Bellevue Attorney Kristin G. Olson Elected to WSBA Board of Governors

Seattle Washington, August 15, 2003 — The Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) Board of Governors announced the election of Bellevue attorney Kristin G. Olson as governor for the First Congressional District. Ms. Olson, who will be sworn in September 11, 2003, will serve a three-year term as First District Governor.

A shareholder in the Bellevue law firm of O’Shea Barnard Martin, P.S., Ms. Olson has been engaged in commercial litigation practice since 1991. In 1971, she graduated magna cum laude from the University of Washington, and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She received her J.D., with honors, from the University of Washington in 1991.

Since joining the WSBA in 1991, Ms. Olson served as a trustee of the East King County Bar Association for several years, becoming secretary in 1997, vice president in 1998, and president in 1999. She served on the board of trustees of the King County Bar Association (KCBA) from 2000 to 2002. While on the KCBA board, she was a liaison to the WSBA.

“I am honored to serve on the Board of Governors representing members in the First District,” said Ms. Olson. “I have been actively involved with First District lawyers and believe that I understand their needs and concerns. As First District governor I will represent my constituents to the best of my ability and will try to ensure that their needs are met by the WSBA.”

Ms. Olson also volunteers for the Eastside Legal Assistance Program and is a member of the Board of Trustees of ACT Theatre.

About the Washington State Bar Association
The Washington State Bar Association is a private, nonprofit organization authorized by the Washington Supreme Court to license the state’s 27,600 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.

The governance of the WSBA is vested in its 14-person Board of Governors. There are three governors from the seventh congressional district; one from each of the other eight districts; and three at-large members, one of whom represents the Young Lawyers Division. The current president is J. Richard Manning of Seattle, and the president-elect is David Savage of Pullman. The board meets every six weeks at various locations around the state, and its meetings are open to the public. Much of the work of the WSBA is carried out through its 23 standing committees, 24 sections, and a Young Lawyers Division.

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