FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 6, 2004

CONTACT                                 
Judith Berrett
Director of Member and Community Relations       
206-727-8212
judithb@wsba.org  

WSBA Board of Governors to Meet in Everett, December 10-11

Seattle, Washington, December 6, 2004 — The Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) Board of Governors will hold its next meeting December 10-11, at the Inn at Port Gardner in Everett. Governor Eron Berg, who represents members in the 2nd District, which includes most of Snohomish, Skagit, and Whatcom counties, will welcome the board to Everett. The meeting will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday, and 8:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday. It is open to the press and public.

On Friday, a proposal to create a new WSBA section—the State and Local Tax Section—will be presented, with John Piper speaking in favor of the new section and Robert Chicoine speaking in opposition to its formation.

Friday afternoon, Everett attorney Tom Fitzpatrick will give a report on the American Bar Association (ABA) House of Delegates. Mr. Fitzpatrick serves in the House as a delegate at large. He will also present a resolution in support of Seattle attorney Bill Neukom, who is Washington state's current delegate to the ABA House of Delegates, running for ABA president. Both Mr. Fitzpatrick and Mr. Neukom have many years of service in the ABA. 

On Friday evening, the Board of Governors will host a reception with members of the Snohomish County Bar Association. The reception provides an opportunity for lawyers and judges to meet informally with members of the Board of Governors and discuss topics of mutual interest or concern.

On Saturday, in preparation for the upcoming legislative session, WSBA Legislative Committee Chair Peter Karademos will present the Committee's recommendations to the Board for approval. Governor Mark Johnson will lead the Board in a discussion about tort issues.

Governors Michael Pontarolo and Mark Johnson will present information to the Board about its sponsored liability insurance program.
The Washington State Bar Association is a private, nonprofit organization authorized by the Washington 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 2004-2005 president is Ronald R. Ward of Seattle. The board meets regularly (every six weeks) at various locations around the state, and its meetings are open to the public. Much of the work of the Bar is carried out through 24 standing committees; 24 sections; and a Young Lawyers Division, with its many committees.

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