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Annual LicensingFees, Mandatory Forms (Active members) Were Due 2/1 Members living outside the United States Fees, Mandatory Forms (Active members) Were Due February 1stIf you haven't paid all of your license fees and late fees or if you are on Active status and haven't paid your Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection assessment or filed your Mandatory Professional Liability Insurance Disclosure Form, please do so now. Failure to pay in full or to file the required insurance disclosure form will result in your suspension from the practice of law in Washington.
Under the WSBA Bylaws, a 20% late payment fee is imposed if the annual license fee is not postmarked or delivered to the WSBA office by March 3, 2008. After April 1, 2008, a 50% late payment fee is imposed. In addition, the Supreme Court has ordered that all active members pay a $15 assessment to the Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection (APR 15). If any portion of your license fee, late fee or Lawyers' Fund for client Protection assessment (Active members only) remains unpaid and/or you have failed to complete and file your Mandatory Professional Liability Insurance Disclosure Form (Active members only) two months after the presuspension notice is sent (generally in March), the delinquency will be certified to the Supreme Court, which will enter an order of suspension from the practice of law. License Fee payments can be made using your MasterCard or Visa and confirmed (10 days after payment was sent) online. The system only allows payments for the full amount billed, i.e., no Keller deductions or status changes. If you are mailing in payment and/or mandatory forms and do not have the license packet envelopes, send to the WSBA: 1325 Fourth Ave., Ste. 600, Seattle, WA 98101-2539. License packetsEach December (after admission to the WSBA), members will receive an annual license renewal packet. The packet is mailed to the member's current mailing address on file with the WSBA and includes all the required forms to be completed and returned by the following February. All members are required to notify the WSBA of any changes of address or name within ten days of the change, either by completion and return of an address change form or by contacting the WSBA Service Center at 800-945-WSBA (9722) or 206-443-WSBA (9722). Members are requested to verify addresses and contact information on the license fee form. Every three years, the annual license packet includes a CLE Certification for Active members to report mandatory continuing legal education credits. Active members must also complete and return a Mandatory Trust Account Declaration and a Mandatory Professional Liability Insurance Disclosure. Failure to file mandatory forms may result in disciplinary action or suspension from practice. For voluntary reporting of pro bono publico service hours (as defined by RPC 6.1) and demographic information, use the A2 Form. In our continuing efforts to understand WSBA membership composition and better serve members' diverse needs, we are requesting voluntary demographic information using this form. The areas of practice and languages spoken will be made public on the WSBA online lawyer directory. Changing statusMembers may request a status change to inactive status or request to resign their membership by signing and dating those areas on the A1 form. Members interested in returning to active status should visit the Membership Status Changes page of the WSBA website for information and an application request form. Caution: Read the form carefully, as there are substantial implications to changing your status. Optional Keller deductionIn the U.S. Supreme Court case Keller v. State Bar of California, the court ruled that a bar association may not use mandatory member fees to support political or ideological activities that are not reasonably related to the regulation of the legal profession or improving the quality of legal services. The bar is required to identify that portion of mandatory license fees that go to such "non-chargeable" activities and establish a system whereby objecting members may either deduct that portion of their fees or receive a refund. For more information see page A1 of your license packet and the Keller Compliance Option Notice. Members living outside the United StatesIf you live outside the U.S., licensing forms should have been postmarked by February 1, 2008. License fees must be postmarked or delivered to the WSBA office by March 3, 2008 or late fees will be imposed, no matter where you live. All forms must be completed and postmarked or delivered to the WSBA office by this date. Active members living outside the U.S. must comply with all MCLE requirements (see APR 11). Because of the unavailability of programs in some geographic areas, the Board of Continuing Legal Education may give approval to programs offered in those areas that would not otherwise fully meet the standards for approval if offered in the U.S. For more information, e-mail questions@wsba.org or call the WSBA Service Center at 800-945-WSBA (9722) or 206-443-WSBA (9722). MCLE reportingEvery active lawyer is required to file a report every third year and must report a minimum of 45 credit hours (at least six of which are ethics credits and 30 are live credits) earned during that three-year period. All active members are divided into three reporting groups based upon year of admission. See MCLE Reporting. Future feesThe Board of Governors has adopted annual license fees through 2009 as follows:
In addition, each Active member must pay an annual $15 assessment for the Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection. License fees are based upon the first date of admission to any bar, including those outside Washington State.
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