FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE       
September 5, 2006      

Contact Pam Inglesby
Public Legal Education Manager
206-727-8226; pami@wsba.org                                                        

Public Legal Education Group Seeks Nominations for Award

Seattle, Washington, September 5, 2006 — The Council on Public Legal Education (CPLE) is accepting nominations for its Flame of Democracy Award, given to a Washington state individual or program that has contributed significantly to public knowledge of the law, government, or justice.

The award was first presented in 2002 to the late Richard Larsen for his lifetime achievements as a journalist. Other recipients have been the Yakima County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for its school outreach program and the Northwest Justice Project for its self-help website. The award continues to honor the important educational work of teachers, lawyers and judges, the media, and a variety of advocacy and community organizations.

Nominations for the award, due October 2, 2006, should be submitted in letter form (maximum 500 words) and describe the nominee’s work and how it has furthered the CPLE’s mission. Self-nominations are encouraged. The letter should include the name of a reference who can provide additional information about the nominee. Supporting material may also be submitted; please limit print materials to 10 pages and audio-visual materials to 30 minutes. All nominations will be kept confidential and should be addressed to Pam Inglesby, Washington State Bar Association, 2101 Fourth Avenue, Suite 400, Seattle WA 98121-2330. E-mail submissions may be sent to pami@wsba.org.

About the Council on Public Legal Education
The CPLE, formed in 2000, promotes citizen legal awareness by conducting, coordinating, and publicizing public legal education efforts in Washington state. Recent CPLE initiatives have included launching lawforwa.org, a legal information website, and expanding Street Law, a program which pairs law students and judges with high school social studies teachers. The CPLE is a committee of the Access to Justice Board, which is administered by the Washington State Bar Association.

About the Washington State Bar Association
The Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) is part of the judicial branch, exercising a governmental function authorized by the Washington State Supreme Court to license the state’s 29,800 lawyers. The WSBA both regulates lawyers under the authority of the Court and serves its members as a professional association Ż all without public funding.
 
As a regulatory agency, it administers the bar admission process, including the bar exam; provides record-keeping and licensing functions; and administers the lawyer-discipline system. 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 2005-2006 president is S. Brooke Taylor, of Port Angeles, and the 2006-2007 president-elect is Ellen Conedera Dial, 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 23 standing committees; 26 sections; and a Young Lawyers Division, with its many committees.

###