Dean R. Dietrich is a shareholder in the Law Firm of Dietrich VanderWaal, S.C. He has represented attorneys in matters before the Wisconsin Supreme Court and the Office of Lawyer Regulation and has consulted with numerous law firms and lawyers regarding compliance with the Rules of Professional Conduct. He serves as Chair of the State Bar Committee on Professional Ethics, and he has also served on the Committee appointed by the Wisconsin Supreme Court to review changes to Supreme Court Rules Chapter 20. Mr. Dietrich is a graduate of Marquette University Law School.
Gerald O’Brien is a trial attorney who has tried over 200 civil trials in state and federal courts, including at least a third of the counties in Wisconsin. His trial experience has included insurance defense, plaintiff personal injury, construction law, employment law, and business litigation. In the area of business litigation, he has handled contested matters between businesses, including contested buy-sell agreements, valuation of business, stockholder actions, and real estate issues.
Gerald is a fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers and is a Certified Civil Trial Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. He has served as President of the State Bar of Wisconsin and as Chair of the State Bar’s Litigation Section. He has also served as a delegate to the ABA and as President of the Wisconsin Law Foundation. He was appointed by the Wisconsin Supreme Court to serve on the Board of Professional Responsibility and was appointed by the Supreme Court to serve on the Wisconsin Judicial Commission. Gerald has also served in numerous civic matters including appointments by the Governor of Wisconsin to the Wisconsin Public Intervenor Board, and to the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board, where he served as Chair. Locally, he has served on numerous boards and organizations.
Steve Sorenson is a shareholder at von Briesen and Roper S.C. For more than 35 years, he has provided counsel on corporate law, business succession planning, and estate planning. He also represents municipalities, and with regard to real estate, he counsels on land use, zoning, smart growth, waterfront litigation, and nonmetallic mining. He is a Fond du Lac County Court Commissioner and serves as a mediator and arbitrator in real estate and labor disputes.
Steve is a past President (1997-98) and Secretary (1994-96) of the State Bar of Wisconsin. He’s also a past President of the National Conference of Bar Presidents (2007-08) and an active member of the American Bar Association House of Delegates. Steve is a frequent lecturer on legal ethics, real estate law, and waterfront rights. He served as Chairman of the Board of Directors for Community Health Network (CHN) and remains active in health care organizations.
- Understand why boards exist
- Explore motivations for joining a board
- Discuss how to differentiate your role on a board from that of an organization’s attorney
- Review board members’ duties
- Recognize potential conflicts that can arise when serving on civic boards
- Senior Lawyers Division members
- Emeritus members
- Senior active members
- Attorneys looking to make a difference
Senior Lawyers Divison Members Discount
Senior Lawyers Division members can attend the webcasts in the Staying Sharp Seminar Series for free!*
*Free tuition for Senior Lawyers Division members applies to live webcasts and webcast replays. It does not include CLE OnDemand.
Practical practice pointers
No matter how many decades of law practice are under your belt, as an attorney, you must continually acquire new skills and stay on the top of the latest technologies. This constant need to “keep abreast of changes in the law and its practice” can be a challenge at any age. The Staying Sharp Seminar Series will help lighten the load, by giving attorneys in the later stages of their careers tips for upholding ethical responsibilities, providing competent representation, and maintaining lifelong focus on well-being.