Elections aren’t quite over: Wisconsin State Bar to elect new officers

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By Steve Schuster
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Although Television election ads in the Badger State may have gone away, there is still at least one election coming up — the Wisconsin State Bar Association’s new board.

Among the other roles on the Board, the State Bar will elect a president-elect. Currently there are two candidates, Jane Bucher and ​​Marisol González Castillo.

The Wisconsin Law Journal interviewed both candidates Monday.

Jane Bucher said she believes her prior experience as a public defender would serve her well in her capacity as president of the State Bar.

“Our Criminal justice system is in a funding crisis. It’s very important that the president (of the State Bar) has knowledge of our criminal justice system to help move forward to make sure our criminal justice system is funded so that both public defenders and prosecutors are compensated in a manner that can ensure that there is adequate representation,” Bucher said.

Bucher said her courtroom experience would help the State Bar move forward in improving justice systems to stay current with evidence-based practices, “to make sure what we are doing comports with latest the research.”

Bucher added that she’s worked in various court systems throughout the state for more than a decade.

González Castillo said she wants to help move the State Bar forward by bringing people together.

If elected president, González Castillo said one of her goals is to “create a stronger bond and strengthen relationships between the State Bar leadership and members.”

González Castillo said she would like to work more closely with law students to explain what the State Bar does and make the State Bar more “representative of the communities it serves.”

Among the challenges that González Castillo believes she would face if elected president is to work with other branches of government to help fill the gap of legal representation in legal desserts.

“The lack of attorneys in rural areas and lack of attorneys that speak different languages has left a pretty big hole,” she said.

González Castillo said attorneys need more incentive to relocate to rural areas.

“Loan forgiveness is a good option for attorneys in practice in rural areas,” González Castillo said.

Bucher agreed.

“We are facing a crisis in rural areas, which are greatly underserved (by not having enough attorneys). Individuals (living in rural areas) have a hard time finding an attorney willing to represent them and ultimately pay more for representation because the available attorneys are driving from cities that are far away,” Bucher said.

“We need to create incentives for young attorneys to practice in those (rural) areas and assist them with student loan forgiveness. We have to be flexible and allow certain types of remote appearances … (while providing) meaningful representation to account for the distance … (we must) ensure rights are protected and take advantage of technology to increase accessibility for attorneys and ensure future generations of attorneys see the benefits of practicing outside of urban centers,” Bucher added.

“Where I work and reside, there is a shortage of interpreters in the legal system,” Bucher added, noting that when she served on the Latino Advisory Counsel, she “attempted to make improvements for the benefit of people who are of Latino origin.”

According to Bucher, in her experience there is a shortage of immigration attorneys in rural areas which creates additional challenges for undocumented immigrants who face not only access to language barriers, but also access to legal representation in rural areas.

“I think it’s something that requires further attention,” Bucher said, noting that “I helped create a multicultural outreach program to build bridges between different cultures … by organizing know your rights events and bringing Spanish speaking attorneys to rural areas provide clients with access to reliable information about their rights.”

Bucher also noted that among her priorities, if elected, she would make sure the State Bar continues to focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, “to make sure the State Bar is diverse and that our justice system is free of inappropriate biases. As attorneys we have a duty to serve as change agents. We have to be vigilant,” she said.

González Castillo said she is excited for the opportunity to serve as president of the State Bar, noting that the challenges ahead create a plethora of opportunities.

“There is a lot of work that needs to be done, but it’s nothing that the State Bar can do alone. We need to work with the state Legislature and other entities to move the state forward,” González Castillo added.

Bucher said, “I love working with lawyers and enjoyed serving on (the) board of governors. … There is so much opportunity. We really need ensure we foster connections. Attorneys need to feel good and not work in isolation.”

Bucher has extensive legal experience and is active in both the legal profession and the broader community, according to the State Bar’s website.  She has tried criminal, civil, and juvenile cases, both to courts and juries.

Bucher served as an Assistant State Public Defender from 2011 to 2021 and has handled more than 2,400 cases, according to the State Bar. As a public defender, she represented children, juveniles and adults who could not otherwise afford an attorney in both criminal and civil cases, including CHIPS cases, termination of parental rights, mental health commitments and protective placement cases.

González Castillo became involved with the State Bar early in her career, according to the State Bar’s website.  She was the first college graduate and attorney in her family. González Castillo was born in Mexico City, Mexico, and moved to Waukegan, Illinois, as a child. She attended Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, for her undergraduate studies and graduated from the University of Wisconsin’s Law School. She has worked in nonprofit, government and private practice.

The State Bar will also elect a treasurer. Treasurer candidates this year are Deanne Koll and Chuck Stertz.

Stertz currently serves as an Assistant District Attorney in Outagamie County. During an interview with the Wisconsin Law Journal on Wednesday, Stertz said, “if elected I hope to work with staff and the board of governors to make sure that we are keeping programs at the high quality they are now while being fiscally responsible.”

Noting his experience with the State Bar’s Legislative Oversight Committee, Stertz said he currently serves as the go-to resource with policy questions.

“I have a good relationship with that staff and financial staff.  I know how to work with them and make suggestions in a way that are seen as helpful and not just bellyaching,” he said, noting that if elected treasurer he would make sure that the Board of Governors thinks strategically about what is good for the long-term, not just about the next up and coming budget.

“I want to make sure we are set up for success in the future,” Stertz said. “It’s not just about how we are going to pay bills right now. We need to keep member dues reasonable while funding priorities 5-10 years down the road.”

Koll said she wants to become treasurer because, “I’ve always looked at it as a way to serve the profession. That’s my number one priority.”

Koll said she has been very active in the State Bar, noting that “The State Bar is a big powerful association. They are powerful in advocacy and access to justice and public education.”

According to Knoll, she and Stertz are both friends, previously serving on State Bar’s Young Lawyer Division.

Knoll who has been a private sector attorney for her entire career said that she can really relate to other attorneys working at firms.

“My ability to relate to private practice lawyer struggles and highlights are different than Chuck’s,” she added.

The State Bar will also elect a Judicial Council representative.

Saveon Grenell is running against John Orton.

During an interview with the Wisconsin Law Journal Thursday, Grenell said, “it’s extremely important that individuals know their rights and how the judicial system works.”

“What I really identified early on is that the judicial system can be very overwhelming especially for pro se litigants and for younger attorneys trying to navigate the system. If elected, I would want to ensure ordinary individuals really have an understanding of what the judicial system offers and how to best navigate it,” Grenell said.

Orton said if elected, his goal is to keep the Council alive.

“In 2017 our funding was terminated. We are the only state agency that is unfunded and as a result this group, which consists of all volunteers to begin with, no longer has a lawyer who is a judicial assistant or any other paid help so that we can perform the statutory duties that we have been charged with. I think most people agree the work of the council is beneficial to the court system to lawyers and to the greater public,” Orton said.

The State Bar will also elect Board of Governors representatives.

The election opened April 13 and will close at noon on April 28. Those elected take office on July 1.

The president-elect will serve a one-year term before becoming president. The treasurer will hold the position for two years. Judicial Council representative serves a three-year term.

All State Bar elections (including for State Bar divisions and sections) will be held via an electronic ballot in 2023. Ballots were emailed to members before April 14.

To learn more about the candidates click on the links below.

President-Elect

Jane Bucher

Marisol González Castillo

Treasurer 

Deanne Koll

Chuck Stertz 

Judicial Council

Saveon Grenell

John Orton