian, Heath & Lyman, P.C.
Halleland Lewis Nilan & Johnson
Heller Ehrman LLP
Herrling, Clark, Hartzheim & Siddall
Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP
Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP
Holmstrom & Kennedy
IRS, Office of Chief Counsel
Jenner & Block LLP
Jones Day
Kasdorf, Lewis & Swietlik
Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP
Kenyon & Kenyon, LLP
Kinney & Lange, P.A.
Latham & Watkins
Lathrop & Clark, LLP
Leonard Street and Deinard
Liebman, Conway, Olejniczak & Jerry, S.C.
Lindner & Marsack, S.C.
Lindquist & Vennum
Lord, Bissell & Brook
Maslon, Edelman Borman & Brand
Mayer, Brown Rowe & Maw
McDermott, Will & Emery
Meissner, Tierney, Fisher & Nichols S.C.
Melli, Walker, Pease & Ruhly, S.C.
Merchant & Gould
Michael Best & Friedrich LLP
Milwaukee County D.A.'s office
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP
National Labor Relations Board
Nichols Kaster & Anderson PLLP
Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly LLP
Patterson & Sheridan, LLP (IP Firm)
Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP
Perkins Coie
Quarles & Brady
Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren S.C.
Reno & Zahm, LLP
Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi, LLP
Ruder Ware
Schiff Hardin LLP
Schwartz Cooper LLP
Segal McCambridge Singer & Mahoney, Ltd.
Seyfarth Shaw, LLP
Shumaker & Sieffert
Sidley Austin Brown & Wood
Siegel, Brill, Greupner, Duffy & Foster, P.A.
Simpson & Deardorff, S.C.
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
SmithAmundsen LLP
Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal
Stafford Rosenbaum LLP
Stroud, Willink & Howard, LLC
Swanson, Martin & Bell
Thompson Coburn Fagel Haber LLP
U.S. Air Force JAG Corps
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
U.S. Army JAG Corps
U.S. Navy JAG Corps
U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG)
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
Ungaretti & Harris LLP
Vedder, Price, Kaufman & Kammholz
von Briesen & Roper, S.C.
Vorys Sater Seymour & Pease LLP
Weld, Riley, Prenn & Ricci, S.C.
Welsh & Katz
Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek S.C.
Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon
Winston & Strawn, LLP
Winthrop & Weinstine
Zelle, Hofmann, Voelbel, Mason & Gette LLP

we are still looking for the Marquette list - email if you can share it

Nationwide Salary Chart

2007-09-05T23:39:00.001-05:00

So, what is being regarded as the "chart of the year" has appeared in Jobs & JD's (from NALP). The chart shows the salary distribution of all members of the Class of 2006 who reported income data to their respective law school (a total of 22,665 graduates). As you can see, the bulk of new attorneys across the nation fall in the $40K to $50K range, with a median of $62K. Another significant group appears at approximately $135K. While this is apparent when examining Wisconsin NALP firms, which publish their entry salary data, it is equally true that "$40K to $55K per year is just not enough to pay down the avg. $85,000 debt (especially as interest rates climb) and still enjoy any kind of lifestyle that a professional degree is presumed to confer." (Empirical Legal Studies).

More on Wisconsin salaries to come...

See the full article at Empirical Legal Studies
More coverage at ATL

Understanding Bail determinations

2007-09-05T23:35:00.000-05:00

Dodge County DA Steven Bauer writes in the Fond du lac Reporter that "in formulating a bail recommendation to the court, prosecutors make an estimate of the likely sentence that the defendant will receive if he or she is found guilty."

Check out the full story at FDLreporter.com

Justice Butler opposed by Schutze

2007-09-05T02:24:00.000-05:00

Sun Prairie Attorney Charlie Schutze (JD Pace) has announced that he will be seeking the seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court held by Justice Louis Butler (JD UW). In 2001, Schutze ran for the District IV Court of Appeals position against Justice Paul Lundsten. Schutze has been named one of Madison's best tax attorneys by Madison Magazine.

Schutze has made public comments regarding incarceration:

Prison perspective offered

Regarding Monday's guest column on the prison population, the high rate of incarceration here is not a criticism of American law but rather of the dictatorships listed by the writer...

...Our system is not perfect, but it is the best in world. If you are truly concerned about the high incarceration rate in America, then I offer this advice: Don't commit crimes and you won't have to worry about incarceration, and you may pack and move to your favorite police state.

- Charles Schutze, Sun Prairie

Wisconsin State Journal

Schutze Press Release
Butler Press Release: Milwaukee Police Association endorsement
Wisconsin State Journal: Court race needs dignity, openness
Wisconsin State Journal: Costly Fight Shaping Up For Next Supreme Court Seat

WisEye to air Supreme Court Oral Arguments

2007-09-05T02:02:00.000-05:00

WisEye, the c-span for the State of Wisconsin, has announced that it will carry live video from the Oral Arguments before the court on September 5, 2007. Three cases are slated for argument:

The coverage of all oral argument will be aired live or via tape-delay. WisEye will archive the footage at its website, wiseye.org. Of course, oral arguments are available live and archived at the Supreme Court Website.

It will also be interesting to watch those disciplinary matters on tv as well.

WisEye Press Release
WisEye Supreme Court Viewer's Guide
Supreme Court oral arguments (audio only)

Oral argument schedule and case synopses

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2007
09:45 a.m. - #05AP886 - Robert Stuart, et al. v. Weisflog's Showroom Gallery, Inc., et al.
#05AP1287 - Robert Stuart, et al. v. Weisflog's Showroom Gallery, Inc., et al.

01:30 p.m. - #06AP1826-CRAC - State v. Ronald Schaefer

Table of pending cases

2005AP886 R. Stuart, et al. v. Weisflog’s Showroom Gallery, Inc., et al.
A review of 2006 WI App 109
Does Wis. Stat. § 100.20(5) allow for doubling of all damages if unfair competition/trade practices are not the cause of all damages?

2005AP1287 R. Stuart, et al. v. Weisflog’s Showroom Gallery, Inc., et al.
A review of 2006 WI App 184
Does a commercial general liability (CGL) policy which excludes coverage for “misrepresentations” (per the “your work” business risk exclusion) need to separately list statutory or administrative code misrepresentations in order for those misrepresentations to also be excluded from coverage?

2006AP1826-CRAC State v. Ronald Schaefer
via cert.
Does a criminal defendant have a subpoena right to obtain and copy police investigation reports and non-privileged materials prior to the preliminary hearing?

Foley Saves Milwaukee Bucks

2007-09-05T01:44:00.000-05:00

So NBA player Yi, the 6th pick in the 2007 draft, was holding out and appeared opposed to playing for the Milwaukee Bucks, owned by Herb Kohl (UW 1956). Foley partner Z. Julie Lee guided the negotiation and successfully landed Yi, who is expected to contribute significantly to the Bucks immediately.

Wall Street Journal Law Blog
Bucks: Yi signs contract
Foley: Zhu Julie Lee

Cecelia Klingele SCOTUS clerk for J.Stevens in 2008

2007-08-31T02:14:00.000-05:00

University of Wisconsin Alum Cecelia Klingele (2005) will be clerking for Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens in 2008. She is currently a clerk for Chief Judge Barbara B. Crabb of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin. Later this year she will be travelling south to clerk for Susan Harrell Black of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in Jacksonville, Florida.

More: UW Law School Announcement
ATL reports on all clerks