April 2004

Introducing Deputy Director Paula Littlewood

by Jan Michels, WSBA Executive Director

Creation of the Deputy Director Position
Before I joined the WSBA in 1998, the Board of Governors had considered creating, simultaneous with hiring the new executive director, a deputy director position, in recognition that there were two bodies of work in the executive director's job: (1) Board support and membership interface, and (2) management of the WSBA's 120 staff and $14 million budget. The Board ultimately decided that the new executive director should review the office and job functions and develop a recommendation.

In my first five years at the WSBA, as I became increasingly familiar with the needs of members, governors, and staff, I recognized that both components of the executive director work needed more than half my available time. In 2003, the Board approved a reorganization that created the deputy director position within the current allocation of staff positions and available funding. This new position was approved effective with the 2004-2005 budget.

This deputy director position is responsible for helping coordinate the day-to-day operations of the WSBA by ensuring interdepartmental coordination and oversight of personnel matters. The posted requirements included an advanced degree with a J.D. preferred, increasingly responsible management experience of at least five years, and budgeting and fiscal management experience. Following the inclusive selection process that then-WSBA President Justice Mary Fairhurst pioneered with my hiring, a staff committee, the WSBA directors, and I selected Paula Littlewood for the position.

Introducing Paula Littlewood
Paula is a Washington native who grew up in Pullman. After graduating from high school, she spent most of the next 10 years out of the state, beginning with a trek to California to earn her bachelor's degree in political science and history from Claremont McKenna College in 1988. During her time out of the state, she enjoyed a wide range of experiences, including interning with Congresswoman Patricia Schroeder in Washington, D.C., working as a research assistant in the House of Commons in London, teaching English to children in Taiwan for two years, and traveling through China and Southeast Asia for another 10 months.

After returning to Washington state, Paula worked as a fundraiser on local and statewide political campaigns, then completed her J.D. and Master's in International Studies at the University of Washington in 1997. While in law school, Paula also served as editor-in-chief of the U.W. School of Law's Pacific Rim Law & Policy Journal.

Following graduation and the bar exam, Paula accepted a position as an Assistant Dean at the U.W. School of Law. Paula spent five years at the law school, first as Assistant Dean for Development and later as Assistant Dean for Administration and Public Relations. Paula managed the law school's budget, supervised the business office and the computing services department, and handled the law school's media and government relations. She also worked closely with the many student organizations. Paula brings solid credentials as our operations coordinator and a strong understanding of Washington's legal community.

Prior to taking the deputy director position, Paula was a frequent volunteer for the WSBA, and served on a number of committees and task forces. She served as the chair of the Editorial Advisory Board during the difficult transition to a new Bar News editor, and was a member of the Legislative Committee for three years. As deputy director, Paula continues her work with WSBA volunteers by helping to staff the Student Loan Crisis Task Force and the Professional Development Implementation Committee. She is also involved with a number of the Access to Justice initiatives currently underway in our state.

Paula and her husband, Will Wasson, have a 1-year-old son, Parker Blue Wasson. Will is a ski coach and instructor in Telluride, Colorado, during the winter, which requires not only a complex pattern of interstate commuting but also careful choices in their long-distance telephone plans! Paula shares Will's passion for skiing; she also plays competitive volleyball in local leagues (including one team consisting mainly of law school classmates), and is often found walking around Green Lake with friends on the weekend.

Paula is naturally and easily a friendly person who genuinely likes people and likes working with them. Her "How's it going?" trademark isn't cursory courtesy; it is genuine interest in the person. She elicits trust, truthfulness, and directness, and is already helping to strengthen the bonds among a broad range of the WSBA staff and programs.

Six-Month Assessment
In the now six months Paula and I have worked together I have noticed her ability to learn things quickly, her attention to detail, and her goodwill with staff. With Paula minding the home front, I have more time to work with the Board as well as to interface with the Supreme Court, other bar associations, and WSBA members, sections, and committees.

Paula refers to her work at the WSBA as "connecting the dots" — getting all the WSBA programs, initiatives, and services working together more cohesively. She is available day-to-day to resolve issues and shepherd steps toward longer-range goals. An apt analogy to Paula's work is the ad for BASF: "We don't make the product, we make it better!" Having Paula join us is not creating new products or services; rather it is making our products and services better.

Having the deputy director position and having Paula in it has resulted in a number of very right improvements for WSBA members and staff. Welcome, Paula!

Paula Littlewood can be reached at paulal@wsba.org or 206-443-WSBA.

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