March 2002
WSBA Creed of Professionalism
by Harry J. McCarthy
On July 27, 2001, the Board of Governors approved a creed of professionalism for Washington lawyers. The creed is the product of the WSBA Professionalism Committee, who, with input from lawyers and judges throughout the state, considered, discussed and edited various versions over two years. Aspirational in spirit and in tone, the creed's purpose is to "inspire and guide lawyers in the practice of law."
It is our hope that attorneys and judges lend their support and refer to the creed in their daily practices for guidance in the elevation of professional and civil standards of conduct. At the same time, it is made clear that this creed does not supplant or modify the Rules of Professional Conduct, nor is it intended to be cited as authority for the imposition of any disciplinary action. Rather, it is a memorialization of professional and civil tenets of the practice of law, which should improve service to our clients and the public, and advance the administration of justice.
Now that the Board of Governors has officially endorsed the creed, our challenge is to ensure that it is not consigned to the dusty files of an office, library or courtroom. Recent events are encouraging that the creed does, indeed, have a useful future.
In December, in an inspirational ceremony organized by 3rd District Governor Stephen Henderson, lawyers and judges joined together in rededicating themselves to basic civil and professional values set forth in the creed. Joining Governor Henderson were judges and commissioners from superior, district and municipal courts; and representatives from the Thurston County Bar Association, Government Lawyers Bar Association, Attorney General's Office, and Washington Women Lawyers.
During the ceremony lawyers presented a plaque to each judge. An unplanned highlight occurred when Judge Wm. Thomas McPhee asked that his creed be presented to him by Gavin Parr. Mr. Parr, who will serve next year as president of the Thurston County young lawyers, is the grandson of William Parr, who was Judge McPhee's mentor 30 years ago. Judge McPhee spoke about professionalism and his early years practicing with Gavin's grandfather and father in Olympia.
To emulate the Thurston County experience in inaugurating the use of the creed, we have contacted each county bar association with the hope that there will be similar presentations of the creed to courts in each county. Our desire is that a creed of professionalism plaque will be hung in a place of honor in every Washington courthouse.
The Spokane County Bar Association has passed a resolution of support for the creed (see p. 17), and several other county and specialty bar associations have enthusiastically supported it. The King County Bar Association Professionalism Committee and the WSBA Professionalism Committee are collaborating on common agenda items, including promotion of the creed. These coordinated efforts are extremely promising and bode well for making the creed a working reality in the professional lives of attorneys, judges and educators who care about the future of our noble profession.
To promote the creed and plant the seeds of the importance of professionalism for future generations of lawyers, the WSBA hopes to work with Washington's three law schools to use the creed in law-school curricula. In addition, contacts are being made with individual judges and judicial associations to obtain the courts' active support. Feedback from the law schools and courts has been most encouraging.
For the practitioner, copies of the creed (either suitable for framing or mounted on a plaque) can be obtained at a reasonable cost from the WSBA. (See order form on page 55.) As the creed itself is an aspiration of the better angels of our nature, we hope this document will occupy a prominent place in every law office in the state, proclaiming for all who may visit that office that the practitioner is, indeed, "proud to be a lawyer."
