Chief Justice Annette Kingsland Ziegler today announced the creation of the Attorney Retention & Recruitment Committee to address Wisconsin’s attorney shortage, particularly acute in rural counties. The committee includes deans from Wisconsin's two law schools, representatives from the State Bar of Wisconsin, and attorneys and judges statewide. 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.”
In the last four years, the number of active attorneys in Wisconsin has decreased by over 4 percent, and student enrollment in Wisconsin's two law schools has declined over five years. This trend significantly impacts rural parts of Wisconsin, where available attorneys have decreased by over 7 percent. Lawyers provide essential representation to individuals and serve their communities in various ways. The absence of attorneys is being felt statewide.
Some counties—seven in northern Wisconsin—have no certified attorneys to take cases when State Public Defender attorneys cannot represent an individual. This lawyer shortage impacts not only defendants' constitutional rights but also affects victims and communities.
“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 noted that available lawyers are limited.
“A lasting solution will require all justice partners to collaborate and coordinate efforts,” Chief Judge Boyle added. “The Chief Justice’s committee on attorney retention and recruitment is a necessary step forward.”
The Attorney Retention & Recruitment Committee will involve various stakeholders in studying the attorney shortage issue and making recommendations on how Wisconsin can address it moving forward.
“The Chief Judges are thankful for the leadership of Chief Justice Ziegler and the Wisconsin Supreme Court in addressing this problem,” Chief Judge Rossell said.