In Memoriam

David Schultz ’72, who served for three decades as associate dean for Continuing Legal Education and Outreach until his retirement in 2011, died April 5, in Madison. He was 78.

Schultz, who grew up in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, graduated from University of Wisconsin–Madison with a bachelor of science degree in history in 1967. He was drafted out of University of Wisconsin Law School by the Army into the Military Police in Alaska. After his return and eventual graduation, he worked for two years as a staff attorney for Corrections Legal Services in Milwaukee.

Schultz joined the UW Extension Department of Law in 1974; he rose to associate professor and chairman in the early 1980s.

One of his lasting impacts on the legal profession came through his service as reporter for the Wisconsin Criminal Jury Instructions from 1976 to 2019. He continued as an adviser on jury instructions until his death.

“David’s influence has been felt in all of the many criminal cases in which those instructions have been used and will continue to be for many years to come,” said UW Law Dean Dan Tokaji.

Through the Continuing Legal Education and Outreach Program, Schultz co-authored many books and taught a variety of criminal law courses for lawyers, judges and police officers. At the Law School, he taught first-year courses in Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure and supervised the judicial intern program.

In his free time, Schultz enjoyed watching football, basketball and golf as well as spending time with his children and grandchildren.

On June 28, the Judicial Council honored Schultz during a ceremony at the Capitol. His wife Kristi Schultz, daughter Katie Schmidt, and grandchildren Abby and Evan Schmidt attended.

Katie said her dad was humble, so much so that she and her mother smiled when they said he would probably not have wanted the attention given to him that day.

“Dad believed in fairness of the law and really fostered that in his work on a daily basis,” she said. “It’s been very comforting to talk to people who said that Dad has paved the way in their career and the justice system. He never really shared that with my mother and brothers and me.”

The impact of Schultz on the field and his peers is unmatched.

“What impressed me most about Professor Schultz was his diligence and his restraint,” remarked UW Law Professor Cecelia Klingele during the ceremony. “He was quieter than the others, but his few words carried great weight. Whenever he spoke, his comments were accurate, incisive and helpful. He also had a keen, wry sense of humor that would sneak out unexpectedly. He was consistently reliable and conscientious in a way that deeply impressed me.”

It continued to impress his colleagues throughout his career.

“I never met a lawyer or law professor who was equal to Professor David Schultz,” said Judicial Council Chair Bill Gleisner.

June Miller Weisberger Blanchard, a prominent family and labor law scholar who taught at University of Wisconsin Law School from 1974 to 1994, died Aug. 3, at her home in Skokie, Illinois; she was 93.

Originally from Chicago, Weisberger Blanchard earned her J.D. from University of Chicago Law School in 1963 as one of three women in her class. She had enrolled at age 30 as the mother of three children.

Before going into teaching at Cornell University and then UW Law, she served as assistant corporation counsel in Rochester, New York, and legal counsel for the city’s Board of Education.

Weisberger Blanchard authored many publications during her time in Wisconsin, including “A Marital Property Handbook: An Introduction to Wisconsin’s Marital Property System” and “Collective Bargaining in Public Employment.” One of her most noteworthy accomplishments was the drafting of and advocacy for Wisconsin’s Marital Property Act, signed into law in 1984, which helped ensure a more equitable distribution of marital property.

Weisberger Blanchard also played a key role in creating the Labor Law Program at UW Law and pioneered gender discrimination classes. As a labor arbitrator, she was recognized for her thorough and fair-minded approach to resolving disputes.

“She was a trailblazer who advocated for women’s rights and lived out her passionate commitment to justice,” said Dean Dan Tokaji.