Washington State Senior Assistant Attorney General Maureen A. Hart Receives Washington State Bar Association Award of Merit

Seattle Washington, September 16, 2003—The Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) presented Senior Assistant Attorney General Maureen A. ("Marnie") Hart the Award of Merit at its Annual Awards Dinner, which was held September 11 in conjunction with its Annual Business Meeting at the Bell Harbor International Conference Center. The Award of Merit, the WSBA's highest honor, is given for long-term service to the bar and/or the public. Both lawyers and nonlawyers are eligible. Chief Justice Gerry Alexander presented the award to Ms. Hart.

Ms. Hart was a co-recipient of the Award of Merit with David J. Burman, Kathleen M. O'Sullivan, and Nicholas P. Gellert, all of Perkins Coie LLP. The four received the award in recognition of their work defending the constitutionality of Washington State's Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program, which funds legal representation for low-income people. As a result of the team's efforts, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of Washington's IOLTA program.

"These attorneys worked tirelessly to preserve both the funding for programs providing legal representation for those who cannot afford counsel and the Washington Supreme Court's ability to regulate the practice of law," wrote Attorney Christine O. General Gregoire in her nomination letter. "The result is the preservation of the programs and rules of professional conduct not only in Washington, but throughout the country."

Ms. Hart was the primary author of the Brief for Respondent Justices of the Washington Supreme Court, and similarly presented briefing and oral argument on behalf of the justices in the lower courts. "With regard to Marnie's contributions," wrote Attorney General Gregoire, "she applied her outstanding legal skills to presenting the legal arguments from the perspective of the justices. Marnie always focused on what was best for the case. When former Solicitor General Walter Dellinger offered to represent the Justices at oral argument, Marnie determined he would be the best advocate for the Justices and went to Washington, D.C. to participate in moot courts and assist him in his preparation. She also worked with other state attorney general offices throughout the United States to encourage and facilitate their participation as amicus, and as a result 36 states joined an amicus in support of the team's position."

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 2002-2003 president is J. Richard Manning of Seattle, and 2003-2004 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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