Levine wants public image money added to Keller reduction

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Unlike Cuba Gooding Jr., attorney Steven A. Levine does not want to be shown the money.

The former president of the State Bar of Wisconsin is not interested in simply shaving a few dollars off his annual dues. He’s more interested in driving home the message that attorneys should be able to opt out of paying for the State Bar’s public image campaign.

Levine recently sent a letter to State Bar of Wisconsin Executive Director George Brown, requesting that an arbiter be appointed to decide whether or not funding of the State Bar’s public image campaign falls under the Keller dues reduction.

Whether a favorable ruling for Levine would mean other attorneys could challenge where their dues are allocated is unknown. Brown indicated that members of the Executive Committee have yet to review the letter or ponder its implications.

Levine admitted he is not interested in the monetary benefit, which amounts to about $5.25, but rather how the State Bar allocates attorney dues.

“Basically, if an arbiter decides in my favor, he will refund about $5 to me, which I’m not really interested in,” said Levine. “I want to establish the principle that the bar should not be charging members for public relations and advertising.”

In the letter, Levine said he objected to a portion of his annual dues being used to support the State Bar’s Public Image Committee and Public Image expenditures. Since its adoption, the Keller reduction allows attorneys to exempt themselves from paying for political activities not related to the legal profession.

According to State Bar Public Relations Coordinator Thomas Solberg, more than 7,400 attorneys opted for the Keller reduction in the fiscal year 2007-08, which equaled almost $40,000 in lost revenue for the association.

At the Board of Governors meeting in February, members approved a 2008-09 Keller reduction of $9.50, which was included on dues statements mailed to bar members in May.

Levine opposed the adoption on the grounds that the reduction should be $14.75, to include the $5.25 each attorney could deduct for money spent on the Bar’s public image and marketing.

He contended that the portion of dues designated for public image promotion does not fall within the definition of “regulating the legal profession or improving the quality of legal services.”

But during the February discussion, President Thomas J. Basting, Sr., indicated that the Executive Committee and counsel to the State Bar determined that campaigns designed to improve the image of the attorneys is a chargeable item to members in a mandatory bar.

Gov. Kevin J. Palmersheim, a member of the Public Image Committee, noted at the meeting that the work done by the committee is broader than promotion of the association. He indicated that the committee also provides public resources for legal representation and information on end-of-life planning.

Levine said he is willing to withdraw his request if the State Bar agrees to include the expense in the dues reduction amount starting in 2009.

“I think the offer is pretty reasonable, but the bar may decide it doesn’t want to do that as a matter of principle and they think they are right,” said Levine.