MADISON, Wis. – Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul today announced the appointment of Lara Sutherlin to lead the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Division of Legal Services (DLS) and Shira Phelps to lead DOJ’s Office of Crime Victim Services (OCVS).

“Administrator Sutherlin and Director-designee Phelps will be outstanding leaders of DOJ’s Division of Legal Services and Office of Crime Victim Services,” said Attorney General Kaul. “I’m thankful they are rejoining DOJ to serve in these important roles as we continue working to protect the public and ensure that justice is done.”

New OCVS Executive Director Shira Phelps has spent over 20 years working on victim services issues in numerous different organizations, including several years as a former employee of OCVS. Phelps left OCVS in 2021 to work at a center focused on addressing human trafficking in Native and Tribal communities across the country. Phelps first day will be Monday, March 13, 2023.

New DLS Administrator Lara Sutherlin returned to DOJ after four years of serving as a Division Administrator at the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection. Sutherlin previously worked in civil litigation and consumer protection in DLS from 2006 - 2019. Sutherlin graduated from Northeastern University School of Law and spent time clerking as well as in private practice before joining DOJ. Lara rejoined Wisconsin DOJ on January 17, 2023.