November 2007

Above and Beyond

WSBA Award Recipients Honored for Service to the Profession

by Stephanie Perry

Congratulations to this year's Annual Awards recipients! The awards, with the exception of the Pro Bono and President's Awards, were presented at the Annual Awards Dinner held September 20 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Seattle.

Professionalism Award
Eugene M. Moen

This honor is awarded to a member of the WSBA who exemplifies the spirit of professionalism in the practice of law. "Professionalism" is defined as the pursuit of a learned profession in the spirit of service to the public and in the sharing of values with other members of the profession.

Gene Moen is a graduate of the University of Oregon and a 1968 graduate of Yale Law School. He has been listed in the book "Best Lawyers in America" and in "Best Lawyers in Seattle" published by Seattle Magazine. Mr. Moen also was recognized by his peers as a "Top 100 Super Lawyer" and a "Top 40 Plaintiffs Personal Injury Super Lawyer" in surveys conducted and published by Washington Law and Politics magazine during the past several years.

A member of the Board of Governors of the Washington State Trial Lawyers Association from 1987-1993, Mr. Moen also served as vice president, chair of the Medical Negligence Section, and editor-in-chief of the monthly newspaper Trial News. He has been a speaker at many legal seminars on a variety of aspects of law, including family law, adoption law, discrimination law, trial practice, personal injury law, and medical negligence law. He has served as chair of the WSBA Civil Rights Committee and the Pro Bono and Legal Aid Committee. He also served on the Board of Directors of Evergreen Legal Services. In addition, Mr. Moen has actively participated in legislative and lobbying activities in Olympia on behalf of the Washington State Trial Lawyers Association.

"Gene Moen not only mentors other lawyers with no expectation of any return to himself, but he epitomizes all of the ethical and professional ideals expected of all of us, and achieved by few," wrote Indira Rai-Choudhury in her nomination letter. "He follows not just the letter of our professional and ethical obligations, but the spirit as well, and he does so at all times and without exception."

Angelo Petruss Award for Lawyers in Public Service
Norman K. Maleng (posthumous)

Named in honor of the late Angelo R. Petruss, a senior assistant attorney general who passed away during his term of service on the WSBA Board of Governors, this award is given to a lawyer in government service who has made a significant contribution to the legal profession, the justice system, and the public.

Born in Acme, Washington, Norm -Maleng graduated from the University of Washington in 1960 with a degree in economics. He earned a law degree from the UW in 1966. After graduating, Mr. Maleng was selected to serve as staff attorney for the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, chaired by Sen. Warren Magnuson.

Mr. Maleng was elected prosecutor in 1978, and was King County's prosecutor for 28 years. He oversaw a staff of more than 500 employees, including 240 deputy prosecutors. Mr. Maleng's office was nationally known for its sexual-assault prosecution unit and victim-assistance unit, which served as models of how to prosecute sexual-assault crimes while dealing with the trauma experienced by victims.

"Norm has left us an incredible legacy of integrity and honor in the pursuit of justice," said Bonnie Glenn, deputy chief of staff at the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. "His optimistic spirit, passion for work and life, and legacy will remain with us all for years to come. He touched many people in his life with his ability to see the best in people and his commitment to support and elevate others. He touched the careers and lives of so many. His ability to connect and touch others was so special. It was a privilege to have known and served under his leadership. He will be truly missed."

"It is hard to imagine the Office of Prosecuting Attorney in King County without Norm Maleng," wrote 2006-2007 WSBA President Ellen Conedera Dial. "We have lost a giant in our justice system, a man whose life and career manifested grace, dignity, fairness, respect, and justice. I knew him, as countless others did, as a quiet but charismatic leader, an innovator who nonetheless touched everyone he met with his warmth and optimism."

"He was a friend and a man I will sorely miss," wrote King County Superior Court Judge Richard A. Jones. "Norm's legacy as the King County Prosecutor will be one filled with praise for his integrity, compassion, dedication, and commitment to justice. We must also not forget how hard he worked to stay deeply connected to the community. Norm took the time to attend and be an active participant in the events and activities of diverse organizations both legal and civic. He served as a role model for all elected officials of what 'being involved and committed' really meant."

"He was an outstanding example of law's most noble aspirations: a kind, ethical, fair, and honest man who was a devoted public servant," wrote Dean Kellye Testy of the Seattle University School of Law. "He was a leader for justice and inspired so many lawyers to be their very best selves. He has had a profound and lasting influence on so many lawyers that he will live on in and through the law for decades to come."

Courageous Award
John McKay

This award is presented to a lawyer who has displayed exceptional courage in the face of adversity, thus bringing credit to the legal profession.

A Seattle native, John McKay attended the University of Washington, where he received his bachelor's degree in political science in 1978. After working as an aide to Congressman Joel Pritchard in 1978-79, he earned his law degree at Creighton University in 1982. He joined the Seattle law firm of Lane Powell Spears Lubersky in 1982, eventually becoming a litigation partner with that firm. During this time, he was admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. From 1989-1990, Mr. McKay served as a White House Fellow, where he worked as a Special Assistant to the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Washington, D.C. Mr. McKay then returned to Seattle and joined the law firm of Cairncross & Hempelmann, later becoming the firm's managing partner.

Between 1997 and 2001, Mr. McKay served as president of the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) in Washington, D.C. Congress established the LSC in 1974 as a private, nonprofit corporation to ensure equal access to justice under the law for all low-income Americans. Mr. McKay's tenure at LSC was characterized by a bipartisan approach to working with Congress, driven by a deeply held commitment to the principle of equal justice. Mr. McKay was nominated by President George Bush to serve as U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington in September 2001, and he was confirmed by the Senate in October 2001. Mr. McKay served in this position with distinction until December 2006. Mr. McKay, and seven other U.S. attorneys, found themselves in the middle of controversy, thrown into the public spotlight. In the midst of it all, Mr. McKay conducted himself with courage, dignity, professionalism, and integrity.

During his legal career, Mr. McKay has taken on leadership responsibilities with the American Bar Association (ABA) and the WSBA. He has been a member of both the ABA Board of Governors and House of Delegates, and has served on the WSBA's task forces on Opportunities for Minorities in the Legal Profession and on Governance. From 1988 to 1989, he was president of the WSBA Young Lawyers Division. From 1995 to 1996, he served as the chair of the Equal Justice Coalition. He is currently director of a new ethics center at Seattle University where he had been an adjunct law professor.

This is Mr. McKay's third WSBA award — in 1995, he received the Pro Bono Award, and in 2001 he received the Association's Award of Merit, its highest honor.

Outstanding Judge Award
The Honorable Gregory J. Tripp

This award is presented for outstanding service to the bench and for special contribution to the legal profession at any level of the court.

Judge Gregory Tripp joined the Washington State Bar Association in 1973, and served for two years as a deputy prosecutor for Clark County (Vancouver), Washington. For the next 22 years, except for a year in Seattle, he engaged in the general practice of law in Spokane, working in small firms and as a solo practitioner.

Judge Tripp has served on all civil and criminal dockets of the Spokane District and Municipal Courts. Currently, he presides over cases assigned to the Spokane Municipal Department. His principal duties are criminal trials, probation violation hearings, and related law motions. In addition, he is the presiding judge of the Cheney Municipal Court, in accordance with the County Districting Plan.

Judge Tripp has been active in a wide variety of community-service and bar association activities. He has served as chair of the Spokane Sports, Entertainment, Arts, and Convention Advisory Board (SEACAB), and currently serves on the Eastern Washington Historical Society Board of Directors. He has also served as chair of the WSBA General Practice Section, and as president of the Legal Foundation of Washington. He currently serves as chair of the Washington State Access to Justice Board, and is a member of the Spokane County Bar's Volunteer Lawyer Program Advisory Committee. Additionally, since becoming a judge, he has been active in technology issues related to court management.

"As a judicial leader in this state, Judge Tripp has led by example, and has worked hard to encourage his colleagues on the bench to play leadership roles in the resolution of these challenging [access to justice] issues," wrote Daniel S. Gottlieb, chair-elect of the Access to Justice Board. "Judge Tripp has been generous with his time and his talents, and has continued to impress Board members and others with his passion and commitment to improving our justice system."

Award of Merit
Kenneth H. Davidson

First given in 1957, this is the WSBA's highest honor. The Award of Merit is most often given for long-term service to the Bar or the public, although it has also been presented in recognition of a single, extraordinary contribution or project. It is awarded to individuals only — both lawyers and nonlawyers.

Ken Davidson earned his bachelor's degree and his law degree at Duke University. He works in private practice with the firm of Davidson, Czeisler & Kilpatric, currently focusing on tort and commercial litigation, real estate, and employment law.

Mr. Davidson has long been involved in service to the WSBA, the legal community, and the community in which he lives and works. He has served on numerous WSBA committees and boards, including the Board of Governors, Legislative Committee, Budget Committee, Committee on Public Defense, and the Legal Aid Committee. He was the WSBA treasurer for 2002. Davidson also served for five years on the Washington State Access to Justice Board, first as a board member and later as its chair.

Mr. Davidson has been active in the Eastside legal community as a trustee and president of the East King County Bar Association. In 1989, he co-founded the Eastside Legal Assistance Program, and has served as its president and on its board of directors and continues to work as a volunteer attorney in its legal clinics. He has also served on the boards of the ACLU of Washington and the King County Bar Foundation. In addition to his volunteer work for bar organizations and legal aid and civil liberty programs, Mr. Davidson has contributed time to community work, including service as a board member for the Cascade Community College Foundation and the Kirkland Chamber of Commerce, as a member of the advisory committee for St. Edward State Park, and as a coach for the Kirkland National Little League.

"The specific extraordinary contribution that Ken has recently made to the bar and the public was chairing the Death Penalty Subcommittee of the Committee on Public Defense," wrote Robert Welden, WSBA general counsel. "Ken led the subcommittee through serious, thoughtful, sometimes contentious proceedings, to produce an outstanding report with near-unanimous recommendations for improvement of the death penalty system in Washington."

Excellence in Diversity Award
David W. Savage • Ronald R. Ward

This award is made to a lawyer, law firm, or law-related group that has made a significant contribution to diversity in the legal profession's employment of ethnic minorities, women, and persons with disabilities. This year, two Excellence in Diversity awards were presented.

Dave Savage received a bachelor's degree from Washington State University, and his law degree from the University of Idaho. Licensed in Washington, Idaho, and Montana, he practices in the areas of personal injury, personal injury defense, civil litigation, and alternative dispute resolution, frequently serving as an arbitrator and mediator.

Mr. Savage was one of the first at-large governors elected to the WSBA Board of Governors. He later served as WSBA's president in 2003-04. As part of his work with diversity, he instituted the annual "Celebrating Diversity" meeting, now in its fourth year, and was instrumental in creating the full-time diversity advocate position at the WSBA. In addition, Mr. Savage, along with his spouse, Sally Savage, also an attorney, conceived of and contributed the initial funds for the Presidents' and Governors' Diversity Scholarship Fund, which is intended to assist young people who aspire to a career in law.

Mr. Savage worked with 2004-2005 WSBA President Ronald R. Ward to help establish the WSBA Leadership Institute, a program that develops and prepares newer lawyers for leadership roles, with an emphasis on persons of color, women, and traditionally underrepresented groups. Now completing its third year, the program received two national awards in its first two years, and several other states are working toward adopting similar programs in their own bar associations. In 2005, Mr. Savage was awarded the Loren Miller Bar Association's President's Award in recognition of his achievements in diversity.

"My association with [Dave Savage] has been one of the finest in my personal and professional life," commented Ronald R. Ward in his nomination letter. "He is a human being of character, integrity, sensitivity, and commitment … Savage has been the epitome of 'excellence in diversity.'"

The oldest of 10 children raised in a San Francisco-area housing project, Ron Ward was inspired to practice law by the example of his mother, who worked as a domestic and who he saw as an inspiring example of preparation for the next generation. Mr. Ward earned his law degree from the University of California in 1976. He served as a Washington state assistant attorney general before entering private practice at Levinson Friedman of Seattle, where he became a partner in 1986. He is currently a partner in the Seattle firm Jones & Ward PLLC.

Mr. Ward's practice focuses on serious auto, maritime, construction-site personal injuries, and wrongful death. He was elected and served as 2004-2005 president of the WSBA, after serving two years on its Board of Governors, and as its president-elect. He was the first African-American person to serve as WSBA president. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, the American Bar Association House of Delegates, and a former member of the ABA Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service and the President's Commission on the Renaissance of Idealism in the Profession.

Mr. Ward is the founder of the WSBA Leadership Institute for diverse newer lawyers, program winner of the national 2005 American Bar Association Partnership Award, and sole recipient in the country of the 2006 LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell Legal Fellowship.

"This is a community," Mr. Ward has said of diversity in Washington. "It includes whites, blacks, Latinos, Asians, Indians, gays, lesbians, and individuals with disabilities. Our community rises and falls together … We as a community will only achieve full fruition of our possibilities when diversity as a semantic is a given and no longer of any particular moment."

"Mr. Ward has started a legacy of increasing diversity in the leadership of our profession and creating opportunities to instill an awareness in the value of diversity," wrote Kennewick attorney Gloria Ochoa Lawrence. "[He] exemplifies a standard of professionalism, commitment, and service to our legal profession and the community at large."

Community Service Award
Robert D. Wilson-Hoss

Lawyers are known for giving generously of their time and talents in service to their communities. This award recognizes exceptional non-law-related volunteer work and community service.

Rob Wilson-Hoss received a B.A. in philosophy and English from Willamette University in 1973, and his J.D. from the University of Washington in 1978. He grew up in Longview and has practiced in Mason County since 1978. This is his second WSBA award; in 1993, he received the Association's Courageous Award for his civil rights work. He is also a trained mediator, through the Thurston County Dispute Resolution Center. He is a member of the Washington State Trial Lawyers Association and the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys.

Mr. Wilson-Hoss has served several terms as Mason County judicial commissioner, in Juvenile Court, Domestic Relations Court, and as a settlement conference commissioner. His previous experiences include service in the Peace Corps, participation in the establishment of the Northwest Intertribal Court System, and as the first reservation attorney for the Squaxin Island Tribe.

Mr. Wilson-Hoss has participated in the formation and/or work of many Mason and Thurston county agencies and associations, including the Thurston-Mason County Dispute Resolution Center, the Thurston-Mason County Bar Association, the Mason County Bar Association, the Mason County Shelter, and the Mason County Counseling Network. He was instrumental in the establishment of Habitat for Humanity Mason County, the Mason County Shelter, and Turning Pointe Domestic Violence Services. He also helped to found and lead an ad-hoc task force of community leaders and federal mediators directed at improving relationships between the emerging Latino-Hispanic community and the existing local community.

In addition to the WSBA, Mr. Wilson-Hoss has received awards and recognition from many other groups, including the Mason County Chamber of Commerce, Shelton Rotary Club, Shelton School District, Lake Limerick Country Club, Spanish Language Institute (Oaxaca, Mexico), Turning Pointe, Cub Scout Pack 126, Save Our County's Kids, the Northwest Intertribal Court System, the United States Soccer Federation (D license), and the Conehead Invitational Softball tournament. Mr. Wilson-Hoss and his wife, Wendy, are also foster parents to an 11-year-old boy.

"While avoiding the limelight, Rob works tirelessly for his many volunteer projects that cumulatively have had a huge impact on our community," said his brother, Richard Hoss. "As Rob's partner for 25 years, I've watched with amazement and respect his passion and dedication to the betterment of his Mason County community."

Lifetime Service Award
Dale L. Carlisle

This is a special award given for a lifetime of service to the WSBA and the public. It is given only when there is someone especially deserving of this recognition.

Dale Carlisle received his bachelor's degree from the University of Idaho, and his law degree from George Washington University School of Law. He was a judge advocate for the U.S. Air Force from 1960-1963, and assistant U.S. attorney for the western district of Washington from 1964-1966. He was general counsel for Levitt West from 1970-1973. From 1990-2000, Mr. Carlisle was the managing partner of his firm, Gordon Thomas Honeywell Peterson & Daheim PLLC, where he has practiced since 1966.

Mr. Carlisle served from 1999-2002 on the WSBA Board of Governors, and from 2001-2002 as WSBA president. He has also served on the Board of Advisors of the WSBA Leadership Institute, and he is a past chair of the WSBA Business Law Section. He was president of the Western States Bar Conference from 2005-2006, and has served as president and trustee of the Tacoma Public Library. He has also served as director and on the executive committee of Forward Together, and as president of the Tacoma City Club.

"Dale Carlisle has served with distinction and honor throughout his professional legal career," wrote Judge Zulema Hinojos-Fall in her nomination letter. "Dale has provided leadership and shown his commitment to issues affecting the practice of law and attorneys throughout his career. He has also been an inspiration . . . as a leader who has devoted his time and talent to encouraging professionalism and dedication in the legal profession."

President's Award
Dean Kellye Testy

The President's Award is given annually in recognition of special accomplishment or service to the WSBA during the term of the current president.

Dean Kellye Testy took office as dean of Seattle University School of Law in February 2005. She joined the Seattle University School of Law faculty in 1992, after serving as a law clerk to the Honorable Jesse Eschbach of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. With the exception of a year as visiting professor at Indiana University, she has been with the school ever since. Prior to being named dean, she served as the associate dean for academic administration, and as a Wismer Professor from 2001-03. Dean Testy co-founded the law school's Access to Justice Institute, and founded both the Seattle Journal for Social Justice and the Center on Corporations, Law & Society. She also serves as co-director of the Wismer Center for the Study of Justice.

In addition, Dean Testy is a member of the university's Faith & Justice Committee; a former member of the Development Committee for a J.D./M.B.A. program; a current member of the law school's Self-Study Committee; and a past member of the university's Strategic Planning Committee.

Dean Testy has published many articles and book chapters on corporate governance and other business law and economic justice issues. She is also active as a consultant and expert witness on a variety of corporate and securities law matters, in both state and federal court. Her writing has been published in many journals, including the Duke Journal of Law & Contemporary Problems, Northwestern Law Review, the New York Journal of International and Comparative Law, California Law Review, and George Law Review.

Dean Testy is known for her caring involvement not just with students, the law school, and the university, but the legal community and the community at large. Said 2006-2007 WSBA President Ellen Conedera Dial: "Dean Kellye Testy is a leader with a vision and an absolute conviction — that a world in which justice is available to all can be a reality. She inspires us with her strong commitment to social justice and her abundant generosity of spirit."

Pro Bono Award
Shelley A. Ajax

This award is presented to a lawyer, nonlawyer, law firm, or local bar association for outstanding efforts in providing pro bono services. This award is based on cumulative efforts, as opposed to a lawyer's or group's pro bono hours or financial contribution.

Shelley Ajax received a bachelor's degree in Social Sciences from Washington State University, and her law degree from Gonzaga University School of Law in 2004. She opened her own law firm, focusing on family practice, in 2005, and immediately began volunteering her time for community service. Ajax also serves as the current editor of De Novo, the Washington Young Lawyers Division newsletter.

Ms. Ajax is the founder and president of the Benton-Franklin Young Lawyers Division. She is an active member of the Benton Franklin Legal Aid Society Board and has facilitated a weekly clinic for legal aid clients. She recently instituted the We the Jury program in Benton and Franklin counties. In addition, she has coordinated a blood drive and food drive to benefit domestic-violence shelters and others in the community, and participated in YMCA Mock Trials.

In 2006, Ms. Ajax received an honoree award from Equal Access to Justice, representing Benton, Franklin, and Walla Walla counties; an award of recognition for volunteer work as a Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian Ad Litem for Benton County Superior Court; and the Gene Schuster Award for pro bono legal services, presented by the Benton-Franklin Legal Aid Society.

"Shelley's drive, charisma, and generosity bring new meaning to the spirit of pro bono work, which is why I am so pleased to nominate her for this award," said attorney Laura M. Chuang in her nomination letter.