FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

October 15, 2008     

Contact: Gregg Hirakawa
Deputy Director for External Relations
(206) 727-8240
greggh@wsba.org

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

Washington State Bar Association Video Contest – What Is the Promise of “Justice for All”?

(SEATTLE) — The Washington State Bar Association is announcing its first-ever YouTube video contest on the justice system  “Justice for All: A Northwest Perspective” aims to inspire and engage Washington residents, young and old, by asking them to create a video on the theme of “Justice for All.” 

The contest offers a chance to win $1,000 in two categories: (1) Judged, and (2) People’s Choice.  Entrants will create an original video – three minutes or less – about the promise of justice for all. Entries will be accepted between October 15, 2008, and June 15, 2009. All valid entries will be posted on YouTube.

The contest is being undertaken to advance and promote the public’s understanding of the rule of law and confidence in the legal system. The WSBA is reaching out to Washington residents of all ages, encouraging them to better understand the importance and value of the justice system in their daily lives, and to be more invested in the institutions that protect their civil rights.

“We know Washingtonians have opinions,” said WSBA President Mark Johnson. “We want to know what their thoughts are about a fundamental tenet of our legal system.” 

The WSBA is hoping would-be filmmakers and television producers see the YouTube contest as a fun, creative, and entertaining way to articulate an important principle which affects everyone.

The contest is open to all Washington residents. Rules and an entry form are available at www.wsba.org/justiceforall.htm. The WSBA will announce the contest winners in September 2009.

About the Washington State Bar Association
The WSBA is part of the judicial branch, exercising a governmental function authorized by the Washington State Supreme Court to license the state’s 32,700 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, the WSBA 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 Board of Governors. There are three governors from the seventh congressional district; one from each of the other eight districts; and three at-large, one of whom represents the Young Lawyers Division. The president is Mark A. Johnson, of Seattle. The president-elect is Salvador A. Mungia, of Tacoma, and the immediate past-president is Stanley A. Bastian, of Wenatchee. 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 its numerous standing committees, 26 sections, and a Young Lawyers Division with its many committees.

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