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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Judith Berrett WSBA Board of Governors to Meet in Spokane, April 22Seattle, Washington, April 19, 2005 — The Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) Board of Governors will hold its next meeting on April 22 at Spokane's historic Davenport Hotel. The WSBA's Fifth District Governor, Spokane attorney Mike Pontarolo, will welcome the Board to Spokane. The public meeting will be held from 10:00 to noon and from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. It is open to the press and the public. U.S. District Court Judge William Fremming Nielson and Spokane attorney Leslie Weatherhead will speak about legislative proposals pending in Congress that would divide the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit into either two or three different circuits. Director of Legislative Affairs Gail Stone will give the Board of Governors a legislative update, reporting on the many bills and initiatives of interest to the WSBA and its members. Updated legislative status reports can be found on the WSBA website at www.wsba.org. Joining the Board of Governors for lunch and a "diversity listening session" will be members of the Spokane County Bar Association. The current president of the Spokane County Bar, which has been in existence since 1895, is Spokane attorney Susan Troppmann. In 2003, the Spokane County Bar Association's Volunteer Lawyers Program received the WSBA Pro Bono Award in recognition of outstanding efforts by Spokane area lawyers in providing free legal services to poor people. On the agenda for the afternoon session will be the final report of the Member Benefits Task Force from its chair, Spokane attorney Joseph Nappi Jr. Based on evaluations and recommendations from the task force, the WSBA, in addition to its already existing professional liability insurance program, developed sponsored programs for health insurance and auto insurance, and endorsed the ABA group retirement program. Governor Mark Johnson, chair of the Character and Fitness Court Rules Task Force, will present suggested amendments to the Admission to Practice Rules regarding the establishment and procedures of the Character and Fitness Committee (this committee, composed of both lawyers and nonlawyers, considers applications for admission, petitions for reinstatement after disbarment, and other types of applications where good moral character and fitness to practice law is an issue). If approved by the Board, the proposed changes will be submitted to the Supreme Court for action. Also on the agenda are a report from Washington Young Lawyers Division President Steven Marsalis, of Spokane, and a report of fiscal matters from WSBA Treasurer Joni Kerr, of Vancouver. About the WSBA |