Honorary Membership
Inactive Membership
Inactive members shall not practice law in Washington, nor engage in employment or duties in the State of Washington that constitute the practice of law. Inactive members are not eligible to vote in Bar matters or hold office therein, or serve on any committee, board, or panel.
Inactive members may:
- Join WSBA Sections as non-voting members, if allowed under the Section's bylaws. This does not include eligibility to join as voting members;
- Continue their affiliation with the WSBA;
- Change their membership to Active pursuant to the WSBA bylaws; and
- Request a free Bar News subscription.
The WSBA bylaws provide for three different types of Inactive Membership. The two most common types are Inactive-Lawyer and Inactive-Honorary.
Inactive-Honorary
All members who have been Active or Judicial, or a combination of Active and Judicial, members for 50 years may elect to become Inactive-Honorary members of the WSBA. Periods of time on Inactive-Lawyer or Emeritus/Pro Bono membership, and/or on any Suspended status, will not count towards the 50 year membership total when determining Inactive-Honorary eligibility.
Inactive-Honorary members are not required to pay a license fee or any assessments. A member, who otherwise qualifies for Inactive-Honorary membership but wants to continue to practice law in any manner, must be an Active member or an Emeritus/Pro Bono member.
To apply for Inactive-Honorary membership, complete and submit the Application for Change of Membership to Inactive-Honorary. Applications for Inactive-Honorary membership are generally confirmed within one week of receipt of the application, provided the member is eligible and everything is in order.