The Honorable Harry J. McCarthy Receives Washington State Bar Association Professionalism Award

Seattle Washington, September 16, 2003—The Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) presented the Honorable Harry J. McCarthy the Professionalism Award 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 Professionalism Award is given to a WSBA member 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. WSBA President-elect Ronald R. Ward presented the award to Judge McCarthy.

Judge Harry McCarthy was recognized in large part for his work on the Washington State Bar Association Creed of Professionalism. Before his appointment to the King County Superior Court in 2002 by Governor Locke, Judge McCarthy had been an active member of the WSBA Professionalism Committee, serving as its chair in 2000-2001. During his tenure on the committee, he was the guiding light behind the development of the Creed of Professionalism, spearheading the effort to get it written and adopted. Judge McCarthy was the creed's primary author, patiently and tirelessly drafting many versions of the creed. During the creed's development, he wrote articles, and traveled throughout the state to speak with lawyers and judges and obtain their input. "It is not an overstatement to assert that, without his leadership, the Creed of Professionalism would not exist," said Ronald Ward in his presentation speech.

Judge McCarthy cares passionately about the law and lawyers. He served for many years as criminal division chief in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Seattle, mentoring many young lawyers along the way. He is scrupulous in his ethics, and treats everyone with the utmost respect. As a judge, he displays the Creed of Professionalism in his courtroom and requires adherence to tenets both of those before him and of himself. "I work hard," he has said, "to create an environment where all persons who appear in my court receive a courteous and fair hearing." He exemplifies the best of our profession.

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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