Committee work keeps business attorney busy

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Anyone who visits the Dane County Courthouse will certainly notice splashes of color throughout the building and paintings adorning some walls.

While the structure won’t be mistaken for an art museum, attorney Teresa K. Kobelt helped make the building more visually appealing inside.

As a dedicated member of the Dane County Bar Association, she organized a silent auction as a fundraiser prior to the courthouse’s opening in 2006.

When the court liaison came to the DCBA board asking for contributions, Kobelt chimed in and said, instead of looking for a handout, why not hold a silent auction to raise money.

“Guess who they asked to host it?” Kobelt said.

She remains a member of the bar’s Art for Courthouse Committee and is currently working on restoring photos of old DCBA members dating back to the civil war to hang in the courthouse.

But the Haley Palmersheim business attorney’s involvement in sprucing up the court is a small part of her investment in the local legal community.

She is a former president of the Dane County Bar Association and also serves as an adviser on the Middleton Municipal Peer Court.

“When school age children get into minor trouble with the law, instead of going through the courts, they have an opportunity to face a jury of their peers to talk about a suitable punishment,” Kobelt said.

Ironically, Kobelt said she initially got involved with the DCBA simply to socialize with her fellow attorneys, but now finds herself immersed in many of the bar’s activities.

“When some end, I’ll probably get more involved in community activities and pro bono projects to fill the void,” she said.

Ultimately, Kobelt credits her firm and coworkers for encouraging attorneys to give back in the profession.

“I find myself very fortunate to be able to work for a firm that’s allowed me the flexibility to work and do all the committee stuff as well,” Kobelt said.

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