Case Name: In Matter of Discontinuation of State Bar of Wisconsin as an Integrated Bar
Court: Wisconsin Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Wisconsin
Decision Date: 1980-01-08
Citations: 93 Wis. 2d 385
Docket Number: No. 79-1801-OA
Parties: In Matter of Discontinuation of State Bar of Wisconsin as an Integrated Bar.
Judges: 
Reporter: Wisconsin Reports Second
Volume: 93
Pages: 385–392

Head Matter:
In Matter of Discontinuation of State Bar of Wisconsin as an Integrated Bar.
Supreme Court
No. 79-1801-OA.
Heard September 13, 1979.
Decided January 8, 1980.
(Also reported in 286 N.W.2d 601.)
For the petitioners there was a brief by John E. Armstrong, John F. Jenswold, Trayton L. Lathrop, all of Madison; David S. August, Milwaukee; Douglas W. Kramer, Portage; with Arthur DeBardeleben, Park Falls, and Stetoard G. Honeck, Milwaukee, of counsel, and oral argument by John E. Armstrong, John F. Jens-wold and Trayton L. Lathrop, Madison; Thomas Swisher, Columbus, Ohio; and Arthur DeBardeleben, Park Falls.
There was also oral presentation by the following: Webster Hart of Eau Claire; Amedeo Greco, Steven Levine, Jack McManus, Joseph Owens, Douglas Nelson, Richard Calloway and David Weber, all of Madison.
For the State Bar of Wisconsin there was a brief by Glenn R. Coates, Racine, and oral argument by Glenn R. Coates and Lawrence J. Bugge of Madison.
There was also a brief by Robert F. Boden of Milwaukee, joined by Victor A. Miller, St. Nazianz, James D. Ghiardi and Charles W. Mentkowski, both of Milwaukee; and oral presentation by Robert F. Boden, James Baxter, Ted Johnson, Irvin Charne, all of Milwaukee, on behalf of the Milwaukee Bar Association.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM
On May 8, 1979, a petition was filed by five attorneys asking that this court discontinue the State Bar of Wisconsin as an integrated bar. The petitioners state that they caused a poll to be taken of all active members of the State Bar, numbering 9,319 lawyers, on the question "Do you favor the continuation of the State Bar of Wisconsin as an integrated bar?" According to the petitioners, the response to that question was 1,892 affirmative and 2,820 negative. The petitioners allege that continuation of the integrated bar in Wisconsin "would be contrary to the interests of this court, the state of Wisconsin and the public at large."
The petition was noticed for a public hearing, and we also invited all interested persons to submit written comments on the question of continued integration of the State Bar. The public hearing was held on September 13, 1979, and presentations were made by petitioners, by representatives of the State Bar, the Wisconsin Academy of Trial Lawyers and the Milwaukee Bar Association and by several practicing attorneys. Written comments were received from more than 20 attorneys from around the state.
The petitioners argue that the reasons for which the Wisconsin bar was integrated, namely, to supervise admission to the bar, to promote continuing competency of lawyers and to enforce lawyer discipline, no longer exist now that these functions are being performed by boards which were created by the court and operate indepen dently of the State Bar. They further argue that lawyers should not be required as a condition of their right to practice law in Wisconsin to financially support State Bar activities of which they do not approve, especially legislative and political activities.
We have indicated activities which we deem appropriate for the State Bar. Integration of Bar cases, 249 Wis. 523, 25 N.W.2d 500 (1946); 273 Wis. 281, 77 N.W.2d 602 (1956); 5 Wis.2d 618, 93 N.W.2d 601 (1958); 81 Wis.2d xxxv (1977); Lathrop v. Donohue, 10 Wis.2d 230, 102 N.W.2d 404 (1960), affirmed 367 U.S. 820 (1961). They are also set forth in the State Bar Rules and Bylaws originally approved and promulgated by the court. 273 Wis. vii (1956).
At the public hearing on the petition we were advised that an organization closely associated with the State Bar has solicited, obtained and spent voluntarily contributed funds in support of partisan political candidates and groups. That organization is the Wisconsin Lawyers Political Action Committee (LAWPAC) and has as its stated purposes "to influence the nomination or election of qualified candidates to elective public office in the State of Wisconsin and to influence voting on referendum issues submitted to vote in the State of Wisconsin." While LAWPAC is organized as a voluntary, non-profit, unincorporated political association and is not supported by State Bar membership dues, its board of directors is elected by the Board of Governors of the State Bar, which also has the power to remove any member of the LAWPAC board for cause, and the LAWPAC office is located in the State Bar building.
We are concerned that the State Bar, through LAW-PAC, may be engaging in activities which we have proscribed, but we do not find any or all of the allegations and arguments of the petitioners and others sufficient to warrant changing the status of the State Bar to a voluntary bar. However, pursuant to State Bar Rule 10, which we adopted on November 18, 1977, we will appoint in January, 1982, a committee to review the performance of the State Bar in carrying out its public functions, and we will direct that committee to review, evaluate and report by June 1, 1982, on the activities of the State Bar, especially its legislative activities, in the light of our statements on the subject.
The petition to discontinue the State Bar of Wisconsin as an integrated bar is dismissed.