FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 22, 2004
CONTACT
Kathy Henning
Communications Specialist
206-733-5932
kathyh@wsba.org
King County Superior Court Judge Richard A. Jones to Receive
Washington State Bar Association's Outstanding Judge Award
Seattle Washington, September 22, 2004 — The Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) announces that the Honorable Richard A. Jones, a King County Superior Court judge, will receive its 2004 Outstanding Judge Award. The Outstanding Judge Award is presented for outstanding service to the bench and for special contribution to the legal profession at any level of the court. WSBA President Ronald Ward presented the award to Judge Jones September 20 at the Fall 2004 Judicial Conference in Spokane.
Judge Jones received his J.D. in 1975 from the University of Washington. He has served as a deputy prosecutor for King County and an assistant U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington. From 1979 to 1983 he was staff attorney for the Port of Seattle and from 1983 to 1987 an associate with Bogle & Gates. In 1994 he was appointed to the King County Superior Court.
Judge Jones has lectured extensively at legal education programs for the WSBA, the King County Bar Association (KCBA), the Washington State Trial Lawyers Association, and the University of Washington. He has also been an instructor at the U.S. Attorney General's Advocacy Institute; the Executive Office of the U.S. Attorney in Washington, D.C.; and the Washington State Judicial College, where he was dean from 1997 to 1998.
In addition to his judicial duties, Judge Jones has served on numerous boards and committees, including the Seattle University Board of Regents, the U.W. Law School Advisory Committee, the KCBA Awards Committee, the KCBA Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Committee (co-chair), the Washington State Minority Justice Commission, and the Northwest Minority Job Fair Committee.
Judge Jones has also been active in many community and civic activities. He is a former co-chair of the Youth Law Forums in Yakima and Tri-cities, former president of the Board of Trustees of YMCA of Greater Seattle, current member of the Seattle University Board of Regents, former member of the U.W. Law School Foundation, and former KING-TV Community Advisory Forum member. From 1987 to 1994 he was chair of the Loren Miller Bar Association Thanksgiving Food Drive. He was on the 1994 Seattle Police Department Chief Selection Committee, and has served for the last 13 years as a U.W. Law School mentor.
Judge Jones has received numerous other awards and honors for his achievements as a lawyer and judge, including, most recently, the 2004 Judge of the Year Award from the Washington State Trial Lawyers Association, 2004 Outstanding Judge of the Year Award from the King County Bar Association and 2004 Alumnus of the Year Award from Seattle University.
"Judge Richard A. Jones exemplifies the highest traditions of legal service," wrote Loren Miller Bar Association President James Andrus, who nominated Judge Jones for the award. "He serves passionately to improve the lives of young people in the community through his work with the YMCA and other youth-focused programs. He works diligently to expand opportunities for a broad range of students to pursue legal careers through long-term service in developing, nurturing, and supporting youth and law-related programs. He consistently remains visible in the community making contributions that improve the lives of others. His connectedness with the people significantly aids his ability to ensure justice."
Judge Jones is a recipient of numerous awards, including the 2003 YMCA Volunteer of the Year Award, the 2003 Seattle University School of Law Investment in Justice Award, the Loren Miller Bar Association Professional Achievement Award, the 1995 U.W. Law School Alumni Public Service Recognition Award, the 1995 Seattle University Public Service Award, the 1993 U.S. Attorney's Director's Award for Superior Achievement in Furthering Equal Employment Opportunity, the 1991 WSBA Special Recognition Award for Furthering Equal Opportunity, and the 1991 KCBA Affirmative Action Award.
About the WSBA
The Washington State Bar Association is a private, nonprofit organization authorized by the Washington State Supreme Court to license the state's 28,400 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 president is Ronald R. Ward of Seattle. 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, 23 sections, and a Young Lawyers Division.
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