Basics of Confidentiality 2024

Dean R. Dietrich, a shareholder with Weld Riley, S.C., has represented clients in the areas of lawyer ethics and professional responsibility for more than 45 years. He has represented attorneys in matters before the Wisconsin Supreme Court and the Office of Lawyer Regulation and consults with law firms and lawyers regarding compliance with the Rules of Professional Conduct.

Mr. Dietrich has served as Chair of the State Bar Committee of Professional Ethics in addition to past service on the Committee appointed by the Wisconsin Supreme Court to review changes to the Wisconsin Rules of Professional Conduct for Attorneys. He currently serves as Past President of the State Bar of Wisconsin. Mr. Dietrich is a member of the ABA’s Center for Professional Responsibility and the Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers. He is a graduate of Marquette University Law School.

Sarah E. Peterson joined the State Bar of Wisconsin as Ethics Counsel in 2024. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School. Prior to joining the State Bar, Ms. Peterson was employed for more than 20 years as an investigator, and then lead investigator, at the Office of Lawyer Regulation. She is a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin and a liaison to the State Bar’s Committee on Professional Ethics. Ms. Peterson is a frequent speaker on professional ethics.

Timothy J. Pierce has been Ethics Counsel for the State Bar of Wisconsin since 2004. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his law degree, cum laude, from the University of Wisconsin Law School. Mr. Pierce was previously a Deputy Director at the Office of Lawyer Regulation in Milwaukee and Madison. He has also been employed as the Ethics Administrator for Milbank, Hadley, Tweed & McCoy in New York, and as an Assistant State Public Defender in Racine. He is a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin.

Mr. Pierce is a frequent speaker on matters of professional ethics and has given hundreds of CLE presentation to a wide variety of groups on professional responsibility law. He serves as a reporter for the State Bar’s Committee on Professional Ethics and writes the monthly “Ethical Dilemmas” column in the State Bar’s Wisconsin Lawyer magazine. Mr. Pierce has also taught Professional Responsibilities at the University of Wisconsin Law School since 2011 and currently serves as a Volunteer Subject Matter Expert for the MPRE.