September 2001

Proud to Be a Lawyer

by Thomas Campbell

I am a lucky guy. For years, I have been telling my friends that lawyers are good folks. We are people, like everybody else, with feelings and sensibilities. Lawyers are driven. We aim to succeed. Our profession gives us the luxury to stand up for our principles, but frequently our greatest achievements have nothing to do with our practice.

I am particularly lucky because I was invited to participate on the President’s Initiative Task Force. WSBA President Jan Eric Peterson composed the task force to enhance the public image of lawyers. He shared my view of lawyers, and asked me to help find WSBA members who were worthy of special recognition for their contributions to their communities.

We did this in two ways. Jay Flynn wrote articles in Bar News about some of his personal experiences, and sought contributions from other lawyers across the state. I contacted local and specialty bars and the Board of Governors, and asked them to identify "local heroes" who deserved recognition for their community involvement. Each time the Board of Governors convened, a "local hero" was recognized with an award, and a press release announced the recognition.

This year, we honored our contemporaries who work hard to be good neighbors, friends, and highly respected members of their communities. We sought to recognize these individuals for their activities outside the practice of law, because that side of our lives is too often forgotten. In some instances, we gave recognition because the nature of practice stood for a principle that showed courage and provided a great community benefit.

As the stories began to flow in, I knew we were onto something special. During the task force meetings, committee members discussed what it meant to be "proud to be a lawyer." After this experience, I’ve never been prouder. As rewarding as finding the local heroes has been, it wouldn’t have been possible without the assistance of WSBA Director of Communications Judith Berrett and Communications Specialist Allison Parker. Both Judy and Allison have made this award a success. They helped find the heroes, wrote compelling press releases, and invited the media to the award presentations; they are my Bar heroes.

The recipients of the 2001 Local Hero Awards are Francois X. Forgette, John H. Hill, William G. Knebes, Timothy B. Odell, Robert L. Parlette, Edward F. Schaller Jr., Raymond H. Thoenig and Douglas W. Tufts. Detailed information was not available for Mr. Hill, Mr. Thoenig or Mr. Tufts when Bar News went to press.

October – Kennewick lawyer Fran Forgette received the Local Hero Award for outstanding volunteer service to the residents of the Tri-Cities area. Mr. Forgette has been active in numerous Tri-Cities civic groups, including the Mid-Columbia Education Alliance, a business/education partnership. He also founded the Adopt-a-Disk Program, which is a continuing partnership between local businesses and education that provides technology funding for computer software and peripherals to every elementary school in the Tri-Cities area. Mr. Forgette is the administrator of the program and serves on the executive committee of the alliance.

Mr. Forgette is a member of the board of directors and the executive committee of TRIDEC, the economic development entity for the greater Tri-Cities area. He is the immediate past-president and current member of the Tri-Cities Cancer Center board of directors, and is a past president of the Tri-City Area Chamber of Commerce and Tri-Cities Estate Planning Council.

December – Commissioner William G. Knebes received the award for outstanding service to the bench, bar and residents of Clallam County. Commissioner Knebes has served Clallam County for nearly 20 years, hearing all juvenile criminal, juvenile dependency, domestic violence and family law matters. Over the course of his career, Commissioner Knebes developed and implemented a unified family-court system, to ensure that one judge handles all cases involving a particular family. He was founder of the Peninsula Dispute Resolution Center, a nonprofit agency providing low-cost mediation services to Jefferson and Clallam County residents. He is a certified mediator and serves as the center’s advisor.

Commissioner Knebes developed and implemented the Clallam County Court Appointed Special Advocate Guardian Ad Litem program (CASA/GAL), which now provides a special GAL for each dependent child. He also established the Clallam County Domestic Violence Task Force to coordinate a community response to domestic violence, ensuring that victims are appropriately served and provided with necessary assistance. Additionally, Commissioner Knebes works with the Clallam County Pro Bono Lawyers’ Courthouse Facilitator Program to assist those without an attorney.

January – Olympia lawyer Edward F. Schaller Jr. was honored for his service to the residents of Thurston County. From 1980 to 2000, Mr. Schaller was in private practice with the Olympia firm Foster Foster & Schaller. Prior to starting his own firm, Mr. Schaller worked for the Thurston County Prosecutor’s Office, and served as clerk for Justices Hunter and Wright at the Washington Supreme Court.

Mr. Schaller has been an active member of St. Martin’s College Alumni Association for 10 years, including two years as president. For several years he managed concession trailers at sports events to raise money for the college and alumni associations. He also served on the college’s board of trustees.

Mr. Schaller has participated in fund-raising activities for the American Cancer Society, including the Relay for Life. In the last two years, he coordinated a relay team sponsored by his firm, and last June his team was the top fundraiser at the event. Mr. Schaller has been a member of the Kiwanis and Elks clubs, and has been a supporter of Thurston County community programs for over 30 years.

April – Everett lawyer Timothy B. Odell was honored for his service to the residents of Snohomish County. Mr. Odell has been an active community volunteer in Snohomish County for over 20 years. He is a member of the Everett High School booster club and an assistant coach for the varsity football team. For nearly 20 years, he was the timekeeper for the Everett High School varsity boys’ basketball team. He also volunteered as a Little League baseball coach, and was a statistician for the Everett Giants baseball team.

Mr. Odell is an active member of the Elks Club and works on volunteer projects with the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He is a former member of the Knights of Columbus and Sertona, and served on the board of directors of the Boys and Girls Club of Snohomish County. In addition to his law practice, Mr. Odell serves as a half-time municipal court judge in Everett.

June – Wenatchee lawyer Robert L. Parlette received the Local Hero Award in recognition of his community service in the Wenatchee area. A partner in the Wenatchee firm Davis Arneil, Mr. Parlette was named interim president of Wenatchee Valley College last year. In May, he was honored by the Central Washington Hospital Foundation with the A.Z. Wells Award, in recognition of more than 30 years of community service.

In the mid-1970s, Mr. Parlette helped raise more than $1 million to expand Central Washington Hospital. He was a founding member of the Wenatchee Outdoor Club and the Ridge to River Relay. In 1989, he served as president of the local organizing committee for the Washington Centennial State Winter Games, and he remains a member of the Washington State Games Foundation.

Mr. Parlette co-founded the Complete the Loop Coalition, a 12-mile trail system that circles the Columbia River in Chelan and Douglas counties. He currently serves on the Washington State Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation, and is a member of Sunshine Rotary and Rotary International.

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