February 2002

FYI: For Your Information

Use Resources to Your Advantage

Would you like your name and/or firm listed under your area of practice in the yellow pages of the 2002-2003 edition of the WSBA's Resources annual directory?

Resources is used by thousands of lawyers, and the yellow pages are a valuable one-stop resource for all your legal-service needs. Find consultants, paralegals, contract attorneys, business appraisers and more.

The cost for a listing, which may include the firm name, individual's name, address, phone, fax, e-mail and Web site, is $35. A toll-free number may be listed in addition to a general number.

To reserve your yellow-page listing in the 2002-2003 Resources directory, complete this form, enclose a $35 check payable to the WSBA, and mail by February 28 to:

If you wish to be listed under more than one category, the cost is $35 for each listing. For more information, contact Allison Parker at 206-733-5932 or allisonp@wsba.org. 

Firm/Individual Name__________________________

Address____________________________________

City/State/Zip________________________________

Phone __________________ Fax ______________

E-mail______________________

Web site_______________________________

Category_______________________________

Nomination deadline: March 1, 2002

The Council on Public Legal Education is preparing a legal resource guide for Washington media. The guide will provide general information about the law and justice system, and will also include a directory of experts on specific legal topics who are willing to talk to the media. The council is seeking nominations of experts to be listed in the guide. Ideally, the experts will be well-established practitioners or scholars with expertise in one or more substantive legal areas, with a history of public service. The council will offer training in working with the media.

Nominations, which may be made by self or peers, should include a brief résumé (including public-service activities and organizational affiliations), and a list of legal topics on which the expert feels qualified to speak. (The complete list of topics is available for review at www.plecouncil.org/drafts/media; suggestions of additional topics are welcome.)

The deadline for the print edition of the guide is March 1. Ongoing nominations will be accepted for the online edition. Nominations should be submitted to the WSBA, Council on Public Legal Education, 2101 Fourth Ave., Fourth Fl., Seattle, WA 98121-2330, or e-mailed to plecouncil@wsba.org.

For further information, see http://www.plecouncil.org/ or contact Pam Inglesby, WSBA public legal education manager, at pami@wsba.org or 206-727-8226.

Chief Justice Gerry L. Alexander (right) congratulates Charles B. Roe Jr. at a luncheon held in his honor at the WSBA Water Law CLE in December. Mr. Roe was honored for being the "founder" of the water law seminar and for his contributions to continuing legal education.

King County Superior Court is seeking volunteers to serve as Court-Appointed Special Advocates. Volunteers receive extensive training to represent children involved in custody and visitation disputes in family law cases. They conduct interviews, write reports, and testify in hearings or trials. For more information, contact Ed Greenleaf at 206-296-9320.

The 2002 WSBA Bar Leaders Conference and Access to Justice (ATJ) Conference will be held at the Yakima Convention Center, June 7-9. Conference registration brochures will be mailed in April. For bar leaders' registration information, please contact Toni Doane at tonid@wsba.org or 206-727-8293; for ATJ information, please contact Sharlene Steele at sharlene@wsba.org or 206-727-8262.

April 5-6 – Walla Walla
May 10-11 – Stevenson
June 7 – Yakima

With the exception of a one-hour executive session the morning of the first day, BOG meetings are open, and all WSBA members are welcome to attend. RSVPs are appreciated, but not required. Please contact Lori Lee at 206-727-8244 or loril@wsba.org.

Application forms will be mailed to all active WSBA members in mid-February 2002. The Board of Governors makes appointments based on these forms. Since appointments for most committees are reviewed and renewed annually, current members of committees, boards and panels who are interested in reappointment must submit a application form each year. Please visit http://pro.wsba.org/forms/committeepref.asp to complete and submit the form online. Please contact Jerri Ninesling at oed@wsba.org or 206-727-8239 if you have questions.

TeamChild, a nonprofit legal services agency providing civil legal advocacy to youth, has opened an office in Snohomish County. The office is staffed by attorney Karen Pillar and social worker Jessica Shriner. TeamChild is housed in the Snohomish County office of Columbia Legal Services. For more information, call 425-258-3132.

Licensing packets, which include license fee, trust account and MCLE reporting (C-2 Compliance Affidavit) forms, were mailed in early December. If you have not received your licensing 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 licensing packet.

In addition to your license fee, per APR 15, the Supreme Court has ordered all active members to pay a $13 assessment to the Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection (LFCP). We encourage you to pay your license fee (and active members the LFCP fee) promptly to avoid penalties. A 20 percent late-payment penalty is imposed if the annual license fee is not paid by March 1, 2002. After April 1, 2002, a 50 percent late-payment penalty is imposed. If your license fee, penalty assessment or LFCP fee remain unpaid after May 1, 2002, the delinquency will be certified to the Supreme Court, which will enter an order of suspension from the practice of law. In order to be reinstated to your former status after suspension for nonpayment, you must pay double the amount of the combined fee and penalty (triple the original fee). For active members, nonpayment of the LFCP fee is also cause for suspension.

For more information, please see the WSBA Web site at www.wsba.org/lawyers/licensing/, or contact the WSBA Service Center at 800-945-WSBA, 206-443-WSBA or questions@wsba.org.

Active WSBA members who are in Reporting Group 1 (active members admitted through 1975; or in 1991, 1994, 1997 or 2000*) will report CLE credits for activities undertaken in 1999, 2000 and 2001.

Newly admitted members are exempt from reporting CLE credits during their year of admission and the following calendar year. If you were admitted in 2000 you will not report this reporting period even though you are in Group 1. You will first report at the end of 2004. (New admittees may earn CLE credits starting from their admission date, and those credits may be applied toward their first reporting period.)

If you are in Reporting Group 1, please do the following to meet your CLE requirements:

1) Complete approved CLE credits totaling at least 39 general and six ethics for the three-year period (1999 through 2001);

2) Submit these credits and attendance to the WSBA either through the sponsor or directly to the WSBA;

3) Sign the C-2 Compliance Affidavit certifying attendance of the listed courses; and

4) Send the C-2 Compliance Affidavit to the WSBA by February 1, 2002.

Your C-2 Compliance Affidavit contains all courses and credits to your record for 2001 CLE activities submitted by sponsors. Please review it carefully and make any necessary changes or additions. If you have CLE credits for activities in 2001 that were not earned through live courses, you must enter this information. You must also enter course/credit information for activities undertaken in 1999 and 2000. You must then sign, under penalty of perjury, that the credit information you submit is true and correct.

The new online MCLE Credit-Tracking System (http://pro.wsba.org/) is now ready for you to use. Here's what you can do using the new system:

• View your CLE courses and credits on your online attendance roster.
• Make changes to your online attendance roster.
• Search for approved courses.
• Apply for course approval.

To enter the MCLE Credit-Tracking System, go to http://pro.wsba.org/, select Member Login, and follow the onscreen instructions. If you have questions, please contact the WSBA Service Center at 800-945-WSBA or 206-443-WSBA.

Law Week 2002 is an exciting opportunity for lawyers and judges to bring legal education into the classroom. Each year, Law Week provides an enriching experience to youth through positive interactions with lawyers and judges. Law Week 2002 will take place the week of May 1. To learn more about the program or to participate, visit www.wsba.org/media/publications/lawweek/, or contact Lisa Harper at 206-733-5944 or lisak@wsba.org.

Yes, it's possible! Regulation 103(g) of the Washington State Board of Continuing Legal Education allows WSBA members to earn up to six hours of credit annually for providing pro bono direct representation under the auspices of a qualified legal-services provider. APR 8(e) creates a limited license status of emeritus for attorneys otherwise retired from the practice of law, to practice pro bono legal services through a qualified legal-services organization.

For more information, contact Access to Justice Liaison Sharlene Steele at 206-727-8262 or sharlene@wsba.org.

The Northwest Justice Project board of directors will hold the rest of its 2002 meetings on April 13, July 13 and October 19. Public meetings begin at 9:30 a.m. For site information, contact Lisa Giuffré at 888-201-1012 or 206-464-1519.

The WSBA Law Office Management Assistance Program (LOMAP) offers members the chance to "kick the tires" of a host of software programs used in law offices. Come in and try out programs such as TimeSlips, Amicus Attorney and TrialWorks. For more information, contact Peter Roberts at 206-727-8237 or peter@wsba.org.

The WSBA is a sponsor of the ABA Tech Show 2002 in Chicago, March 14-16. This means WSBA members are eligible for a $100 registration discount. For more information, contact Peter Roberts at 206-727-8237 or peter@wsba.org, or visit the Tech Show Web site at http://www.techshow.com/.

The lawyer directory on the WSBA Web site has been enhanced! A link to your Web site can be added to your directory listing, so current and potential clients can find out more about you and your practice at the click of a button.

The fee is $75 annually ($50 if you sign up July 1 or later). If your firm has seven or more lawyers, you'll save through our special pricing structure. Special pricing is also available for those who work for nonprofit or government agencies. For more information and sign-up instructions, see www.wsba.org/media/publications/barnews/addlink.htm.

Did you know that easy-to-understand pamphlets on a wide variety of legal topics are available from the WSBA? For a very low cost, you can provide your clients with helpful information. Pamphlets cover a wide range of topics:

• Alternatives to Court
• Bankruptcy
• Buying and Selling Real Estate
• Consulting a Lawyer
• Criminal Law
• Dissolution
• Elder Law
• Landlord/Tenant Rights
• Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection

• Legal Fees

• Marriage

• Parenting Act

• Probate

• Revocable Living Trust

• Signing Document

• Trusts

• Wills

Each topic is sold separately. Pamphlets are $9 for 25, $15 for 50, $20 for 75, and $25 for 100. Pricing for larger quantities is available on request.

To place your order or for more information, please contact the WSBA Service Center at 800-945-WSBA or 206-443-WSBA. Sales tax is applicable to all in-state orders.

American Bar Association President Robert E. Hirshon has called on America's lawyers to help U.S. military reservists get their legal affairs in order in the event of a large-scale mobilization. Volunteer lawyers are needed to participate in Operation Enduring LAMP (legal assistance to military personnel). For more information, visit the ABA Web site at http://www.abanet.org/legalservices/helpreservists.

Eastside Legal Assistance Program (ELAP) has expanded its offering of free legal clinics. Multilingual services will operate twice monthly for people who speak Spanish, Russian or Ukrainian. For schedule information and appointments, call 425-747-1663.

The WSBA store is now open online (http://www.wsba.org/store/default.htm). You can purchase Cutter & Buck polo shirts, twill baseball caps, ballpoint pens, and brass luggage tags emblazoned with the WSBA logo. The store features 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.

• 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%) will be added to orders shipped within Washington.

The ABA standing committee on pro bono and public service is seeking nominations for the Pro Bono Publico Awards. The awards recognize lawyers and law firms for extraordinary contributions to extending legal services to low-income persons. Nominations must be received by March 11. For more information, contact Dorothy Jackson at 312-988-5766 or jacksond@staff.abanet.org.

Trial Lawyers Care, a nonprofit organization, has been created to provide free legal services to September 11 attack victims and their families who participate in the federal government's Victim Compensation Fund. More volunteer lawyers are needed. Volunteers must be in good standing; have been licensed to practice for at least five years; and have tried or settled any combination of at least 15 personal injury, death or other significant cases. For more information, contact the organization at 888-780-8637 or volunteers@911lawhelp.org, or visit http://www.911lawhelp.org/.

The ABA Section of Antitrust Law is hosting a conference focusing on practical solutions to antitrust issues faced by in-house and outside counsel. The conference will be held at The Chateaux at Silver Lake in Park City, Utah, February 27-March 1. For more information, contact the ABA at 312-988-5609 or visit http://www.abanet.org/antitrust.

Resources on Sale for Half Price

The 2001-2002 Resources membership directory is now on sale for half-price:

$8.50 – WSBA members ($9.25 in WA)
$17.50 – non-WSBA members ($19.04 in WA)

To order a copy of Resources, call the WSBA Service Center at 800-945-WSBA or 206-443-WSBA, or mail a request to WSBA Order Processing, 2101 Fourth Ave., Fourth Fl., Seattle, WA 98121-2330. Payment may be made by check (payable to WSBA), MasterCard or Visa, and must accompany your order.

The Legal Foundation of Washington will host the 16th Annual Goldmark Award Luncheon on Thursday, February 21, 2002 at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center from noon to 1:30 pm. The Legal Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that has distributed over $51,000,000 for legal services to the poor since 1985.

The Honorable William L. Dwyer, senior U.S. district court judge for the Western District of Washington, will receive the Goldmark Award for Distinguished Service in recognition of a lifetime of exceptional leadership, both as an attorney and as a judge. Justice Rosalie Abella of the Court of Appeals for Ontario, Canada, will give the keynote address.

The Goldmark Award honors the memory of Charles A. Goldmark, a Seattle attorney, community leader, and ardent supporter of access to justice. To make a reservation, please return the form below with your check payable to the Legal Foundation of Washington.

o Yes, I would like to honor the work of legal services by attending the luncheon. I will bring _________ additional guests. ($35/person enclosed).

o My firm would like to be an Equal Justice Sponsor ($1,000 enclosed). Eight members of our firm will attend. (A charitable contribution of $720 will help cover luncheon expenses.)

o My firm would like to be an Equal Justice Supporter ($500 enclosed). Four members of our firm will attend. (A charitable contribution of $360 will help cover luncheon expenses.)

o I would like to be a Goldmark Donor ($100 enclosed). Two lunches will be provided and a charitable contribution of $30 will help cover luncheon expenses.

o No, I cannot attend the luncheon, but I would like to support the luncheon with a donation of $ ____________ .

Name(s)____________________________________

o Please check if a vegetarian meal is preferred.

Legal Foundation of Washington, 500 Union Street, Suite 545, Seattle, WA 98101; phone 206-624-2536, ext. 10; fax 206-382-3396. The Legal Foundation of Washington is a 501(c)(3) status institution.