Speedy Trial: Legal Q&A with Dane Co's Legal Community

This feature introduces a member of Dane County's legal community as they answer five questions posed to them by DCLRCBlawg. If you would like to participate, please email Paula Seeger for more information.

Meet Kristine Anderson, staff attorney for Dane County Circuit Court.

1. What's the favorite part of your job?

• My favorite part of my work is figuring out the puzzle of a case. My favorite part of my job is a tie between the people I work with and being in the courthouse at the center of the local universe.

2. What's the greatest challenge facing Dane Co. courts or legal professionals today?

• The greatest challenge facing courthouse personnel is all the things that result from budget cuts, such as losing funding for legal books and materials and losing staff so that those remaining have to work that much harder.

3. What's the one thing that has changed the most since you took your job?

• The thing that has changed the most since I've been in this position is me. I've become more and more disciplined in my job and life as time has gone on. I'm happy and proud of that.

4. You would describe your legal research style as:

A: Legal Research...what's that?
B: Thank Goodness for staff attorneys and office staff!
C: Mostly at home, mostly as needed
D: All research, all the time, [with a little reading and writing thrown in for good measure.]

5. What three pieces of advice would you give to someone new to your line of work?

• Three pieces of advice for new staff attorneys:
  a) Don't reinvent the wheel - seek help from your colleagues on how to approach most projects and for case discussion.
  b) Treat everyone, no matter their level of employment, with utmost respect - it's simply the right thing to do.
  c) Don't wait until the last minute to start working on an opinion. Your work will suffer. I know because I used to be the worst offender on that score.