SCR 10.05

(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, 5 governors selected by the nonresident lawyers

division pursuant to its bylaws, one governor selected by the senior

lawyers division pursuant to its bylaws, one member selected by the

section leaders council pursuant to its bylaws, and 3 nonlawyers

appointed by the supreme court for staggered two-year terms. No

person appointed by the supreme court shall serve more than 2

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

dividing the state bar into districts in accordance with the requirements

in par. (b).

(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 1any 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 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 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 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, but not limited to assistance for lawyers

with questions regarding law office management; assistance for 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; and assistance for both

lawyers and the public regarding lawyer referrals. 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.

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.