New DCBA president

Listen to this article

Marta T. Meyers sees the Dane County Case Mediation Program as the Dane County Bar Association’s flagship program.

Attorney Marta T. Meyers is gearing up for an active year as Dane County Bar Association president.

Meyers assumed the role on June 1 and in her first seven days attended a retirement party for Circuit Court Judge Robert A. Dechambeau and a commemoration of 10 local attorneys who have been in practice for 50 years.

“It’s been a busy start to say the least,” joked Meyers, who practices family law at Boardman Suhr Curry & Field, LLP, in Madison. “Following in Jack Sweeney’s footsteps is hard, but it’s an honor.”

Six years ago, Meyers joined the DCBA board of directors and served two terms as secretary until a friend urged her to run for president. Now, Meyers is finding out firsthand what representing more than 1,400 attorneys and judges in the county means.

“Having been the president-elect and on the board, I think I have sharpened my sense of where the bar is going,” said Meyers who spent a decade with Foley & Lardner, LLP, in Madison prior to joining Boardman in 2003. “I think this is going to be a good year.”

While Meyers did not outline any grand initiatives, she did pledge to continue improving on several already in place.

She was particularly pleased with the progress of the Dane County Case Mediation Program, which has flourished in recent years. For a $75 filing fee, a civil or family case is referred to a three-person panel for mediation.

Dane County Bar members routinely volunteer half-days to participate in the program.

“It’s our flagship program,” said Meyers who has participated on numerous occasions. “In family law, it’s a great way to get cases off the docket and resolve them in a fairly affordable manner. People still feel like they’ve been listened to and had their day in court.”

In the last year, the program has spread to Columbia County and Meyers hopes to expand the initiative even further.

“I really like it because it allows attorneys to get experience on the job and it’s improving access to justice,” said Meyers.

Like many state and local bar organizations, Dane County is responding to the State Bar’s Access to Justice report, which revealed serious deficiencies in indigent people’s ability to obtain qualified legal representation.

The county currently has a Family Law Assistance Center (FLAC), which provides legal guidance, but not advice, to those involved in civil and family cases. Every Wednesday in the Dane County Court-house, FLAC distributes forms and information on family court proceedings and offers referrals.

“I’d like to see us piggyback with the State Bar and the law schools to address the issues raised in the report,” said Meyers. “There seems to be a lot of overlap with local bars and I think there could be a lot accomplished by working together.”

Beyond increasing court access for those in need, Meyers also hopes to enhance interaction between attorneys and students through the Law for the Public Committee.

“I would definitely like to coordinate a more positive presence for lawyers in the school system,” said Meyers, who graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1993.

With all of the ongoing projects and potential improvements on the horizon, Meyers reminded herself that she still has a day job to attend too.

“I’m looking forward to this year, but I also don’t want to add too much,” said Meyers. “After all, I do want to make it through the year in one piece.”