18 New Lawyers Admitted in Wisconsin Through Diploma Privilege

On January 23, 2024, 18 new attorneys were admitted to the State Bar of Wisconsin through the diploma privilege pathway. The ceremony was held in the Supreme Court Hearing Room in Madison.

Those admitted represented graduates from both the University of Wisconsin Law School and Marquette University Law School. Stories from some of the new lawyers highlighted the different paths they took to earning their Juris Doctor degree.

Justis Hagberg was part of a cohort at UW Law that graduated half a year early by taking on extra course loads. He noted it was challenging but helped him get a job sooner with Dane County Corporation Counsel. Jessie Fink attended law school at UW while working as a project manager, encouraged by a coworker who said she’d make a great lawyer.

Kamau Faines had dreamed of becoming a lawyer since childhood and will now work at the law firm Michael Best and Friedrich LLP in Milwaukee. Aaron Earlywine was advised in high school to find a team and sees being an advocate as a way to work towards larger goals. David Princeton went to Marquette Law 20 years after college and plans to offer legal services in addition to his risk-management consulting services.

Some themes emerged in their stories. Many pursued law school to help others through legal services in varied ways. They also showed dedication through nontraditional paths and work ethic to take on heavier course loads. Their accomplishment of earning a law degree and admission to the bar was meaningful to them and their families.

In closing, diploma privilege is an important pathway to bar admission in Wisconsin. It allows graduates from the state’s law schools admission without having to take the bar exam. This recognizes the rigorous legal education received in Wisconsin and can help new lawyers get working sooner. As these stories show, many seek legal careers to serve their communities. Diploma privilege supports that goal and getting attorneys into the workforce to expand access to justice.