Seattle Attorney Ellen Conedera Dial to Serve as 2005-2006 President-elect of the Washington State Bar Association

Seattle Washington, June 9, 2005 — The Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) announced that Seattle attorney Ellen Conedera Dial has been elected to serve as WSBA president-elect in 2005-2006. Ms. Dial will serve as the WSBA's 116th president in 2006-2007.

Ms. Dial, a partner at Perkins Coie, graduated magna cum laude with a degree in English from Cornell University. She obtained her law degree from Cornell Law School, graduating magna cum laude, and was admitted to the Order of the Coif (a national legal society that recognizes outstanding academic achievement). Ms. Dial served as law clerk to Washington State Supreme Court Justice Charles Horowitz from 1977 to 1979. She was admitted to practice in the state of Washington in 1979.

Since 1981, Ms. Dial has participated in a broad variety of WSBA activities and has assumed a number of leadership roles. Ms. Dial has chaired several WSBA committees, including the Ethics 2003 Committee, the Legislative Committee, the Character and Fitness Committee, and the Committee on the Code of Professional Responsibility. She also served as executive editor for the Real Property Deskbook, 2nd edition; first member emeritus of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Section Executive Committee; and since 2001, actively serves on the Facilities Committee. In addition to her leadership and service in WSBA committees, she frequently speaks at Continuing Legal Education courses on ethics as well as real estate matters.

Ms. Dial is known for her leadership and community service outside of the WSBA as well. She co-chaired the 2004 and the 2005 King County Bar Association Awards Committee and is a fellow of the American Bar Foundation. She has also served as a board member and as president of the Saul and Dayee Haas Foundation, a private charitable foundation that makes individual grants to school children throughout the state of Washington. She served on the board of Leadership Tomorrow, a leadership training program that brings together members of the for-profit, nonprofit, and non-governmental agency sectors, and served as its chair. She currently serves on the Board of the Advisory Committee to the University of Washington World Series at Meany and the YWCA.

Through her service to her profession and to the community, Ms. Dial has been recognized by her peers. In 2004 she received the WSBA's highest honor, the Award of Merit. She has been listed in Washington Law & Politics Washington Super Lawyers, Chambers USA America's Leading Business Lawyers, and in Best Lawyers in America.

"I would describe [Ms.Dial] as a true Servant-Leader — someone who comes to leadership out of the desire to serve, as opposed to the desire to lead," wrote Jan Levy, executive director of Leadership Tomorrow. "In her service to Leadership Tomorrow, she could always be counted on to guide the Board to make decisions that were in the best interest of the organization, rather than in the interest of any one individual."

"[Ms. Dial] embodies the best of our profession, a first-rate legal mind, a deep commitment to professionalism and the public role of lawyers and the good sense and judgment we need in a leader," wrote David Boerner, Seattle University School of Law.

"Ellen has demonstrated a deep commitment to the WSBA. She has devoted herself to improving the practice of law in Washington," wrote William Reetz, vice president and claims center manager, LandAmerica Financial Group, Inc. "Her involvement with and contributions to the WSBA's sections particularly RPPT, have helped improve the legal expertise and professionalism of our bar membership."

Senior Assistant Attorney General of Washington Lucy P. Isaki wrote, "Ellen listens, respects, and guides committee members in a fair and even-handed manner. She has a quiet confidence, expresses herself well, commands respect and, importantly, conveys respect to all with whom she works."

About the WSBA
The WSBA is a private, nonprofit organization authorized by the Washington State Supreme Court to license the state's 28,800 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, 24 sections, and a Young Lawyers Division.