Third Branch eNews

In response to the pressing issue of a diminishing pool of legal practitioners in Wisconsin, Chief Justice Annette Kingsland Ziegler initiated a significant step forward to address the issue. Earlier this month, the chief justice established the Attorney Retention & Recruitment Committee to mitigate the state's attorney shortage, especially acute in rural counties.

The committee is comprised of the deans of Wisconsin's two law schools, representatives of the State Bar of Wisconsin, and attorneys and judges from around the state. Chief judges from the state’s nine judicial administrative districts will help lead the effort.

“The Chief Judges in each district recognize the importance of collaborating with the law schools, the State Bar, and attorneys to address this shortage our state is facing,” said Kenosha County Circuit Court Judge Jason Rossell, chief judge of the state’s Second Judicial Administrative District and chair of the Committee of Chief Judges. “Each day in court, trial judges face the challenges of finding attorneys for unrepresented individuals in criminal cases. The delays caused by the shortage cause problems throughout the system, including delays in trials, lengthy pretrial incarceration, losing treatment options, and delayed closure for victims and witnesses.”

Over the past four years, Wisconsin has witnessed a decline of over 4 percent in active attorneys, coupled with a diminishing number of law school enrollees in the last five years. This trend disproportionately affects rural regions, with a reduction of over 7 percent in available attorneys. The ramifications are felt statewide, with some counties, predominantly in the northern part of the state, facing severe shortages.

“In the Northwestern quadrant of the state, the attorney shortage has reached crisis levels,” said Barron County Circuit Court Judge Maureen Boyle, chief judge of the state’s Tenth Judicial Administrative District. “In Barron County, there are no local lawyers who regularly accept public defender appointments, and we must rely on remote technology to ensure representation for those facing criminal charges.” Even with remote technology, Chief Judge Boyle said the pool of lawyers available is small.

Recognizing the urgency of the situation, Chief Judge Boyle emphasized the imperative for collaborative efforts among all stakeholders. The newly formed Attorney Retention & Recruitment Committee will undertake a comprehensive study of the attorney shortage issue and propose viable solutions to address it. The committee will involve various stakeholders in the legal community to study the attorney shortage issue and make recommendations on how Wisconsin can address the problem moving forward.

"The Chief Judges are thankful for the leadership of Chief Justice Ziegler and the Wisconsin Supreme Court in addressing this problem," concluded Chief Judge Rossell.