Sweeney challenges bar members to volunteer

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“People live in each other’s shelter.”
— Irish Proverb

“I’m impressed by how much is already going on. From our young lawyers working on Habitat or our Mentoring Committee, to our Pro Bono Committee that makes pro bono available at a number of places throughout Dane County, to the committee that made a video on pro se divorce that’s going to become available statewide very soon.” Jack Sweeney, DCBA President

The newest president of the Dane County Bar Association, and proud Irishman, Jack Sweeney, feels strongly about giving back to the community. He also believes that spirit can be infectious, especially among lawyers.

Sweeney, an assistant attorney general with the Wisconsin Department of Justice, is asking every member of the DCBA to give just a little bit more, in the form of three additional hours this year of pro bono or volunteer service. That’s on top of the three or more he hopes they’re already giving.

He’s not picky about what they choose to do.

“It can be formal, with one of our committees, or just something they do with their church, or work with Habitat [for Humanity], or anything like that.”

Three hours is a relatively short amount of time. But, do the math, Sweeney urges: Three hours times 1,500 lawyers equals 4,500 more hours. If they’re already giving at least three hours, that’s a total of 9,000 hours. Not bad. Another Irish proverb comes to mind: “By degrees the castles are built.”

Those who accept his challenge — everyone, Sweeney hopes — will be invited to attend two free three-credit CLE sessions, to be held this fall and next spring. That’s a $300 value, he notes.

Sweeney, a Madison native, takes great pride in the service-orientation of his local bar association. He says, “Frankly, there’s no better place in the world to practice law, and I think our people do just a wonderful job in terms of pro bono and community activities. I think it’s a tribute to our young people. Every year, we get a lot of new lawyers who come in and get involved, and get involved on a long-term basis.”

He continues, “I’m impressed by how much is already going on. From our young lawyers working on Habitat or our Mentoring Committee, to our Pro Bono Committee that makes pro bono available at a number of places throughout Dane County, to the committee that made a video on pro se divorce that’s going to become available statewide very soon. And there’s our wonderful mediation program, that’s expanding into Columbia County, and we hope it expands elsewhere in the future.

“The bar already does a lot, but if we can give our members an incentive to do even more, why not do it?”

The association is also creating new committees, one for member education to coordinate the free CLE, and another to promote diversity, he adds.

Sweeney is also asking the DCBA membership to invite a lawyer who is not a bar member to join. If they take someone to a luncheon meeting, or one of the bar’s community activities, he or she can get a taste of the collegiality and will likely be hooked.

While Sweeney would love it if the association doubled its size in the coming year, he realizes that probably won’t happen. But if membership grows even somewhat, he views that as a win-win.

Sweeney has been a government lawyer for most of his career. From 1979-87, he worked in the Wisconsin Department of Justice, and then rejoined it in 1999. He worked in private practice in between.

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Sweeney, who earned his undergraduate degree at Notre Dame in 1967, joined the seminary afterward, but never completed that course of study. He taught school for a couple of years in Chicago before attending law school, once again at Notre Dame. He earned his J.D. in 1973.

Throughout his legal career, he has been a litigator. He began in legal services in Chicago, but then switched his focus to employment law when he joined the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in its Windy City office, prosecuting discrimination claims. In his most recent career facet, he defends the State of Wisconsin against employment-related claims.

He is married to Jodi Bender Sweeney, who works as a consultant to non-profit organizations throughout the country. They have four children, ranging in age from 15 to 28. They’re all excitedly anticipating a family trip to Ireland this fall.

In the meantime, he’ll be busy practicing law and engaged in bar activities. And, “For fun — which really often turns to misery — I watch the Cubs,” he jokes.