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About WLAA

The Wisconsin Law Alumni Association (WLAA) is the official alumni organization of the UW Law School and has an alumni base of over 13,000 living alumni. While each individual alum has contributed to the reputation of the Law School, their collaborative efforts as alumni have provided continuous support, particularly through the activities WLAA.

WLAA was formed to promote closer contact between the UW Law School and its alumni, to bring news of the school to alumni, to create school scholarships and loan funds, to promote the best interests of the law, and to assist in furthering the due administration of justice.

History of WLAA - More Than 60 Years of Service to the Law School

After early attempts at organized alumni activity, WLAA was established as an unincorporated membership association in 1934. In 1940, WLAA was incorporated and has continued in corporate form since then, although the articles and bylaws have been amended from time to time.

The first executive committee consisted of Isadore Alk (1927), Green Bay; Claire Bird (1912), Chicago; Hon. William Foley (1892), Superior; William Gill (1931), Milwaukee; Otto Oestreich (1897), Janesville; Hon. John Wickhem (1817), Madison; Francis Wilcox (1932), Eau Claire; and Edgar Wood (1892), Milwaukee.

There is little doubt that the initial impetus for the organization of WLAA stemmed from the need for scholarship funds, particularly during the Depression. The inspiration for the organization may have come from Dean Lloyd K. Garrison. In a message included in a 1935 alumni directory, Dean Garrison wrote:

Many of the students who are working their way through school devote as much as 5 or 6 hours a day to their jobs. Under these circumstances the full benefits of the law course cannot be had. There is insufficient time for study; and much worry, fatigue and ill health. Some of the students are actually hungry, and every member of the faculty knows from personal observations the desperate efforts which many are making to put themselves through school.

As might be expected, there appears to have been little organized alumni activity during the war years of the 1940’s. However, when annual meetings resumed in 1946, 64 members attended. Currently, the WLAA board of directors meet annually in the fall in conjunction with the Board of Visitors meeting. Additional meetings are called when necessary.

Over the years, WLAA has assisted with both annual fund drives and capital fund drives, including the capital fund for the building, which raised funds for the Law School building and renovation project completed in 1996.

Presidents of WLAA

1940 Kenneth Burgess 1941 Claire Bird 1942 Otto Oestreich 1943-45 no meetings 1946 Elmer Barlow 1947 F. Ryan Duffy 1948 Roger Cunningham 1949 Francis Wilcox 1950 Marvin Klitsner 1951 Arthur Crowns Sr. 1952 Joseph Wilkus 1953 Walter Brummund 1954 Howard Bast 1955 John Colletine 1956 Richard Orton 1957 Carroll Callahan 1958 Patrick Cotter 1959 Joseph Melli 1960 David Beckwith 1961 Walter Bjork 1962 Vilas Whaley 1963 Johns Shiels 1964 Harry Franke 1965 E. Clarke Arnold 1966 Clyde Cross 1967 Warren Stolper 1968 Lester Clemons 1969 Robert Gollmar 1970 Robert Curry 1971 Patrick Cotter 1972 Glen Campbell 1973 Thomas Barland 1974 Thomas Zilavy

1975 Mac McKichan 1976 Thomas Anderson 1977 Daniel Flaherty 1978 Tomas Russell 1979 Irvin Charne 1980 Dale Sorden 1981 Roy Stewart 1982 William Willis 1983 Richard Olson 1984 Mark Bonady 1985 Conrad Goodkind 1986 Howard Pollack 1987 Joel Haber 1988 Joel Haber 1989 Jeffrey Bartell 1990 Jeffrey Bartell 1991 Kirby Bouthilet 1992 Thomas Drought 1993 John Skilton 1994 John Skilton 1995 John Kaiser 1996 John Kaiser 1997 G. Lane Ware 1998 G. Lane Ware 1999 Kenneth McNeil 2000 Kenneth McNeil 2001 Susan Steingass 2002 Susan Steingass 2003 Susan Steingass 2004 David J. Hanson 2005 David J. Hanson 2006 David J. Hanson 2007 David J. Hanson