MADISON, Wis. (April 29, 2025)—Wisconsin attorney Stephen W. Sawyer was elected April 28 as the next president-elect of the State Bar of Wisconsin, beginning July 1, 2025. In July 2026, he will take over as State Bar president.
Sawyer is with Sawyer Law LLC in Stevens Point. “I am very honored and humbled to have been elected to serve the State Bar of Wisconsin as an officer,” Sawyer said.
“These are challenging times for our profession and for the judicial branch of government. I will do my best to rise to those challenges and to build upon the proud tradition of excellence that has been the hallmark of our State Bar,” he said.
In Other State Bar Races:
‒Steven J. Krueger was elected to a two-year term as secretary of the State Bar of Wisconsin, beginning July 1, 2025.
‒ Sarah Zylstra was elected to a three-year term as a State Bar of Wisconsin representative to the Wisconsin Judicial Council beginning July 1, 2025. This is Zylstra’s third term on the Council.
The Judicial Council is a 21-member body responsible for studying and making recommendations relating to court pleading, practice and procedure, as well as the administration and operation of the courts. The Council is comprised of judges, district attorneys, legislators and legislative staff, law school personnel, citizens, and three members of the State Bar of Wisconsin.
Board of Governors Election Results
By district, those elected to serve two-year terms beginning July 1 as district representatives on the State Bar Board of Governors are:
District 1
- Hayley E. Johnson, Walworth County Corporation Counsel, Elkhorn
District 2
- Christopher P. August, Assistant State Public Defender, Appellate Unit, Milwaukee
- Karen Bauer, Milwaukee
- Daniel J. Blinka, Godfrey & Kahn SC, Milwaukee
- Scott F. Brown, Corporation Counsel, Milwaukee County
- Monica Cail, Legal Action of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
- Jade K. Hall, Office of the State Public Defender, Milwaukee
- Anna Muñoz, Senior Director of Legal Operations, Licensing, and Risk at Brookdale Senior Living Inc., Milwaukee
District 3
- Angela Rust, von Briesen & Roper S.C., Neenah
District 5
- Shari LePage Locante, Arndt, Buswell & Thorn S.C., Sparta
District 6
- Erin E. Block, Dewitt LLP, Brookfield
District 7
- Steven H. Thompson, Anderson O’Brien, LLP, Stevens Point
District 9
- Richard Niess, Madison
- Kathleen Pakes, Assigned Counsel Division Director and a Forensic Practice coordinator, Wisconsin Public Defender, Madison
- Annabelle K. Vang, Kowalski Wilson & Vang, LLC, Madison
District 11
- Courtney L. Graff, Schmiege, Graff & Koch Law Firm, Ltd., Medford
District 13
- Maria A. Penkwitz, Penkwitz Law Office, Port Washington
District 15
- Elizabeth Stinebaugh, Legal Action of Wisconsin Inc., Racine.
ABOUT THE STATE BAR OF WISCONSIN
The State Bar of Wisconsin is the integrated professional association, created by the Wisconsin Supreme Court, for attorneys who hold a Wisconsin law license. With more than 25,000 members, the State Bar aids the courts in improving the administration of justice, provides continuing legal education for its members to help them maintain their expertise, and assists Wisconsin lawyers in carrying out community service initiatives to educate the public about the legal system and the value of lawyers. For more information, visit wisbar.org.
