Former LSC President John McKay Receives WSBA Award of Merit

Seattle, Washington, September 13, 2001 — Seattle lawyer John McKay will receive the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) Award of Merit today in Seattle. The Award of Merit is the WSBA's highest honor. It is given annually in recognition of long-term service to the Bar and the public by a lawyer or nonlawyer.

Mr. McKay recently returned to Seattle after serving as president of Legal Services Corporation (LSC), the nonprofit Washington, D.C., agency established by Congress that distributes federal funds to low-income legal service providers in every state. He is credited with changing the face of LSC by forging a strong bipartisan partnership to ensure the agency's continued funding.

Armed with the belief that party affiliation should not dictate support for legal aid, Mr. McKay met tirelessly with Democrat and Republican members of Congress to secure more funding. Under his leadership, LSC's funding appropriation grew from $283 million in 1997 to $330 million in 2001. By collaborating with programs across the country, he helped stretch federal resources to reach low-income clients who would not otherwise be served. John McKay's tenure as LSC president is notable not only for his accomplishments, but also by his distinction as being one of its youngest presidents, as well as its longest-serving president.

The Washington State Bar Association is a private, nonprofit organization authorized by the Washington Supreme Court to license the state's 26,500 lawyers. The WSBA both regulates lawyers under the authority of the Court and serves its members as a professional association — all without public funding. As a regulatory agency, it administers the bar exam, provides record-keeping and licensing functions, and administers the lawyer discipline program. As a professional association, the WSBA provides continuing legal education for attorneys, in addition to numerous other educational and member service activities.