Vancouver Lawyer Richard A. Melnick Receives Local Hero Award

Seattle, Washington, October 19, 2001 —Richard A. Melnick was honored with the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) Local Hero Award today at a luncheon in Vancouver, Washington. WSBA President Dale L. Carlisle presented the award in recognition of Mr. Melnick's service to the residents of Clark County. As the WSBA Board of Governors meets around the state, the Local Hero Award is presented to a lawyer in that area who has made noteworthy contributions to the community.

Mr. Melnick is a Clark County senior deputy prosecutor responsible for misdemeanors, including DUI, domestic violence and vehicle license fraud cases. He was instrumental in creating a drug court for Clark County Superior Court in 1999. A youth soccer coach for the past eight years, Mr. Melnick is a board member for the Prairie Soccer League and the Today Foundation, a youth sports scholarship foundation. He has served on several Hockinson Public Schools bond and levy committees. Mr. Melnick is a long-time volunteer at the St. Joseph's Sausagefest fundraiser for the St. Joseph's parish school. For the last 15 years, he has volunteered at Vancouver restaurant Chronif's, serving Thanksgiving dinner to homeless families.

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.