State Bar of Wisconsin elects new president, treasurer and Judicial Council

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By Steve Schuster
[email protected]

Jane E. Bucher of Russell Law Offices S.C., Brodhead, is the next president-elect of the State Bar of Wisconsin, the State Bar announced Friday.

Bucher received 1,699 votes and defeated her opponent Marisol González Castillo who received 1,368 votes, according to the State Bar.

Deanne Koll of New Richmond won the treasurer post, the State Bar also announced Friday.

Koll received 1,799 votes and defeated her opponent Chuck Stertz who received 1,169 votes.

Saveon Grenell of Buelow Vetter Buikema Olson & Vliet LLC, Waukesha, won a Judicial Council post after receiving 1,479 votes, narrowly defeating his opponent, John Orton, who received only two less votes (1,477 votes).

As previously reported by the Wisconsin Law Journal, 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.

“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,” she said.

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.

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.

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.”

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

During a previous interview with the Wisconsin Law Journal, 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.

The election opened April 13 and will closed 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

Treasurer 

Deanne Koll

Judicial Council

Saveon Grenell