Small Town and Rural Committee
The WSBA Small Town and Rural — STAR — Committee is committed to strengthen and support the practice of law in the rural communities throughout Washington state. Members of the STAR Committee will work to ensure that the practice of law in rural communities is present, growing, and thriving.
Practitioners in rural communities are few and far between. Additionally, many of these practitioners are nearing retirement without a clear plan of succession for their clients, leaving a void of access to legal representation and counsel. The STAR Committee members will guide policy and program development, serve as ambassadors between the WSBA and these communities, explore and advocate for creative and innovative solutions, and regularly assess the legal landscape in rural communities to determine if WSBA policy, advocacy, and program development require further resource for sustainability and improvements. To learn more about the STAR Committee's purpose, composition, scope of work, and roles, review the STAR Committee Charter.
The formation of the STAR Committee is the result of work conducted by the Rural Practice Project.
Meet the STAR Committee Members
2023-2024Kari Petrasek, Chair Sunitha Anjilvel, Board of Governors member Kathryn Burke, Rural Member Elizabeth Penoyar, Rural Member Merf Ehman, Qualified Legal Service Provider Member Vacant, Gonzaga Law School Member Erin Lloyd, University of Washington Law School Member |
Hunter Abell, WSBA President Rusty McGuire, Rural Member Jesse Lamp, Rural Member Zachary Bryant, Young Lawyer Member Allison Foreman, At-large Member Ashley Cummins, Seattle University Law School Member Matthew Dresden, Board of Governors liaison Staff Liaison: Julianne Unite, julianneu@wsba.org Staff Support: Chelle Gegax, michelleg@wsba.org |
For questions, please email Committee Chair Kari Petrasek or staff liaison Julianne Unite.
Meetings
Next Meeting
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the Washington State Bar Association that a Small Town and Rural Committee will have a special meeting to be held on:
Date: Sept. 18, 2024 │ Time: Noon │ Location: Virtual via Zoom
The purpose of the meeting is for the committee to discuss, deliberate, and take potential final action regarding the following agenda items (no final disposition regarding any matter will occur at the meeting except as indicated on this notice).
Please check back for the agenda and meeting materials.
Reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities will be provided upon request. Please email julianneu@wsba.org.
Note: Discussion and action may be taken on any item on the agenda. The time and order of agenda items are subject to change at the discretion of the committee chair.
Past Meeting Materials & Minutes
