WSBA Services and Programs

Board of Governors and Committees

The governance of the WSBA is vested in the Board of Governors, composed of 14 governors (one governor from each of eight congressional districts; three from the 7th District; and three at-large members, one of whom represents the Young Lawyers Division), a president, president-elect, and executive director.

The Board of Governors meets regularly (approximately every six weeks) throughout the state. Its meetings are open to the public and the dates are published in Bar News and on the WSBA website. Minutes of the meetings are available from the executive director's office and are also posted on the WSBA website. The work of the Board is supported by Board-appointed committees, which are staffed by the WSBA.

Bar Leaders Support

WSBA staff provides support, training, and information for bar leaders, including local and specialty bar officers, WSBA appointees and delegates, committee and section chairs, and special task forces and workgroups. 

Legislative Activities

The WSBA maintains a small office in Olympia to monitor legislative activities and to lobby for positions approved by the Board of Governors. The Legislative Office also refers matters to WSBA sections and committees, and serves as a liaison to the Supreme Court on legislative matters. 

Court Rules and Procedures

The WSBA, through the work of the Court Rules and Procedures Committee and WSBA staff, assists the Washington State Supreme Court in reviewing, updating, and improving various court rules and procedures. 

Member Records

The WSBA maintains the records of all persons admitted to the Bar. These records track membership status, MCLE compliance, and contact information. These records support mailings, status checks, contact inquiries, and public indexing. 

Admissions and Licensing

The WSBA is charged with creating and administering the bar examination to assure a minimum level of knowledge for those entering the legal profession in Washington. The bar exam is administered twice a year and takes two-and-a-half days. Applicants are also subject to a character and fitness screening process before being allowed admission to the WSBA. The WSBA also administers the Rule 9 Legal Intern Program that allows law students to work in a legal setting under the supervision of a practicing attorney.

The WSBA is charged by the Supreme Court with the administration of several regulatory functions in conjunction with attorneys' annual licensing requirements. Most prominent is the obligation of attorneys to obtain a minimum number of hours of accredited continuing legal education. Attorneys must also certify that they maintain segregated trust accounts when appropriate. 

Access to Justice Board

The Washington State Bar Association has a strong commitment to supporting programs and initiatives that enhance Access to Justice in Washington state:

(2) The Washington State Bar Association's Pro Bono and Legal Aid Committee (PBLAC) focuses on the implementation of the Volunteer Attorney Legal Services Action Plan (VALS Action Plan). Adopted by the Board of Governors in 1994, the VALS Plan recommends key strategies for the judiciary, private law firms, WSBA, local bar associations, law schools and civil legal services providers for removing barriers to volunteerism and establishing institutional incentives to encourage attorneys and others to provide free services for low-income people.

(3) The Washington State Bar Association administers the Emeritus Attorney Program, a membership status which creates a limited license for attorneys otherwise retired from the practice of law to practice on a volunteer basis for an approved legal services provider.

Random Audit Program

The WSBA operates a random audit program of attorney trust accounts to assure compliance with the appropriate rules and to educate lawyers on the proper procedures to use in handling client funds. 

Lawyer Services Department

The Lawyer Services Department offers several valuable programs to attorneys in Washington.

(1) Lawyers Assistance Program

The Lawyers Assistance Program (LAP) offers confidential assistance with mental/emotional, drug, alcohol, family, health, and other personal problems. The extended staff includes LAP-trained peer counselors, lawyers who are available to support their colleagues through difficult times. Other services include a lending library of books, and newsletters on topics including mental health, law practice, substance abuse and other health issues. There are support groups and various other groups of special interest to lawyers.

In addition to the services available through the LAP office, LAP's staff and peer counselors are also available to give presentations at law offices, section, or county and specialty bar meetings. Topics include drug and alcohol abuse, stress, depression, communication skills, and grief and loss, among others.

(2) Law Office Management Assistance Program

The Law Office Management Assistance Program (LOMAP) is available to all members, and is particularly aimed at solo and small-firm practitioners. The program provides low-cost, professional consultation with office management questions and/or problems. Services can be delivered either on-site or by telephone consultation and include general "prevention maintenance" reviews; consultation on specific problems, systems or procedures; reference materials for office and practice setup; and referrals to outside consultants and vendors suitable to a lawyer's specific practice needs.

(3) Alternative Dispute Resolution Programs

There are two components: Voluntary Fee Arbitration and Mediation. The Voluntary Fee Arbitration Program helps clients and lawyers to resolve fee disputes by providing arbitration services and deciding the fair and reasonable value of a lawyer's legal work for the client. Both parties must agree to arbitrate and to the amount in controversy. The process begins by either party paying a $75 fee and filing a completed petition with the WSBA. A copy of the petition is sent to the other party, who must then agree to proceed and pay a $75 fee. If the other side is unwilling to arbitrate the matter, the fee is returned to the petitioner and the file is closed. If the amount in dispute is $5,000 or less, the case is assigned to one lawyer-arbitrator. If more than $5,000 is in dispute, a three-member panel, consisting of one lawyer and two lay persons, is designated to hear the case. If both parties agree, an arbitrator is selected by the WSBA and a hearing date set. Fee arbitration is binding and any award is enforceable under the provisions of RCW 7.04.

The Mediation Program is designed to resolve disputes voluntarily submitted by lawyers and/or clients, or referred by the WSBA Office of Disciplinary Counsel. It provides for informal and prompt resolution of disputes between lawyers and their clients, disputes between lawyers and other lawyers, and other disputes including disputes between lawyers and other professionals regarding expert-witness fees. Unlike the arbitrator in Voluntary Fee Arbitration, the mediator does not make a final decision on the dispute, but merely serves as a facilitator to help the parties resolve their differences.

(4) Ethics / Professional Responsibility Program

This program provides information and assistance in interpreting ethics, informal opinions, formal opinions and the Rules of Professional Conduct. To obtain ethics assistance, Washington lawyers may call the Ethics Line at 206-727-8284 and speak with a WSBA lawyer for assistance in resolving ethical dilemmas. The WSBA lawyer will discuss the situation with the caller to help clarify the ethical issues involved and enable the inquirer to make a decision consistent with the requirements of ethical behavior.

WSBA Service Center: 800-945-WSBA / 206-443-WSBA

The WSBA Service Center was established to respond to inquiries from WSBA members and the public. The Service Center plays an important role in fulfilling the mission of the WSBA: "[to] serve its members and the public."

The Service Center handles inquiries about licensing fees, MCLE compliance, course accreditation, CLE seminar registrations and publication orders, membership information and other Bar-related topics. The Service Center is staffed Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Representatives can be reached at 800-945-WSBA or 206-443-WSBA, or via e-mail at questions@wsba.org. 

WSBA Publications

Bar News

Produced monthly by the Communications Division, Bar News is the official publication of the Washington State Bar Association. This full-color, 64-page magazine includes

• Regular columns (including the President's Corner, Executive's Report, The Board's Work and Lawyer Services);
• Feature articles on a variety of topics of interest to the legal community, written primarily by WSBA members; and
• Around the State and "FYI" – a section devoted to current WSBA news.

Resources

Published annually, Resources is the WSBA membership directory, which includes alphabetical as well as geographical listings of members. In addition, Resources includes other valuable information, including section and committee listings, WSBA bylaws, MCLE information, a court directory, and more. For up-to-the-minute information about members' addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses, the WSBA Web site includes an easy-to-use "lawyer search" feature  at http://pro.wsba.org/.

Consumer-Information Pamphlets

As a service to our members and the public, the WSBA publishes a series of consumer-information pamphlets on various legal topics. Written for the nonlawyer, they are intended to educate citizens about their legal rights and responsibilities, answer frequently asked questions, and explain basic aspects of Washington state law. The information is general and is not intended as legal advice or as a substitute for a lawyer's services. These pamphlets are available at a nominal charge, and special discounted rates are available for qualifying non-profit organizations. Additionally, the WSBA Board of Governors has approved distribution of up to $2,500 worth of pamphlets per fiscal year, free to non-profits. 

Public and Media Relations

The Communications Division works with reporters throughout the state to help educate them about legal issues and respond to their requests for information. Our aim is to establish the WSBA as the source of timely, accurate information.

Speakers and Presentations

Attorneys throughout the state are encouraged to participate in the WSBA Speakers Bureau, a public-service program that promotes public understanding of the law and our legal system; increases citizen awareness of legal rights and responsibilities; and builds positive community/client relations. Our Speakers Bureau coordinator matches requests from schools and civic groups with individual attorneys, based on topic, geographical area, and type of audience preferred.

In addition to this public-outreach program, WSBA staff are available to speak to WSBA groups, such as local and specialty bars and sections, about a range of topics. 

Council on Public Legal Education

The Mission of the Council on Public Legal Education is to promote public understanding of the law and civic rights and responsibilities. The council pursues the mission by conducting, coordinating, encouraging and publicizing public legal education efforts in Washington state.

Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection

To promote public confidence in the administration of justice and the integrity of the legal profession, the Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection is established for the purpose of relieving or mitigating a pecuniary loss sustained by any client. The loss may be due to the dishonesty of, or failure to account for money or property entrusted to, any member of the WSBA in connection with the member's practice of law or while acting as a fiduciary in a matter related to the member's practice of law. The Fund is funded by an annual assessment of members of the WSBA by order of the Supreme Court. 

Office of Disciplinary Counsel

Under the Supreme Court's Rules for Enforcement of Lawyer Conduct, the WSBA investigates and prosecutes grievances against Washington lawyers. About 2,500 such grievances are filed each year. Many more members of the public call for information and are assisted informally by WSBA staff.

After a confidential investigation, disciplinary counsel may either dismiss the grievance or, if disciplinary counsel believes there is evidence of an apparent ethical violation, refer it to a Review Committee of the Disciplinary Board, which may either dismiss the matter, order further investigation, or order it to public hearing. Less serious matters also may be dismissed with advisory letters to warn against troublesome conduct.

Hearings are public and are held before volunteer hearing officers with WSBA Disciplinary Counsel acting as prosecutor. Appellate review is by the Disciplinary Board of 10 lawyers and four nonlawyers. Public sanctions and actions include admonitions, reprimands, suspension of up to three years, disbarment, probation, and restitution. In all cases involving suspension or disbarment, review by the Supreme Court is automatic. In other cases, appeal to the court is discretionary. 

Young Lawyers Division

All Washington State Bar Association members are also automatically members of the Washington Young Lawyers Division for the first five years of practice or until the end of his/her 36th year, whichever is later.

The Young Lawyers Division exists to assist new lawyers in achieving professional and personal development. To accomplish this goal, the division through its active committee structure and Board of Trustees:

• organizes practice-condition seminars;
• plans CLE programs for young lawyers;
• monitors and analyzes legislative issues of interest to the profession and specifically young lawyers; and

• publishes the De Novo bimonthly newspaper.

The division also implements and supports public-service programs, the Pre-law Conference for high-school students, the YMCA Mock Trial Competition, and pro bono assistance to FEMA recipients. 

Sections Administration and Support

The WSBA has 25 sections, which represent many areas of practice. Sections provide a forum for members to pursue their interests. Sections:

• support the continuing legal education of lawyers;
• cooperate in the development of the WSBA's legislative program;
• organize and inform section members of issues and events in their areas of interest; and
• foster collegiality among members.

WSBA members may join sections via online application.

Continuing Legal Education (CLE)

The WSBA is the primary provider of Continuing Legal Education programs and materials for Washington lawyers. The CLE Department:

• produces approximately 100 live programs each year on different topics;
• offers programs at locations throughout the state;
• offers some seminars via telephone, so members can participate while never leaving their office;
• offers video replay sites in less-populated areas to make education more accessible to Washington lawyers in distant locations; and
• produces deskbooks and course books on substantive and procedural areas of the law in print and on CD-ROM, audio and video.
  

Mandatory Continuing Legal Education

It is of primary importance to the members of the Bar and to the public that lawyers continue their legal education throughout their careers as lawyers. The Washington State Board of Continuing Legal Education, nominated by the Board of Governors and appointed by the Supreme Court, oversees the accreditation of CLE programs and enforces member compliance with the CLE requirements. 

Judicial Recommendation Committee

The primary objective of this committee is to assist in the appointment of excellent judges. The committee prepares and maintains a list of individuals who are well qualified for and interested in appointment to the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court.

ABA Retirement Funds

The WSBA has a sponsorship agreement with the ABA Retirement Funds (formerly known as the ABA Retirement Program). The program is open to all Washington lawyers, not just those who are ABA members, and assumes the overhead of managing retirement investments for lawyers and small firms.
 
The American Bar Retirement Association and the affiliated ABA Members Retirement Program were established more than 40 years ago by the American Bar Association to help the legal community with retirement planning and solutions. The program is administered by State Street Bank and Trust, and includes plan administration, investment flexibility, and advice. 

For more information, call 877-948-2272 or visit www.abaretirement.com.

Insurance Programs

As part of its mission to serve its members, the WSBA sponsors professional liability, medical, and automobile insurance programs. Click here for more information.