The two candidates for State Bar of Wisconsin president-elect both want the organization to do more for its members.

But attorneys James C. Boll, 42, and James R. Troupis, 55, have different ideas about how to achieve that goal.

Boll, who is in-house counsel for Madison Gas & Electric, Co., supports a voluntary bar and said that it is time the organization admit and address the fact that a portion of its membership is unhappy.

“We need to identify why there is disillusionment,” Boll said. “I think it exists based on some members who don’t believe they get anything from the bar.”

Troupis, a partner with Michael Best & Friedrich, LLP, in Madison, is less concerned with whether the bar goes voluntary, and said the primary focus of the organization should be its members and how they can more effectively work with clients and the judiciary.

He suggests that leaders avoid spending energy and resources on politically divisive issues that do not directly impact the daily lives of attorneys and the public. Troupis conceded that entities like the Wisconsin Judicial Integrity Committee created by former President Thomas J. Basting Sr., spark constructive debate, but monitoring judicial elections is not necessarily a core responsibility of the bar.

“I think when we focus on intensely political issues, we divert the bar away from those matters that are of far greater concern on a day-to-day basis for the public and our members,” said Troupis, who suggested the bar could take a leadership role on issues like improving compensation for State Public Defenders.

“Those things are a lot more important than whether I read my name in a paper over some politically sexy issue,” Troupis said. 

Service Is Key

President-elect Douglas W. Kammer gained notoriety last year when he campaigned and won as a third-party candidate who ran solely on the platform of a voluntary bar. Boll said his decision to support a voluntary bar is personal, in that he is against mandatory membership for any organization, and his stance is not simply a tool to attract voters.

He insists that regardless of when and if the Supreme Court decides to make the bar voluntary, leaders should do a better job of communicating with attorneys around the state.

“My concern is what we’ve seen the last two or four elections where people have talked about whether or not the bar offers any benefits to them,” Boll said. “I want to move on to why that is and why some members don’t want to belong to this organization.”

Even if he does not win, Boll would like to see the bar consolidate some of its 20 committees and establish an Overall Benefits Committee to provide members with a central outlet to promote services.

Boll also wants leadership to be more active in local bar associations and for the Board of Governors to focus more on communication within their districts.

“Frankly, I think a lot of people don’t know who the Board of Governors are,” Boll said. “If we have that communication, I think a voluntary bar would be just as strong [as a mandatory one].”

Troupis said he is not worried about the voluntary-mandatory issue and noted that when the bar briefly went voluntary in the 1980s, it still provided quality services to members.

His primary goal is to advance ideas which have universal support, such as public access to legal services.

“We need to answer the question of why are we lawyers?” Troupis said. “Our proudest moments are when we protect the weak from the strong and we need to remember that.”

He also expected that the voluntary bar issue would be resolved by the time Kammer’s successor takes office.

“I think the president at that point will need to be prepared for whatever is the outcome,” Troupis said. “If it is voluntary, I think we’ll do just fine as we did before.”

Third Party

Given that the bar’s Nominating Committee is endorsing a candidate who is openly supportive of a voluntary bar, Boll said some credit should be given to the organization for acknowledging the importance of the issue.

But he did not speculate as to whether his candidacy will dissuade a third party from jumping in this year.

Boll said he has briefly talked with Kammer about how to approach the voluntary bar issue and hopes it will be advanced in a reasonable manner. A membership survey was recently issued to attorneys to solicit feedback on a voluntary bar and other issues.

He also said that the voluntary bar debate is bigger than any one individual.

“Hopefully he [Kammer] does not simply want to tear things down, but wants to do things for the benefit of the bar,” Boll said.

Troupis also did not venture a guess if additional candidates will emerge, but said he does favor future changes in the election process such as a “run-off” election if a winner does not obtain more than 50 percent of the vote.

“It makes some sense to ensure whoever the president happens to be has the support of the majority of members who vote,” said Troupis, who did not expect any election reforms to be in place prior to this year’s ballots being mailed in April.

The president-elect term begins on July 1.