|
|
|
 |  |
 |
 |
WSBA Info | |
|
For Lawyers | |
|
For the Public |  |
 |
For the Media |  |
|
CLE |  |
| | Bench Bar Guidelines | News Releases | Publications | |
|
|
May 2005FYIWSBA Presidential Search Application deadline: May 15, 2005 The WSBA Board of Governors is seeking applicants for the position of WSBA president for 2006-2007. Pursuant to Article IV (A)(2) of the WSBA Bylaws, the primary place of business of candidates for president for 2006-2007 must be King County. The WSBA member selected to be president will have an opportunity to provide a significant contribution to the legal profession. Applications for 2006-2007 WSBA president will be accepted through May 15, 2005, and should be limited to a current résumé, a concise application letter stating interest and qualifications, and no fewer than five or more than 10 references. The Presidential Search Committee and the Board of Governors will consider endorsement letters received by May 31, 2005. Applications and endorsement letters should be sent to the WSBA Executive Director, 2101 Fourth Ave., Ste. 400, Seattle, WA 98121-2330. Confidential interviews with the Presidential Search Committee may be conducted. Direct contact with the governors is also encouraged. All candidates will have an interview with the full Board of Governors in open session at the June meeting. Following the interviews, the Board will select the president. Although prior experience on the WSBA's Board of Governors may be helpful, there is no requirement that one must have been a member of the Board of Governors or had previous experience in Bar activities. The candidate must be willing to devote a substantial number of hours to WSBA affairs and be capable of being a positive representative for the legal profession. The position is unpaid. Some expenses, such as WSBA-related travel, are reimbursed. The commitment begins in June 2005 following selection. A one-year term as president-elect will begin at the Annual Business Meeting in September 2005. The president-elect is expected to attend the two-day board meetings held approximately every five to six weeks, as well as numerous subcommittee, section, regional, national, and local meetings. In September 2006, at the WSBA Annual Business Meeting, the president-elect will assume the position as president. During his or her service, the president-elect and president will also be required to meet with members of the Bar, the courts, the media, and public and legal interest groups, as well as be involved in the Bar's legislative activities. Appropriate time will need to be devoted to communication by letter, e-mail, and telephone in connection with these responsibilities. The duties and responsibilities of the president are set forth in the WSBA Bylaws. The Presidential Search Committee comprises Fawn Sharp, chair; Ronald R. Ward, president; S. Brooke Taylor, president-elect; Andrea Brenneke; Lonnie Davis; Randolph Gordon; and Katie O'Sullivan. ABA House of Delegates Application Deadline: May 13, 2005 The WSBA Board of Governors is accepting letters of interest and résumés from members interested in serving on the ABA House of Delegates representing Washington state. There are three positions available (in August 2005). A written expression of interest and a résumé is required for any incumbents seeking reappointment. The control and administration of the ABA is vested in the House of Delegates, the policymaking body of the ABA. The House, which has approximately 500 delegates, elects the ABA officers and board, and meets out of state twice a year. Delegate attendance is required. The WSBA's allowance is $800 per year per delegate. Members appointed to the House of Delegates serve a two-year term, which begins at the close of the annual meeting (August 2005). Please submit a letter of interest and résumé to: WSBA Bar Leaders Division, 2101 Fourth Ave., Ste. 400, Seattle, WA 98121-2330; or e-mail barleaders@wsba.org. 2005 Board of Governors Election, and Candidates' Biographical Statements 3rd District Kristal Wiitala Knutson, governor-elect/3rd District, states: I am currently the DSHS public disclosure manager and previously a DSHS review judge. I have worked for other state agencies and in private practice, and am a graduate of WSU and UW Law School. I am currently the BOG liaison for the Government Lawyers Bar Association (GLBA) and have periodically observed BOG thrills and excitement over the past 25 years. I held a variety of positions, including president, in WWL, GLBA, and the National Association of Hearing Officials. Formerly a member of the WSBA Disciplinary Board and other WSBA committees, I now serve on the GLBA and Administrative Law Section Boards. 6th District Salvador A. Mungia, governor-elect/6th District, states: I appreciate the opportunity to serve as a governor on the WSBA Board of Governors. Since becoming an attorney in 1984, I have been actively involved with the Bar Association by, among other activities, serving as president of the TPCBA in 1999 and president of LAW Fund in 2002-2004. I have served on numerous bar association committees, including the TPCBA Editorial Board Committee for the past six years and I chaired the WSBA Bar Leadership Conference in 1999. I will use my energies to improve the legal profession to benefit lawyers and nonlawyers throughout the state. 7th–East District Liza E. Burke, candidate/7th-East District, states: I am a Seattle native. After graduating from Roosevelt High School, I attended the University of Arizona on a swimming scholarship. I received my law degree from the University of Washington in 1993. At the UW, I was a founding member of the Filipino Law Students Association. Following my admission to the Bar in 1993, I became a public defender and served as a staff attorney in the juvenile, misdemeanor, and felony units. Currently, as a partner at Cohen & Iaria, a private criminal defense firm in Seattle, I appear in municipal, district, and superior courts throughout Western Washington. Terri Winters Malolepsy, candidate/7th-East District, states: I am an AAG in the Seattle SHS Division doing juvenile law litigation involving termination trials. In the 20 years I have worked for the AG's Office, I also practiced in the areas of adult protection, licensing, administrative law, mental health, and support enforcement. In my first career, I was a college teacher of costume and make-up design, theatre, and film. I have served on the WSBA's CLE Committee for three years and on the Mandatory CLE Board for six years. I have two grown children, three grandchildren, and am passionate about gardening in Seattle. Jonathan Newcomb, candidate/7th-East District, states: I am a graduate of UW Law School, and have practiced criminal law for 16 years. The Board of Governors needs strong representation from the criminal section of the Bar and at present has none. I am especially concerned for new, criminal law, solo, and small firm practitioners. Bar bureaucracy, and consequently dues, have grown, hurting these practitioners hardest. This growth needs to be examined and curbed through greater efficiencies and cost consciousness while maintaining the needed quality services most used by the membership. Working with fellow governors, I will improve the practice of law for the benefit of all Bar members. David A. Trieweiler, candidate/7th-East District, states: I graduated in 1984 from the University of Puget Sound Law School, cum laude. I was an associate editor of the UPS Law Review and a deputy prosecutor with the Pierce County Prosecutor's Office from 1983 to 1988. Currently, my practice is primarily criminal defense and personal injury. As a member of the Washington Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys I serve as co-chair of its Rules Committee. I have spent the past two years working with the Board of Governors and the WSBA Rules and Procedures Committee for the adoption of several Criminal Court Rules. I have enjoyed this process and would enjoy serving on the Board of Governors. Jeffrey M. Wolf, candidate/7th-East District, states: I am a member at Williams, Kastner & Gibbs, PLLC. My experience includes several years both as an associate in a small firm and as a deputy prosecutor for Kitsap County. My involvement with the WSBA began in 1991, administering WYLD's Trial Advocacy Program. Since then, I have served on the Court Rules and Procedures Committee and Rules of Professional Conduct Committee. During the past two years, I have been actively involved in chairing WSBA education seminars. I look forward to the prospect of increasing my commitment to the Bar by serving the collective needs of its diverse membership and the public. 8th District Robert J. Chicoine, candidate/8th District, states: I am a founder of Chicoine & Hallett, P.S., which focuses its practice on tax and business controversy. I was previously employed with the Office of Chief Counsel, U.S. Treasury Department. I am an adjunct faculty member at the School of Taxation, University of Washington School of Law; president of the Tax Section for the Washington State Bar Association; and have appeared successfully before the U.S. Supreme Court. I have served as a chairman, participant, or moderator of numerous ABA, WSBA, and UW seminars. I graduated from the University of California, Hastings College of Law. E. Duane Golphenee, candidate/8th District, states: I received my BA in accounting from Columbia College in 1981. I spent two years in public accounting and 12 more as a corporate controller and CFO before graduating law school, cum laude. I have served as a corporate officer and board member of several companies. My law practice is focused on providing start-up, succession, and estate planning services to entrepreneurs. I am also active in litigation within my practice area, and had the honor of representing the prevailing parties in what has become the leading case in Washington interpreting our state's Securities Act. Douglas C. Lawrence, candidate/8th District, states: I am a shareholder with Stokes Lawrence, P.S. I am past chair of the WSBA and KCBA Real Property, Probate & Trust Sections. I have been actively involved with legislative matters, and am vice chair of the WSBA Legislative Committee. I received the WSBA Award of Merit for my work on TEDRA. I taught as an adjunct at Seattle University and the UW School of Law. I currently serve on the MS Society Board of Trustees (Greater Washington Chapter), and previously served on the Board of AtWork, an agency providing assistance to people with disabilities. I hope to serve as your representative on the Board of Governors. Jeff Smyth, candidate/8th District, states: I have been engaged in the private practice of law since 1975. I have represented a broad variety of business clients in trials and arbitrations in several state and federal courts. I am a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and a four-time Washington SuperLawyer. I served as a fee disputes arbitrator, as a member of the Editorial Advisory Board, and as a member of the Judicial Recommendation Committee for the Bar Association. I remember a far more collegial Bar Association and will prioritize a return to that state of affairs. I will do all I can to accomplish this. 2005 WSBA Award Nominations Sought Nomination deadline: May 6, 2005 Each year, WSBA members 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 (the Pro Bono Award is not included in the list for this issue, because the deadline for nominations for this award was April 1): • 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. • Professionalism Award. This honor is awarded to a WSBA member 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. • 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 disabled persons. • Outstanding Elected Official Award. This award is presented to an elected official for outstanding service, with special contributions to the legal profession. It is awarded to an individual who has demonstrated a commitment to justice beyond the usual call of duty. • 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. • 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. 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. Please send nominations to: WSBA, Attn: Annual Awards, 2101 Fourth Ave., Ste. 400, Seattle, WA 98121-2330, fax: 206-727-8319, e-mail: amyo@wsba.org. The awards will be presented at the WSBA Annual Awards Dinner in Seattle on September 15, with the following exceptions: the Pro Bono Award will be presented at the Access to Justice Conference in Bellevue on June 4, and the Excellence in Legal Journalism Award will be presented at the Annual Bench-Bar-Press Conference in Fall 2005. MCLE Certification for Group 1 (2002-2004) Past Due MCLE Reporting Group 1 members should have completed all required credits for the 2002-2004 reporting period by December 31, 2004. Members in Group 1 who were due to report include active members who were admitted to the WSBA in all years through 1975 or in 1991, 1994, 1997, or 2000. 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, 2004 and were unable to take advantage of the automatic extension until May 1, 2005 granted by APR 11 to complete your credits (and pay the late fee), please contact the WSBA Service Center at 800-945-WSBA or 206-443-WSBA, or questions@wsba.org to discuss options for becoming compliant with MCLE requirements. Senior Attorneys Discussion Group — A Matter of Connection The group will be meeting on a quarterly basis in 2005. If you're interested in an early-September meeting, please contact Jenny Favell, Ph.D., LAP, 206-727-8267. Just released — The 2003-2004 Case Law Update: Bankruptcy Case Law Digest for Washington State (3d ed.) WSBA-CLE Publications and the WSBA Creditor-Debtor Section proudly present the long-awaited 2003-2004 case law update to this valuable resource. This two-volume set with searchable CD contains summaries of bankruptcy cases (U.S. Supreme Court, 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit BAP, 9th Circuit District Courts, and the Washington Bankruptcy Courts) from 1996 through 2004, with a linked topical index, case list, code, and rules. The Digest is published by the Creditor-Debtor Law Section and the Washington State Bar Association. To order, go to www.wsba.org/lawyers/groups/creditordebtor/bankruptcydigest.htm or call the WSBA Service Center at 800-945-WSBA or 206-443-WSBA. 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, at the DoubleTree Hotel in Bellevue. Registration brochures were mailed in April. For more information or to receive a brochure, contact Sharlene Steele, 206-727-8262, sharlene@wsba.org (Access to Justice Conference); or Desiree Ogden, 206-733-5931, desireeo@wsba.org (Bar Leaders Conference). The brochures are also on the WSBA website at www.wsba.org. Job Seekers Discussion Group Looking for a job or making a transition? Join the Job Seekers Discussion Group the second Wednesday of each month from noon to 1:30 p.m. The group discusses where to look for jobs, how to use your network of contacts, strategies for résumés and cover letters, and how to keep yourself organized and motivated. Exchange information and ideas with other lawyers looking to make a change. For more information, contact Rebecca Nerison, PhD., at 206-727-8269 or rebeccan@wsba.org. Upcoming Board of Governors Meetings June 3 — Bellevue 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. 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. Computer Clinic The 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 Monday, May 9, at the WSBA. For more information, contact Pete Roberts at 206-727-8237 or peter@wsba.org. Usury Rate The average coupon equivalent yield from the first auction of 26-week treasury bills in April 2005 was 3.125 percent. The maximum allowable interest rate for May 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. 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. 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.. WSBA Officers Visit Pend Oreille and Stevens Counties WSBA President Ron Ward, President-elect S. Brooke Taylor, and Executive Director Jan Michels visited Pend Oreille and Stevens Counties on March 30. In Newport, they met with the County Extension and heard about their model program "Children Coping with Divorce." In Stevens County, they toured the courthouse, and met the tri-county judicial district judges, Rebecca Baker and Larry Kristianson, and county clerk Patty Chester. The tri-counties have developed a Rural Resource Service umbrella which houses the NE Washington Legal Aid Program. Dinner was shared with Pend Oreille Bar President Doug Lambarth, Ferry County Bar President Alex Wirt, Stevens County Bar President Bruce Pruitt-Hamm, all the superior and district court judges in the three counties, and many members from the area. The three county bars passed a joint resolution in support of federal funding of Community Development Block Grants, which represents over half of the funding for the NE Legal Aid Program. WSBA President Ron Ward committed to carrying that message to Washington's congressional delegation when he meets with them in May. S. Brooke Taylor and Noah Davis Attend ABA's Bar Leadership Institute Joining some 300 other emerging leaders of lawyer organizations from across the country at the American Bar Association's Bar Leadership Institute (BLI), March 10-12 were S. Brooke Taylor, WSBA president-elect, and Noah C. Davis, president-elect of the WSBA Young Lawyers Division. The BLI is held annually in Chicago for incoming officials of local and state bars, special focus lawyer associations, and bar foundations. The seminar provides the opportunity to confer with ABA officials, bar leader colleagues, executive staff, and other experts on the operation of such organizations. Taylor and Davis joined ABA President Robert J. Grey Jr. and ABA President-elect Michael S. Greco in sessions on bar governance, finance, communications, and planning. |
