July 2001

The President's Initiative

by Jan Eric Peterson, WSBA President

In reviewing my last two columns in this space, I realize I have been a bit of a scold and, as my mother would say, too darn preachy. I called for apologies and truthfulness — ideas consistent with my initial proposition last fall that we must re-establish the respect due our proud profession by earning it. I proposed a campaign of professional pride. So let me report what we have been doing to help you be proud to be a lawyer.

Like all presidents with a half-baked idea, the first thing I did was (what else?) form a task force! Most unimaginatively, I called it the President's Initiative Task Force, or my PIT crew. I had two goals: 1) internally, to re-instill pride in our members; and 2) externally, to tell the public the good news about lawyers. The task force's job was to figure out how to achieve the goals, and then do the work.

I called on Randy Gordon, who has authored many columns on the theme of professional pride for the King County Bar Bulletin using his motto, "No more lawyer jokes." His energy, enthusiasm, inspiration and effort sparked the task force. Working with WSBA Communications Director Judith Berrett, this is what we are doing:

Professionalism initiatives in the works, especially under the leadership of Steve Henderson, Harry McCarthy, Randy Gordon, Don Logerwell and Mary Fairhurst, are described below.

• Implementing third-year class orientation fairs in conjunction with the Bar exam and licensing presentations at the three Washington law schools (Gonzaga University, Seattle University, University of Washington). These fairs introduce the specialty and minority bars, and the variety of opportunities for professional service and involvement to lawyers-to-be.
• Promoting model swearing-in ceremonies to welcome new lawyers and instill pride in our profession from day one (including your president giving the "proud to be a lawyer" speech at least six times in King County alone). The goal is to offer local bar associations a model program to implement in partnership with their own courts, similar to those in Spokane and Thurston counties.
• Writing new oaths for admission to the Bar and for bar leaders taking office. That will remind us of what an honor and an obligation it is to be a professional servant of the law. Governor Lindsay Thompson, a master craftsman of the language, has joined me in this effort.
• Establishing Lawyer-to-Lawyer, a program designed to bridge the gap between law school and the "real life" practice of law. Lawyer-to-Lawyer will provide an opportunity for each new member of the Bar to develop a relationship with an experienced lawyer in his or her area of practice. If you're an experienced lawyer interested in volunteering, please contact Pete Roberts at 206-727-8237 or peter@wsba.org, or Julie Griffiths at 206-733-5914 or julieg@wsba.org.
• Adopting and disseminating the creed of professionalism developed by the Professionalism Committee and so welcomed by judges.
• Working toward the creation of mandatory first-year CLEs emphasizing professionalism and survival skills. Montana has a program called "Rookie Camp" that provides training they don't teach you in law schools on what to do and how to act in a professional setting. LOMAP, the WSBA CLE Department, and the Professionalism Committee are working to do better by our new lawyers. The WSBA Young Lawyers Division (WYLD) has proposed an ambitious effort to coordinate new lawyer development.

• Officially adopting the Celebration 2000 theme as the WSBA positioning statement (motto): Working Together to Champion Justice. This was adopted from the theme "champion justice" developed by the 1998 ad hoc Communications Committee under the leadership of Kathryn Ross.
• Honoring local heroes: As the Board of Governors meets around the state, and as I make appearances at other associations such as Washington Women Lawyers and the Loren Miller Bar Association, we make it a point to honor a local hero whose life and practice embody what makes us proud to be lawyers. We celebrate the best of us, and invite local press and bar associations to celebrate these lawyers with us. This program, headed by Tom Campbell, began in the Tri-Cities by honoring Francois Forgette for his exemplary professionalism, including multiple community service commitments. Mr. Forgette was subsequently selected "Tri-Citian of the Year."
• Profiling attorneys in the "Proud to Be a Lawyer" column of Bar News: With the help of Jay Flynn, this feature gives our membership examples of lawyers whose lives in their communities reflect so well on our profession.
• Updating daily the "Proud to Be a Lawyer" feature on the WSBA Web site (www.wsba.org/lawyers/links/proud/). It includes quotes, stories and historical notes that remind us why we should be proud.
• Revitalizing the speakers bureau under the leadership of WSBA Communications Specialist Allison Parker. Mailings promote the revitalized speakers bureau to community clubs, schools, senior centers and community centers around the state, offering lawyers who will provide free public legal education.
• Expanding Law Week under the direction of Ron Bemis and WSBA staff liaison Lisa KauzLoric. In May, over 500 lawyers and 66 judges spoke to almost 20,000 Washington students. It is our fervent belief that the more exposure to lawyers we can give to kids, the better off we will all be.
• Developing The Truths About Lawyers pamphlet, under the guidance of Carl Carlson, to explode eight myths about lawyers and the justice system. This colorful and informative pamphlet is designed for distribution by lawyers to their clients, and as a handout for speakers bureau engagements and other presentations.
• Implementing a print media campaign by recommending the purchase from the Virginia Bar Association of five award-winning ads emblematic of lawyers helping people. For example, one depicts an elderly person's face and the script:

The nursing home takes away his dignity.
A lawyer has their license revoked.

His family doesn't want him to live alone.
A lawyer says he doesn't have to.

Medicare won't cover him.
A lawyer sees to it that they will.

His finances are a mess.
A lawyer organizes them.

The nursing home took away his dignity.
A lawyer gave it back.

You have rights. Lawyers protect them.

• Producing The Law Book in a joint venture with the Horvitz community newspaper chain (Eastside Journal, South County Journal, Northshore Citizen, Mercer Island Reporter and Snoqualmie Valley Record —papers reaching more than 80,000 households). The Law Book, a consumer guide to the legal system, was printed as a 12-page supplement in these papers. It contains articles on legal subjects such as jury duty, what to be aware of when buying or selling a home, and the basics of parenting plans — all supported by legal advertising. Horvitz contributed $1,000 of advertising revenue to the Council on Public Legal Education. It is a pilot project that we hope to repeat.
• Conducting the "good works survey" to gather data on the pro bono and public service our members do, from nonprofit boards to volunteer legal clinics. From this statistical analysis we can make the case for the good works of true professionalism by our members in free community service.
• Implementing the KING-TV Media Project in a joint venture with KING Broadcasting (KING-5 TV, KONG TV, and Northwest Cable News Network). We are planning to produce segments to be broadcast in conjunction with news hours. In these segments, lawyers will help reporters address legal issues of public interest such as employment rights, school discipline, boating laws and living wills. We will also develop a ready-response team of lawyers for news-reporter resources and on-screen comment. This project was spearheaded by Spokane lawyer and former newsman John Allison, and lay member of the crew Mary Elizabeth Stritmatter.

This is some of what we're up to at your Bar Association. I particularly want to thank those mentioned above and the other members of the PIT crew who are carrying on the campaign for a proud profession: Sal Mungia, Patrick Sheldon, Mark Honeywell, Sherri Lynn Jefferson, Stella Rabaut, Daniel Hannula and lay member Patt Schwab.

Most of the work is being done with volunteer time and effort by you, but we need more help. If you have interest, talent, and time to devote to making us proud to be lawyers, please join the PIT crew. Contact Judith Berrett at 206-727-8212 or judithb@wsba.org to volunteer, and I'll stop preaching and start praising.

Thanks in advance for your help.

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