Why
Marquette Law?
By
William J. Mulligan and Nathan A. Fishbach
April
21, 2004
EDWBA
President William J. Mulligan is a shareholder at Davis & Kuelthau, S.C., and
Past President Nathan A. Fishbach is a shareholder at Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek,
S.C.
Why
is the Eastern District of Wisconsin Bar Association bestowing its Outstanding
Service Award on an institution rather than a human being, the traditional honoree?
Isn't
this a bit strange?
On
its face, it might seem to be unusual. However, it is also unusual for a law school
to have such close ties with the legal community in which it resides and of which
it is an integral part. Certainly, this is not an instance where there is a defined
demarcation between town and gown.
A
review of some statistics provides context. Six of the current federal judges
and magistrate judges in the Eastern District of Wisconsin are Marquette Law School
graduates. Two graduates are serving on the Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
Moreover, 10 of the lawyers in the United States Attorney's Office graduated from
the law school. Indeed, one wonders how many of these attorneys, who now spend
their days in federal court, started their litigation careers arguing in third-year
mock trials at Marquette.
But
Marquette's impact is felt far beyond this data. Over the years, the Marquette
Law faculty has played an active role in some of the district's most significant
activities. For over a decade, Jay Grenig has served as a reporter for the Federal
Rules Committee and held a similar role on the Civil Justice Reform Act Task Force,
both of which promulgated the procedures for this district's courtrooms. Law School
Deans Robert Boden, Frank DeGuire, Howard Eisenberg, and Joseph Kearney have co-chaired
the merit commissions that evaluated nominees for federal judgeships for Wisconsin's
United States Senators, and Marquette professors, such as Peter Rofes, served
on these commissions. Marquette faculty, such as Christine Wiseman, have served
as special masters in discovery disputes in federal court. Ralph Anzivino has
played an integral role in drafting a Model Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Plan for the
district.
In
fact, Marquette is such a vital part of the Milwaukee legal community that one
of its professors, Daniel Blinka, now serves as the President of the Milwaukee
Bar Association and is probably one of the first members of a law school faculty
in the nation to lead a metropolitan bar association.
Marquette
Law students have also played a role in the federal courts. Through Thomas Hammer's
efforts, Marquette students have had the great privilege of working in the chambers
of the district's federal judges, which has provided the students with incredible
learning opportunities.
Throughout
the years, Marquette Law has instilled in its students the importance of providing
pro bono legal services for the poor. It is impossible to count how many Marquette
alumni accept appointments to represent the indigent in court, advise the needy
at no or a reduced fee, or practice in public interest law firms. Importantly,
last November, at its first banquet, the Equal Justice Fund named an award for
pro bono service after Dean Eisenberg.
And
Marquette Law has been instrumental in the founding of this group — the EDWBA.
The law school, under the leadership of Deans Eisenberg, Janine Geske, and Kearney,
has provided and continues to provide strong support to the association. The EDWBA
is particularly grateful for the Marquette's generous contribution to the Eastern
District Historical Project, the EDWBA's signature undertaking which is creating
and preserving archives of our district's past.
Marquette
Law School is not just an institution or entity. Rather, it is living and dynamic
— and through its faculty and students (past and present), has demonstrated
an ongoing and dedicated commitment to the Eastern District of Wisconsin's legal
community.
And
for that, we are quite grateful.
