February 2001

Opportunities for Service

Service opportunities with WSBA committees, boards and organizations can be very rewarding. Please inquire and/or apply to the contact person specified.

Washington State Bar Association
2101 4th Ave., Suite 400
Seattle, WA 98121-2330

Application deadline: March 15, 2001

The WSBA Legislative Committee is seeking new members. The committee meets once in October and once in November, usually for a full day. Depending on work load, the committee may also meet in December and January. The committee deals with proposals for legislation that relate to the improvement of justice. It also reviews proposed legislation of interest to the Bar and the judiciary, and makes recommendations to the Board of Governors on positions to be taken by the WSBA. Additionally, the committee maintains liaisons with sections and other committees to coordinate the legislative activities of the WSBA.

Those interested in being considered for an appointment to this committee should submit a letter of interest and résumé to the Office of the Executive Director, WSBA, 2101 Fourth Ave., Fourth Fl., Seattle, WA 98121-2330, or e-mail oed@wsba.org. 

Applicants should include the following information in their submissions:

• Name
• Office address
• Nature of practice (including years in practice, size of firm, and areas of expertise)
• Experience in legislative process
• Experience in state and local bar activities
• Reason for interest in Legislative Committee

For more information, contact John Fattorini or Gail Stone at 360-943-9977, or e-mail legis@wsba.org. 

Petition deadline: March 15, 2001

Four positions — those representing the 2nd, 4th, 7th-Central and 9th Congressional Districts on the WSBA Board of Governors will be up for election this year. These positions are currently held by James Deno (2nd District), Stephen Osborne (4th District), Lindsay Thompson (7th District; the position up for election is 7th-Central*), and Daryl Graves (9th District).

The WSBA Bylaws provide that any member in good standing, except a member previously elected to the Board of Governors, may be nominated for the office of governor from the congressional district in which such member is entitled to vote. Nominations are made by filing a petition signed by at least 20 active members of the WSBA entitled to vote in that district. All active out-of-state WSBA members are now eligible to vote in the district of the address of their agent within Washington for the purpose of receiving service of process as required by APR 5(e), or, if specifically designated to the executive director, within the district of their primary Washington practice.

Nominating petitions are available from the Office of the Executive Director, WSBA, 2101 Fourth Ave., Fourth Fl., Seattle, WA 98121-2330; 206-727-8244, or e-mail oed@wsba.org. The Board of Governors determines the official dates of the election. Ballots are usually mailed around the first of June and counted approximately the first of July.

Note: The May issue of Bar News will include a section carrying biographical statements of 100 words or less from all the nominated candidates. Those statements should accompany the nominating petitions.

*Per a bylaw change, the 7th Congressional District has been subdivided into three sub-districts: East, Central and West. These sub-districts are distinguished by ZIP codes and each has one elected governor. For the coming year, the Central sub-district (ZIP codes are 98101, 98102, 98103, 98104, 98108, 98109, 98112, 98134, 98168) will elect a new governor.

Application deadline: May 15, 2001

The Board of Governors of the WSBA is seeking applicants to serve as president of WSBA for 2002-2003. Pursuant to Article IV(A)(2) of the WSBA Bylaws, the president's primary place of business must be in King County. The member selected to be president will have an opportunity to provide a significant contribution to the legal profession.

Applications will be accepted through May 15, 2001, and should be limited to a current résumé, a concise application letter stating interest and qualifications, and no less than five or more than 10 selected references. Endorsement letters received by May 31, 2001 will be considered by the Presidential Search Committee and the Board of Governors. Applications and endorsement letters should be sent to the Office of the Executive Director, WSBA, 2101 Fourth Ave., Fourth Fl., Seattle, WA 98121-2330.

Confidential interviews with the Presidential Search Committee will be conducted May 16-31, 2001 at the WSBA office. 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. Selection of the president will be made by the board following the interviews.

Although prior experience on the 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 2001 following selection. A one-year term as president-elect will begin at the annual business meeting in September 2001. The president-elect is expected to attend the two-day board meetings held every five to six weeks, as well as numerous subcommittee, section, regional, national and local meetings. At the annual business meeting in September 2002, 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, courts, media, 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. For more detailed examples, please see the WSBA Web site (www.wsba.org/info/bylaws).

Presidential Search Committee: Victoria L. Vreeland, Chair; Dale L. Carlisle; Daryl L. Graves; Lucy Isaki; Jan Eric Peterson; Lindsay T. Thompson.

Under the leadership of Seattle lawyer Ron Bemis, the WSBA Law Week 2001 Committee is actively recruiting volunteer lawyers and judges to participate in Law Week during the week of May 1. The program is designed to increase students' understanding of the important role the law plays in their lives. Last year, over 12,000 Washington students and nearly 500 lawyers and judges participated in the program. For more information or to volunteer, visit the Law Week Web site at http://www.lawweek.org/, or call Lisa KauzLoric at 206-733-5944.

King County Superior Court is looking for volunteers to train as Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) to represent children involved in custody and visitation disputes. Volunteers will receive extensive training and supervision, and will conduct interviews, write reports, and testify in hearings or trials on behalf of children. Orientation training is scheduled on a regular basis. Volunteers do not have to be lawyers. For more information and an application packet, call 206-296-9320.

The YMCA Mock Trial State Finals are March 24-25, 2001 at the Thurston County Courthouse in Olympia. Volunteer lawyers and judges are needed to score and comment on student case analysis, trial techniques and composure. Shifts are Saturday from 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. To volunteer, please call Jason Leggett at 360-534-0155 or e-mail yandg@olywa.net by February 28.

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