October 2004

Around the State

Around the State reports are welcome from county and specialty bar associations. There are no rules for writing them, except to mention lots of your members. We leave it up to each organization to decide who does it, and to the correspondent to decide how often. Many counties are still available. Contact the editor at tradelaw@thompson-law.com for more information.

U.S. Bankruptcy Bar Association, Eastern District of Washington

The Bankruptcy Bar Association of the Eastern District of Washington elected the following officers at the association's annual meeting at Sun Mountain Lodge: Erik S. Bakke Sr. of Davis, Arneil Law Firm, LLP, Wenatchee, president; Mary Ellen Gaffney-Brown of Lineberger & Gaffney-Brown, Spokane, president-elect; Elizabeth Baker of Carlson, McMahon & Sealby, Wenatchee, secretary; and Ian Ledlin, Spokane, secretary.

All members of the WSBA are eligible for membership. For further information about the Bankruptcy Bar Association or its work, please contact Erik S. Bakke Sr. at PO Box 2136, Wenatchee, WA 98807; or erikb@dadkp.com.

Clallam County Report
by Cliff Tassie

High summer in Clallam County this August. One of the longest stretches of crystal-clear hot days I can remember just returned to normal with two days of rain. It's a reminder of what we have to look forward to here from November through April. Most of us have had a chance to get away from the office for awhile and enjoy a change of scenery. Even though we live where quite a few people come to spend their vacations, the urge still exists to just get the heck out of town.

The filing period just closed with our two Superior Court judges, Hon. Ken Williams and Hon. George Wood, standing unopposed for re-election. Our other legal elected folks aren't running this year. Our big news is certainly that our very own S. Brooke Taylor will be the WSBA president for the 2005-2006 term. My favorite story about Brooke's time on the BOG was his choice of get-up at a costume party early in his term. He sported Carharts logger jeans, red suspenders, a tin shirt, and romeos (leather pull-on boots, for the uninitiated). Mingling in such attire in a room full of what we irreverently refer to as "elevator lawyers" is vintage Brooke.

Brian Coughenour earned standing ovations for his acting (and excellent singing) in the Port Angeles Light Opera Association's summer production of Annie Get Your Gun. He looked very comfortable and natural as the male lead, Frank Butler, in the end sucessfully balancing love and ego. He even grew a commendable handlebar mustache. We all look forward to his next theatrical outing.

The last few months have seen some personnel changes at the bar. Doubtless I will miss some, providing an opportunity for heartfelt mea culpas next time. Greenaway & Gay added Carl Gay's old friend Rob Tulloch. New firms Basden & Hansen, PLLC, and Wolfley & Black were formed out of the former firm with those members. Jane Shefler has left us all green with envy by entering a scandalously early retirement; she will be followed later this fall by Grant Meiner. Craig Miller and Chris Shea have opened a new firm with offices at the Windermere building. Curtis Johnson, with his dad "of counsel," is in solo practice on East 5th Street. Carol Mortensen passed the bar and is sharing offices with Bob Strohmeyer. Finally, McMenamin & McMenamin, a husband-and-wife firm, kept it all in the family by adding their nephew, Patrick McMenamin.

Pierce County Judiciary Report
from Judge Stephanie Arend

Pierce County's Superior Court judges and commissioners painted the town red this summer. Well, not the whole town, just one house. And it was sand point rather than red. But participating in "Paint Tacoma-Pierce Beautiful" for the second consecutive year was rewarding for the jurists as well as the homeowners.

"Working with colleagues outside the courthouse and getting the entire project finished within two weeks made it especially satisfying," said Judge Ron Culpepper. Commissioner Mark Gelman agreed, "Gorgeous weather, good friends, good food, a great house color, and a good time had by all, even at 6 a.m."

Headed by Judge Stephanie Arend, a majority of the 21 judges and six commissioners participated in three work parties during July to paint the East Tacoma home of Elaine and Loren Hancock. "I love it. They did such a nice job," said Mrs. Hancock. "They were wonderful, so down to earth and kind. It is humbling to have the Superior Court working on your house. It was hard for Loren, because he volunteers so much helping others. He felt he should be out working with them, but he couldn't do it because of his health."

The house at East 53rd and McKinley has been the Hancocks' home for 12 years and has been in the Hancock family's ownership since 1964. "This was Grandma's house," she said. Loren Hancock went to a local seminary late in life and serves as an interim minister when congregations are without a regular preacher. He previously worked as a truck driver and butcher. Illness forced him to sell his truck. Elaine Hancock retired on a disability.

The judges were assigned the Hancock home after responding to the "Paint Tacoma-Pierce Beautiful" annual call for volunteers to paint homes of low-income senior and disabled citizens. Sallie Shawl, the project's director, said more than 100 homes are being painted this year by crews from churches, service clubs, unions, businesses, local government and military agencies, and individuals. By the end of summer, a total of 1,485 homes will have been painted since the program started in 1985. "We should all be proud of our response to the call for crews to paint homes. Giving back to the community is everyone's civic duty," Judge Sergio Armijo said.

Judge Vicki Hogan assisted Arend with project coordination. "The Hancocks are a delightful couple who have given much to Pierce County. It was a privilege to be able to help such wonderful people by painting their home," she said. While almost all of the judges and commissioners helped by pressure washing, scraping, priming, or painting, others participated by providing food and beverages for the work crews. "This is a win-win for everyone. The homeowner gets a newly painted house and we have fun too," said Judge Bev Grant.

Mrs. Hancock purchased a thank you card for the judges but was having a difficult time determining what to write. "There are no words that can adequately express what we feel about all their work. What they gave means so much to us," she said.

Not everyone was speechless after the paint had dried, however. David Moore, husband of Judge Hogan, had this to say about his experience painting with the judges:
To work with the Judges was such a thrill,
But of painting a house, I got my fill.
I painted diligently, without a flaw,
Now I hope I never again run afoul of the law!

Whatcom County Report

On August 31, 2004, Judge Michael Moynihan sent me an e-mail advising that as of 4:30 p.m. he was retiring as Superior Court Judge and recommending a successor as Around the State reporter. Judge Moynihan wrote the Whatcom Report during my first time as editor, 1988-95, and was always timely, informative, and funny. Bar News and I will miss his contributions, and we all wish him well in retirement — Editor.

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