Board of governors

(1) Composition of board. The affairs of the association shall be managed and directed by a board of governors consisting of the 6 officers of the association, all of whom shall be ex officio members-at-large of the board, not fewer than 34 members elected from the state bar districts established under sub. (2), one member selected by the young lawyers division pursuant to its bylaws, one member selected by the government lawyers division pursuant to its bylaws, five governors selected by the nonresident lawyers division pursuant to its bylaws, one governor selected by the senior lawyers division pursuant to its bylaws, and three nonlawyers appointed by the supreme court for staggered two-year terms. No person appointed by the supreme court shall serve more than two consecutive full terms. The rights and powers of the ex officio members of the board are the same as those of elected members. All past-presidents of the Wisconsin bar association or of the state bar of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin state delegate to the American Bar Association house of delegates and the deans of the Marquette university and university of Wisconsin law schools are entitled to floor privileges, but without voting privileges. (2) State bar districts. (a) For the purpose of conducting elections of the members of the board of governors, the board of governors shall divide the state into 16 state bar districts comprising specified counties and shall establish the number of members of the board of governors to be elected from each district. (b) The number of members of the board of governors elected from each state bar district shall be in proportion to the number of active members entitled to vote residing in the district and shall take into consideration all of the following: 1. The composition of the judicial administrative districts established by sec. 757.60, Stats. 2. The geographical area of each state bar district. 3. All existing multi-county bar associations. 4. The representation of members in each state bar district afforded by members of the board of governors selected by divisions of the association under sub. (1). (c) Every 10 years, commencing January 1, 1995, the board of governors shall submit to the court a proposed redistricting map the into districts dividing requirements in par. (b). in accordance with the state bar 12 (d) Notice, filing, review, hearing and adoption of a redistricting proposal submitted under par. (c) shall be provided in SCR 10.13(2) for amendment of bylaws. (3) Term; qualifications; nomination and election. The term of office of each elected member of the board of governors is 2 years, commencing on July 1 next following his or her election. No person is eligible to vote in a district for governor or to serve on the board of governors from a district unless he or she is an active member of the association and maintains in the district his or her principal office for the practice of law. No person is eligible for election to the board of governors for more than 2 consecutive terms. The eligibility of any person to serve as a member of the board of governors from any state bar district ceases upon removal of the person's principal office for the practice of law from the district. Nominations and elections of members of the board of governors shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the bylaws. (4) Functions. (a) The board of governors has general charge of the affairs and activities of the association. It may: 1. Fix the time and place of the annual meeting of members of the association. 2. Make appropriations and authorize disbursements from the funds of the state bar in payment of the necessary expenses of the association. 3. Engage and define the duties of employees and fix their compensation. 4. Receive, consider and take action on reports and recommendations submitted by committees, sections and the assembly of members of the association at any annual or special meeting. 5. Arrange for publication of official state bar publications. 6. Conduct investigations of matters affecting the association or the practice of law or the discipline of members of the association. 7. Fill vacancies arising in the membership of the board of governors or in any office except the office of president. In each case the person appointed to fill the vacancy shall hold office for the unexpired term. 8. Adopt bylaws and regulations, not inconsistent with this chapter, for the orderly administration of the association's affairs and activities. (b) The board of governors shall meet at least 4 times each year. Twenty-four members present at any meeting constitutes a 13 quorum. Special meetings of the board of governors may be called in accordance with the bylaws. (c) The board of governors shall establish and maintain standing committees having respectively the functions defined in the bylaws. The board of governors may create additional standing committees and special committees and may define the authority and functions of those standing and special committees. (d) The board of governors shall establish and maintain sections for carrying on the work of the association, each within its proper field of study defined in its bylaws. Each section consists of members who voluntarily enroll in the section because of a special interest in the particular field of law to which the section is dedicated. New sections may be established and existing sections may be consolidated or discontinued by the board of governors. Each section shall be governed by bylaws not inconsistent with this chapter or state bar bylaws. Section bylaws and amendments thereto become effective upon approval of the board of governors. (e) A section may express a position on a matter involving a substantial issue of public policy under the following conditions: 1. The matter is one on which the section's views would have particular relevance. 2. The position is adopted in accordance with section bylaws. 3. The position is clearly taken only on behalf of the section. 4. The section charges annual dues at least equal to the cost of its legislative program so that the cost need not be borne by section nonmembers. The executive committee or board shall receive a summary of section positions on matters involving substantial issues of public policy prior to their publication but inaction by the executive committee or board shall not be construed as support of such positions. No committee of the association may publicly express any conclusion or opinion respecting any substantial issue of public policy without having procured previous authorization from either the board of governors or the executive committee of the association. This prohibition is not applicable to the public release of reports made by committees to the board of governors prior to action thereon by the board, unless the board has otherwise ordered. If any committee or section of the association expresses publicly any conclusion or opinion on matters other than substantial issues of public policy, the expression shall indicate that the conclusion or opinion is that of the 14 section of committee from which it emanates, rather than the conclusion or opinion of the state bar. (f) The members of the board of governors shall receive no compensation for services to the association, but they and also the members of committees and the officers and directors of sections and of the young lawyers division, the government lawyers division, the nonresident lawyers division, and the senior lawyers division may be reimbursed for necessary expenses in the performance of their duties. (g) A summary of the minutes of each meeting of the board of governors shall be provided to the membership in an official state bar publication, with a notation that any interested member may obtain a copy of the minutes. (h) The board of governors shall establish and maintain a young lawyers division. Membership in the division shall be voluntary. Those eligible for membership in the young lawyers division shall be any member of the state bar under the age of 36 years or any member, irrespective of age, during the first 5 years following admission to the bar. This division shall be governed by bylaws not inconsistent with state bar rules and bylaws. The division bylaws and amendments thereto become effective upon approval of the board of governors. The young lawyers division shall stimulate the interest of young lawyers in the objectives and programs of the state bar and carry on projects which will be of assistance to young lawyers. (i) The board of governors shall establish and maintain a government lawyers division. Membership in the division shall be voluntary. Those eligible for membership in the government lawyers division shall be any member of the state bar who is a salaried employee of any government. This division shall be governed by bylaws not inconsistent with state bar rules and bylaws. The division bylaws and amendments thereto become effective upon approval of the board of governors. The government lawyers division shall promote effective collaboration between the private and public sectors of the bar and provide for the participation of publicly employed members in the governance of the state bar. (j) The board of governors shall establish and maintain a non-resident lawyers division. Membership in the division shall be voluntary. Those eligible for membership in the non-resident lawyers division shall be any member of the state bar who has an address of record outside the state of Wisconsin. This division shall be governed by bylaws not inconsistent with state bar rules and bylaws. The 15 division bylaws and amendments thereto become effective upon approval of the board of governors. The non-resident lawyers division shall carry on projects which will be of assistance to members outside the state of Wisconsin and provide for the participation of members outside Wisconsin in the governance of the state bar. (k) The board of governors shall establish and maintain a senior lawyers division. Membership in the division shall be voluntary. Those eligible for membership in the senior lawyers division shall be any members of the state bar who are age 60 years or older. The division shall be governed by bylaws not inconsistent with state bar rules and bylaws. The division bylaws and amendments thereto become effective upon approval of the board of governors. The senior lawyers division shall carry on projects that will stimulate the interest of the senior lawyers in the objectives and programs of the state bar and carry on activities which will be of assistance to senior lawyers in the practice of law. (m) 1. Establishment. The board of governors may provide assistance programs, including assistance in law office management, and assistance to judges, lawyers, law students, and their families in coping with alcoholism and other addictions, mental illness, physical disability, and other problems related to or affecting the practice of law. The board may establish committees, hire staff, and obtain volunteers as reasonably necessary to provide assistance. The board shall establish policies consistent with the purposes of the state bar and in furtherance of the public interest in the competence and integrity of the legal profession. 2. Privileges, immunity. Communications with an assistance committee member, staff, or volunteers by any person providing information in good faith are privileged; no lawsuit based upon these communications may be instituted by any person. In providing assistance services, the board, members of assistance committees, staff, and volunteers designated by the board shall be immune from suit for any conduct in the course of their official duties. 3. Confidentiality. All communications with an assistance committee member, staff, or volunteer, and all records of program assistance to a person are confidential and shall not be disclosed, except in any of the following circumstances: a. With the express consent of the person provided assistance. b. When required as a condition for monitoring. 16 c. When reasonably necessary to prevent death or substantial bodily harm to the person assisted or to another. d. When reasonably necessary to prevent child abuse or elder abuse. e. When reporting is mandated by other law.