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FYI2005 WSBA Award Nominations Sought Each year, members of the Washington State Bar Association are asked to identify those members of our profession and the public who deserve the legal profession’s recognition and thanks. Nominations are sought for the following awards: • Award of Merit. First given in 1957, this is the WSBA’s highest honor. The Award of Merit is most often given for long-term service to the Bar and/or the public, although it has also been presented in recognition of a single, extraordinary contribution or project. It is awarded to individuals only — both lawyers and nonlawyers. • Lifetime Service Award. This is a special award given for a lifetime of service to the WSBA and the public. It is given only when there is someone especially deserving of this recognition. • Professionalism Award. This honor is awarded to a member of the WSBA who exemplifies the spirit of professionalism in the practice of law. “Professionalism” is defined as the pursuit of a learned profession in the spirit of service to the public and in the sharing of values with other members of the profession. • Angelo Petruss Award for Lawyers in Public Service. Named in honor of the late Angelo R. Petruss, a senior assistant attorney general who passed away during his term of service on the WSBA Board of Governors, this award is given to a lawyer in government service who has made a significant contribution to the legal profession, the justice system, and the public. • Outstanding Judge Award. This award is presented for outstanding service to the bench and for special contribution to the legal profession at any level of the court. • Pro Bono Award. This award is presented to a lawyer, nonlawyer, law firm, or local bar association for outstanding efforts in providing pro bono services. This award is based on cumulative efforts, as opposed to a lawyer’s or group’s pro bono hours or financial contribution. • Courageous Award. This award is presented to a lawyer who has displayed exceptional courage in the face of adversity, thus bringing credit to the legal profession. • Excellence in Diversity Award. This award is made to a lawyer, law firm, or law-related group that has made a significant contribution to diversity in the legal profession’s employment of ethnic minorities, women, and persons with disabilities. • Excellence in Legal Journalism Award. This award recognizes that describing the context, facts, and players involved in the legal system with fairness and sensitivity requires intelligence, knowledge, dedication, and skill. This award is given to the journalist and his/her organization that has set the standard for relevance, clarity, accuracy, and understanding in reporting. Award Presentation. It is important to note that presentation of any WSBA awards is made only when there are truly deserving recipients. Some years, no award is given in some categories. Awards are limited to one recipient per category, except when a group of individuals earned the award together. Nomination Submissions. If you know an individual who fits the criteria set forth above, please visit www.wsba.org/barleadershomepage.htm, and complete and submit the nomination form. Self-nominations will not be accepted. Please note that the completed nomination form must accompany each nomination in order to be considered. The deadline for Pro Bono Award nominations is April 1, 2005. The deadline for all other nominations is May 6, 2005. Please send nominations to: The awards will be presented at the WSBA Annual Awards Dinner in Seattle on September 15, 2005, with the following exceptions: The Pro Bono Award will be presented at the Access to Justice Conference in Bellevue on June 4 (please note that the nomination deadline for the Pro Bono Award is April 1, 2005), and the Excellence in Legal Journalism Award will be presented at the Annual Bench-Bar-Press Conference in Fall 2005. MCLE Certification News for Group 1 (2002-2004) — Automatic Extensions to May 1, 2005 — Late Fee Due MCLE Reporting Group 1 members should have completed all the credits for the 2002-2004 reporting period by December 31, 2004. Members in Group 1 include active members who were admitted to the WSBA in all years through 1975 or in 1991, 1994, 1997, or 2000. Members admitted in 2003 are also in Group 1 but are not due to report until the end of 2007. Their first reporting period will be 2005-2007, but any credits earned on or after the day admitted to the WSBA may be counted for compliance. The credit requirements for members who were active for all three years of the 2002-2004 reporting period are at least 45 total credits of WSBA-approved CLE activities, which must include a minimum of 30 live credits and a minimum of six ethics credits. If you were unable to complete the credit requirements by December 31, you have an automatic extension until May 1, 2005. You do not need to apply for this extension. However, you should still return your C2 form, ensuring that all the courses you have taken to date are listed. When you have completed the rest of your credits needed for compliance, list them on a Supplemental Affidavit (available from the WSBA Service Center (see below)). If you did not meet the MCLE credit requirement by December 31 and/or did not return your C2 affidavit by March 1 (the end of the grace period allowed after the February 1 due date), you will be assessed a late fee. The late fee is $150 for the first reporting period in which you have not met the MCLE credit or C2 reporting requirements on time. The late fee increases by $300 for each consecutive reporting period in which MCLE requirements are not met. To make reporting easy, all courses listed in your online roster at http://pro.wsba.org as of November 1 were printed on the back side of your C2 affidavit. You must list any additional WSBA-approved courses you have taken. (APR 11 regulations stipulate that a course must be approved by the WSBA before it can be applied toward your MCLE credit requirement.) Include the WSBA activity ID number for each course you list. For audio/visual courses, list the date you viewed or listened to the course, as well as the original recording date. You can look up an activity ID number or apply for course approval online at http://pro.wsba.org. Click on “Member” and then select “Member Login.” If it is your first time logging on, use your Bar number as your password. The online instructions will lead you through the process of creating a new password, to protect your records, and using the system. If you have questions about the MCLE system, MCLE requirements, or if you need a C2 or Supplemental Affidavit, contact the WSBA Service Center at 800-945-WSBA or 206-443-WSBA, or questions@wsba.org. MCLE Certification News for Group 1 (2002-2004) — C2 Processing Update This year the WSBA will be processing more than 7,000 C2 forms from Group 1 members. You can confirm that the WSBA received your C2 form by checking for a date next to the “C2 Date Received” box just below the course roster on your online profile at http://pro.wsba.org. It will take the WSBA another few months to finish processing all the 2002-2004 C2 forms and confirm compliance. Consequently, even after the WSBA receives your C2 form, you may continue to see “No” in the “C2 Data Complete” box and your profile marked as noncompliant. There should be no cause for alarm, as this simply means that your C2 form has not yet been processed. If the WSBA needs any further information or action from you in order to certify compliance, you will be contacted by letter. Every member will be given ample opportunity to take the corrective action needed to become compliant before any further action is taken. If your C2 form shows that you have met your credit requirement, MCLE staff will not add individual courses to your roster. Instead, special summary Form 1’s will be used to add credits that you have listed on your C2 form to your online roster. If you report more than 60 credits, only the first 60 will be added to your roster. This includes the 45 minimum credits required for compliance plus up to 15 carry over credits (of which a maximum of two credits can be ethics and five can be audio/visual). If you have questions about the MCLE system, MCLE requirements, or if you need a C2 or Supplemental Affidavit, contact the WSBA Service Center at 800-945-WSBA or 206-443-WSBA, or questions@wsba.org. 2005 License Fee Packets License packets were mailed in December 2004. The packet includes your license fee invoice, trust account declaration form and, if applicable, the MCLE certification form. If you have not yet received your license packet, please call the WSBA Service Center at 800-945-WSBA or 206-443-WSBA, or e-mail questions@wsba.org to request a duplicate. Please note that it is your responsibility to pay your annual license fee, regardless of whether you receive the license packet. Active members must complete, sign, and return a Trust Account Declaration and, if applicable, an MCLE Certification. There may be other forms included in the packet that you wish to complete and return, such as updating your contact information, reporting pro bono hours, completing the demographic information, and requesting a web link from the WSBA attorney directory to your website (payment required). If you are mailing your forms and payment. The return envelopes for your forms and payments have instructions on the reverse side for improvement in processing and ease of use. Please review them carefully before mailing your forms and payment. The white envelope should be used for returning your license form (A2) with a check payment. The blue envelope should be used for your license form when making a payment by credit card. Also use the blue envelope for mailing the Trust Account Declaration, MCLE Certification, and any voluntary forms. If you are paying your fees online. To pay your fees online, go to http://pro.wsba.org, click on the “Member” tab, and sign in with your WSBA Bar number and password. Prompts will lead you through the process to pay your 2005 license fee by MasterCard or Visa. Note that you do not need to return the A2 form if you pay online, but active members must complete and return a Trust Account Declaration and, if applicable, an MCLE Certification. The packet includes other voluntary forms you may want to complete and return. If you wish to take the Keller deduction, you cannot pay your license fee online. Trust Account Declaration. The Trust Account Declaration included in your license packet must be completed by all active members, whether or not you have a trust account. Failure to file this form can result in disciplinary action. Payment deadline. Please note that if your payment is postmarked or delivered in person to the WSBA office later than March 1, 2005, WSBA Bylaws require a 20 percent penalty to be assessed. If your payment is postmarked or delivered in person to the WSBA office after April 1, 2005, a 50 percent penalty will be assessed. Presuspension Notice. A presuspension notice will be sent in mid-March to those members who have not paid their 2005 license fee. If you receive a presuspension notice and have paid your license fee, you can confirm receipt by the WSBA 10 days after you sent your payment by checking online at http://pro.wsba.org or contacting the WSBA Service Center at 800-945-WSBA, 206-443-WSBA, or questions@wsba.org. Important note about paying your fees. If either your license fee or, for active members, the Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection assessment remains unpaid two months after the mailing of the pre-suspension notice, the Bylaws require the WSBA to certify the delinquency to the Supreme Court, which will enter an Order of Suspension from the practice of law. Software Conversion. In late summer 2004, the WSBA underwent a software conversion of the membership database. It is possible that not all information converted correctly. If you feel the amount or any other information showing on your license form (A2) is not correct, please call the WSBA Service Center at 800-945-WSBA or 206-443-WSBA, or e-mail questions@wsba.org. WSBA Members on Active Military Duty. At its January 2004 meeting, the Board of Governors approved a Bylaw amendment that allows all active WSBA members who are on active duty in the military to waive WSBA license fees and remain active members for up to five years. (WSBA members on active duty whose WSBA membership status is inactive or emeritus must still pay the annual WSBA license fee.) If you are currently an active member on active military duty, please contact the WSBA Service Center at 800-945-WSBA or 206-443-WSBA, or questions@wsba.org. Contact Information. APR 13.b states that address updates shall be provided to the WSBA within 10 days after the change. You can go to the online lawyer directory on the WSBA website at http://pro.wsba.org to check your listing. If your contact information has changed, please complete and return the Contact Information Change form included in the license packet to the address shown on the form or by fax to 206-727-8319, or e-mail the changes to questions@wsba.org. More Information. For more information, please see the WSBA website at www.wsba.org/lawyers/licensing/annuallicensing.htm. The WSBA Service Center is also available to assist you Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., at 800-945-WSBA or 206-443-WSBA, or by e-mail at questions@wsba.org. Seattle P-I Article on 2005 Jefferson Awards Showcases Contributions of Seattle Lawyer Robert Mussehl A February 2, 2005, article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer titled “2005 Jefferson Awards: Social justice at heart of lawyer’s profession” brings to light the remarkable contributions of Seattle lawyer Robert Mussehl to his community. “To Mussehl, 68, practicing law isn’t just another profession,” wrote the article’s author, Cheryl Reid-Simons, “it’s a sacred trust and a way to serve society. Mr. Mussehl is a founder and former director of the Washington State Lawyers Campaign for Hunger Relief — now called Lawyers Helping Hungry Children. In the article, Ms. Reid-Simons pointed out that “Mussehl’s passion has helped to provide more than 3 million meals to help end the injustice of hunger.” That passion also earned Mr. Mussehl a prestigious Jefferson Award in 1997. Named for our third President and created in 1972 as a Nobel Prize for community service, the Jefferson Awards have honored community involvement in Washington state for the last 28 years. (Note: The deadline for this year’s nominations was February 11.) Mr. Mussehl, who has been a member of the WSBA since 1967, continues to serve on the board of directors of Lawyers Helping Hungry Children, and is actively involved in recruiting additional lawyers. Also actively involved in promoting world peace and increasing diversity in the legal profession, he helped found the WSBA World Peace Through Law Section and serves on the ABA Commission for Racial and Ethnic Diversity. (For more information about Robert Mussehl and Lawyers Helping Hungry Children, see the August 2002 issue of Bar News.) Olympia Attorney John Gray Receives Local Hero Award On January 21, WSBA President Ron Ward presented the WSBA’s Local Hero Award to Olympia attorney John Gray at the Phoenix Inn Suites in Olympia. Mr. Gray, a WSBA member since 1977, is an administrative law judge with the Washington State Department of Revenue who also serves on the WSBA Administrative Law Section Board of Trustees and the WSBA CLE Committee. Mr. Gray has devoted nearly 25 years to the delivery of legal services to those of limited means. For many years he has served on the Executive Board of the Government Lawyers Bar Association (GLBA), including terms as secretary, president, Board of Governors liaison, chair of the Nominating and Long-term Planning Committees, and co-chair of the GLBA CLE Committee, producing 15 successful low-cost, high-quality programs for local attorneys. He is the GLBA Board’s representative on the Thurston County Volunteer Legal Services Foundation (TCVLSF) Board — which coordinates the volunteer advice clinic and direct representation of low-income clients in Thurston County — serving as board member, secretary, and member of the Budget and Finance Committee, which recently helped the TCVLSF Board successfully pass an audit by the Legal Foundation of Washington. In prior years he served as a member of the Thurston-Mason Counties Pro Bono Program Committee and as a participating volunteer attorney from 1981-1996. He was a member of the Board of Trustees for the Puget Sound Legal Assistance Foundation from 1988-1995, serving as its president from 1994 to 1995. His commitment to pro bono legal services was also evident in his service as a member of the WSBA Pro Bono and Legal Aid Committee from 2000 to 2001. On the national level, Mr. Gray is the western regional representative to the National Association of Hearing Officials Board of Directors, a professional organization for administrative law judges. He chairs the Certification Committee, one of two programs in the country that determine whether hearing officials meet the professional standards for national certification as an administrative adjudicator. “In whatever capacity he serves,” wrote Kristal Wiitala Knutson, GLBA Board of Governors liaison, who nominated Mr. Gray for the award, “John is a dependable, valuable, and integral member of the organization. He never participates as a figurehead or ‘résumé builder,’ but always contributes his quiet knowledge and work to the group and can always be counted on to attend meetings, participate, and fill his commitments to complete the many often thankless tasks for which he volunteers. John usually works quietly behind the scenes and does not toot his own horn. When he speaks, he has a valid and thoughtful point, and people listen.” NW Tribal Attorneys Gave $6,500 to Indian Law Students in December 2004 — Nearly $40,000 Since 2003 The Northwest Indian Bar Association (NIBA) recently gave $6,500 in scholarships to Northwest Native law students as part of an ongoing effort to support Indian students seeking a legal education. Since 2003, NIBA and its sister group, the WSBA Indian Law Section, have raised and donated nearly $40,000 in scholarships to aspiring Indian lawyers from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska. “NIBA is excited and grateful to be in a position to support Northwest Native law students, financially and otherwise,” said NIBA President Lael Echo-Hawk (Pawnee), reservation counsel for the Tulalip Tribes. “The Indian Legal Scholars Program awards acknowledge the students’ demonstrated commitment to Indian Country and showcase the Northwest tribal bar’s pride in our future Indian lawyers.” Founded in 1991, NIBA is a nonprofit organization with more than 175 Native and Indian law attorneys, judges, and students in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, British Columbia, and the Yukon Territory. NIBA works to increase the number of Native and Indian attorneys in the Pacific Northwest through legal education and advocacy. The WSBA Indian Law Section, established in 1988, provides a forum for practitioners representing clients with diverse interests affected by Indian law to learn more about Indian law. Information about NIBA and the Indian Law Section can be found at www.nwiba.org and www.wsba.org/lawyers/groups/indianlaw. List Yourself in the Online ADR Provider Directory Sponsored by the WSBA Dispute Resolution Section, the ADR Provider Directory is an online attorney and citizen resource for locating appropriate alternative dispute resolution service providers. If you are a provider, don’t miss the opportunity to be listed for the current year. The directory subscription year is January 1 to December 31 and fees are not prorated. The annual listing fee is $50 for members of the WSBA Dispute Resolution Section and $75 for non-members. To register online, go to www.adr-wa.com/directoryRegister-drPro.cfm. 2005 Bar Leaders and Access to Justice Conference The tenth annual Access to Justice Conference will be held in conjunction with the WSBA Bar Leaders Conference June 3-5, 2005, at the DoubleTree Hotel in Bellevue. Registration brochures will be mailed in April. For more information or to confirm that you are on the conference mailing list, contact Sharlene Steele at 206-727-8262 or sharlene@wsba.org (Access to Justice Conference); or Desiree Ogden at 206-733-5931 or desireeo@wsba.org (Bar Leaders Conference). Lawyers’ Assistance Program Peer Counselor Statewide Network The Lawyers’ Assistance Program Peer Counselor Statewide Network is a network of attorneys who volunteer support to others who need someone to listen when times are tough. These volunteer lawyers are not professional mental health counselors, but do receive training at the network’s statewide conference in April and regional trainings throughout the year. These lawyers seek to expand the diversity they represent and offer to WSBA members. Would you have time and interest in listening, recognizing when a peer needs referral for additional support, attending a training, educating the legal community about the healthy practice of law, and giving of yourself as your time allows? Please call Jenny Favell, Ph.D., 206-727-8267. From Law Office to Oval Office . . . Now available through CLE Publications, America’s Lawyer-Presidents: From Law Office to Oval Office engages the imagination and intellect, providing a rare look at the 25 men who were lawyers before they became U.S. presidents. Written by historians and presidential scholars and featuring an image-rich presentation, America’s Lawyer-Presidents provides new insights into our national leaders and their lives and times, from colonial days to the present. “[I]ntriguing biographical perspectives on the professional lives of a number of our most influential citizens . . . demonstrates yet again the profound relationship between the development of American law and our democracy,” writes Scott Turow. Published August 2004 by Northwestern University Press (384 pages, WSBA member price $29.95). For more information or to place an order, visit the WSBA Online Store at http://store.yahoo.com/wsbastore, or call the WSBA Service Center at 800-945-WSBA or 206-443-WSBA. Senior Attorneys Discussion Group: A Matter of Connection The group will be meeting on a quarterly basis in 2005. Please plan to attend the Senior Lawyers Section’s annual all-day meeting, CLE, and Reception at the Seattle Marriott SeaTac Airport on Friday, April 22, 2005. Register now! The meeting sold out last year. Your ideas for the Summer and Fall meetings are welcome. Please contact Jenny Favell, Ph.D., 206-727-8267, for more information. Join the Contract Attorney Discussion Group each first Tuesday of the month from noon to 1:30 p.m. Bring a lunch and meet colleagues as your contract-attorney issues of concern are addressed. Contact Pete Roberts at 206-727-8237 or peter@wsba.org. Books for Belarus WSBA member Elizabeth Vasiliades is currently teaching law on a fellowship program at the Belarus State Economic University in Minsk, Belarus. She is coaching two teams of law students for moot court competitions. Access to Western legal resources is minimal to non-existent, making student preparation for classes and moot court extremely difficult. WSBA members may be able to help these students by donating used legal books. If you have legal texts on international law, criminal law, property, commercial law, or other topics that are outdated, duplicates, or simply sitting in a dusty bin somewhere, these books would be put to good use by Ms. Vasiliades and her students. If you have texts you would like to donate, please send them to the WSBA; we will then send them on to Ms. Vasiliades in Belarus. Please send your donated books to: Member and Community Relations Dept., WSBA, 2101 Fourth Ave., Ste. 400, Seattle, WA 98121. Keep in Touch The WSBA uses e-mail to communicate with members quickly, efficiently, and inexpensively, and increasingly it is becoming the preferred method of communication for committees and sections. If you haven’t already, please consider providing us with your e-mail address. Contact the WSBA Service Center at 800-945-WSBA or 206-443-WSBA, or questions@wsba.org. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Usury Rate The average coupon equivalent yield from the first auction of 26-week treasury bills in February 2005 was 2.786 percent. The maximum allowable interest rate for March is therefore 12 percent. Compilations of the average coupon equivalent yields from past auctions of 26-week treasury bills and past maximum interest rates for June 1988 to June 1999 appear on page 53 of the June 1999 Bar News. Information from January 1987 to date is on the WSBA website at www.wsba.org/media/publications/barnews/usury.htm. Upcoming Board of Governors Meetings March 11-12 — Seattle With the exception of a one-hour executive session the morning of the first day, Board of Governors meetings are open, and all WSBA members are welcome to attend. RSVPs are appreciated but not required. Please contact Donna Sato at 206-727-8244 or donnas@wsba.org. The complete Board of Governors meeting schedule is available on the WSBA website at www.wsba.org/info/bog/schedule.htm. Random Acts of Professionalism Program The WSBA Professionalism Committee has created a way for lawyers and judges to recognize their colleagues who have conducted themselves in a professional manner consistent with the Creed of Professionalism. Through the Random Acts of Professionalism Program, lawyers and judges may nominate their colleagues to receive the award. Nominating a lawyer or judge for the award is very easy — simply send his or her name, along with a brief description of why you are nominating the person, to Judy Berrett, staff liaison to the Professionalism Committee, at judithb@wsba.org, or fax to 206-727-8319. That’s all there is to it! The nominated person will receive a letter, a certificate, and a copy of the WSBA Creed of Professionalism. Visit the WSBA Online Store Go to www.wsba.org and click “WSBA Store” in the left navigation bar to purchase Cutter & Buck polo shirts, twill baseball caps, ballpoint pens, and brass luggage tags, all sporting the WSBA logo. The store offers secure online credit-card ordering. You can also purchase logo merchandise by calling the WSBA Service Center at 800-945-WSBA or 206-443-WSBA. Items available include: polo shirt (pewter or white, size L or XL) — $56; baseball cap (stone) — $24; ballpoint pen — $12; luggage tag — $7. Prices include shipping and handling. Sales tax (8.8 percent) will be added to orders shipped within Washington. Learn More about Case-Management Software The WSBA Law Office Management Assistance Program (LOMAP) office maintains a computer for members to review software tools designed to maximize office efficiency. LOMAP staff are available to provide materials, answer questions, and recommend options. To make an appointment, contact Pete Roberts at 206-727-8237 or peter@wsba.org. Access to Justice Technology On December 3, 2004 the Washington State Supreme Court signed and entered an order adopting the Access to Justice Technology Principles. For more information, you can go to the project website at www.atjtechbillofrights.org. Also, in January, 2004 there was a symposium/conference that focused on technology, values, and the justice system that the Access to Justice Technology Bill of Rights Initiative presented and hosted. You can view the website at www.ischool.washington.edu/lawsymposium. If you have any questions on the Court Order/ATJ Technology Principles or the symposium, contact James Kim at jamesk@wsba.org or 206-239-2118. Computer Clinic WSBA offers a hands-on Computer Clinic for members wishing to learn more about what Microsoft Office programs such as Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, and Word, as well as Adobe Acrobat 6.0, can do for a lawyer. Are you a total beginner? No problem. Don’t hesitate to try a clinic for help that you can use immediately in your practice. Computers are provided for your use, and seating is limited to 20 members. There is no charge, and no CLE credits are offered. The time is 10 a.m. to noon on the following dates at the WSBA — Monday, March 14; Monday, April 11; Monday, May 9. For more information, contact Pete Roberts at 206-727-8237 or peter@wsba.org Lawyers’ Assistance Program (LAP) Offered to 3-L Law Students The Washington State Bar Association Lawyers’ Assistance Program (LAP) offers long- and short-term psychotherapy for depression, addiction, family, relationship, health, and other mental and emotional problems to 3-L students attending the University of Washington and Seattle University Schools of Law. The cost of ongoing counseling for law students is based on a sliding-fee scale from $0 - $30, determined by the student’s ability to pay. For more information about the Lawyers’ Assistance Program, please call 206-727-8268 or visit www.wsba.org/lawyers/services/lap.htm. Save the Date — May 20, 2005 — 2:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. A celebration of the adoption of the Access to Justice Technology Principles (a/k/a The Access to Justice Technology Bill of Rights) by the Washington State Supreme Court and
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