Attorney Michael F. Hupy was invited to speak at the ABATE of Wisconsin annual meeting in Wisconsin Rapids on October 12^th. After the election for new officers, Hupy urged ABATE of Wisconsin leaders and members to be more like the NRA when it comes to raising money and working with other members. Hupy reminded the audience that the NRA has four million members including probably tens of thousands of lawyers who contribute tens of millions of dollars to the organization each year.

 

Hupy presented a personal check in the amount of $5,000.00 to MRF President Kirk “Hardtail” Willard to help with the organization’s current economic situation. Two years ago Hupy suggested a Planned Giving Program for the MRF, which has now been put in place as the MRF A & E Fund to which he donated the first $5,000.00.

 

Hupy pointed out the dangers of allowing a situation to develop like that at A.B.A.T.E. of Illinois where an Indiana lawyer has exclusive advertising rights and several Chapters have revolted. A.B.A.T.E. of Illinois has not been able to pass a budget and Chapters are defying the “rule” that none of the 86,000 lawyers in Illinois can run ads for personal injury cases in the State or Chapter publications.

  

Hupy and Abraham, S.C. runs a full-page ad in the South Suburban Chapter where Hupy has been a member for 17 years and the Northern Illinois Chapter, members of which have been represented by Hupy and Abraham, S.C. Hupy said it’s a denial of the right of free speech, censorship and detrimental to 11,000 members for A.B.A.T.E. of Illinois to deny lawyers the right to participate in their own organization.

 

The officers and members of ABATE of Wisconsin and the MRF who were present also were reminded that in 1995 a motorcycle rights organization threw out the same law firm that has exclusive advertising privileges with A.B.A.T.E. of Illinois saying they were of the opinion that lawyers felt that “members aren’t getting killed and maimed fast enough to suit the personal injury lawyers who get fat off their blood. Needless to say, a few Directors were pretty outraged.” Additionally, they complained that the legal services program “has refused to help our people with anything other than open and shut personal injury cases.”

 

The above quotes appeared in an article entitled “Lawyers and the Rights Movement” which was reprinted from “On The Road”. The article concluded that:

 

“Freedom doesn’t end with the open road-surely every member of our organization is fully capable of deciding who if anyone should “represent” them should the need arise.”