State Bar helps lawyers with COVID-19 difficulties

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The State Bar of Wisconsin is working to help lawyers with both personal and professional difficulties brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jill Kastner, State Bar president, said the organization began planning for changes in operations in early March to ensure members would still have access to the bar’s services.

“All of our major services are still up and running, and because of this (pandemic), we have new services,” Kastner said.

The State Bar started a series of online town hall meetings, giving attorneys an opportunity to call in with questions about specific topics.

As Wisconsin courts first started making changes to their operations because of the coronavirus, Kastner said there have been a lot of questions.

“The lack of consistency between the courts was a big concern for all lawyers, but particularly for criminal attorneys still having to make physical appearances,” Kastner said. “People were concerned for their safety.”

Kastner said the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s order postponing all jury trials and temporarily suspending in-person proceedings throughout the state has helped provide uniformity, but she’s heard that not all local judges were complying exactly. She remains optimistic, though, that judges will learn to follow to the changes.

“A lot of that will be worked through as we all get accustomed to what’s going to be the new normal,” Kastner said.

Kastner said the State Bar has received a number of questions about remote notary and remote deposition as attorneys adjust to this “new normal.” The Wisconsin Supreme Court and Gov. Tony Evers added on  to the rules about notary, and Kastner said the State Bar continues to work both to carry out the new rules and make other needed changes.

The State Bar is also maintaining its Free Ethics Hotline, Lawyer Referral and Information Service and Wisconsin Lawyers Assistance Program.

“Some lawyers are extroverts, and this whole working from home thing can be difficult,” Kastner said. “Our Wisconsin Lawyers Assistance Program can help with the stress of working from home. We still have Practice 411, which can help our less technologically savvy folks become more savvy and work more efficiently from home.”

Kastner believes the requirements of working from home — such as relying more on technology — will prove beneficial in the long run.

“We’re going to relook at the ways in which we conduct business and even some of the rules,” Kastner said. “In this day and age, do you really need to do a deposition in person? Do you really need your notary to be right next to you? I think this is going to create a lot of positive change to move us into the future.” Follow @WLJReporter