Administrative Law Section

The Administrative Law Section serves the interests of public and private sector attorneys who work with state and local government agencies, as well as administrative law judges, hearing officers, review officers, and other judicial personnel.

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Shape Your Section for the Future: Apply Today to Become a Section Leader

Applications open on March 14, 2022, and close at 5 p.m. April 15, 2022.

The following section executive committee positions are open for applications. All terms begin Oct. 1, 2022.

• Chair-elect: one-year position beginning Oct. 1, 2022, and ending Sept. 30, 2023.
• Secretary: one-year position beginning Oct. 1, 2022, and ending Sept. 30, 2023.
• Treasurer: one-year position beginning Oct. 1, 2022, and ending Sept. 30, 2023.
• At-Large Member (three positions open): three-year position beginning Oct. 1, 2022 and ending Sept. 30, 2025.

To learn more about roles and expectations for serving on the section executive committee, review this volunteer position description, which provides a general overview of section executive committee positions—these may differ for each section.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must be a current section member and should be eligible to vote in accordance with the section’s bylaws.

Application Process

Go to the myWSBA portal to complete the online application for open executive committee positions. The Section has requested that each applicant submit a resume and statement of interest with your application. These documents can be uploaded with your online application (pdf format only). Please be advised that application materials may be posted on this website for public viewing.

Note: If you are applying for more than one position on this or multiple sections’ committees, you must complete and submit all applications at the same time, as you will not be allowed back into the portal at a later time. Please make sure you are completing the applications within the application window for all of the relevant sections.

Nomination Process

The Chair shall appoint a nominating committee each year of not less than three members of the Section, at least one of whom shall not be a current member of the executive committee. The nominating committee shall seek interested individuals to fill open positions on the executive committee, with a balance of nature of practice or employment, geography, and other bases of diversity. All applicants will apply through an electronic application process administered by the Bar. The nominating committee shall make nominations for Chair-elect, Secretary and Treasurer or Secretary/Treasurer, three At-Large executive committee members to succeed those with expiring terms, and At-Large executive committee members for any existing vacancies. The executive committee will approve a list of nominees for each open position.

Alternate Nomination Process

All individuals who complete the electronic application process administered by the Bar who are not selected by the Nominating Committee will be given the opportunity to self-nominate to be included on the final list of approved nominees.

Elections Process

All voting members of the section will receive an electronic ballot sent to their email in June 2022. Visit this webpage in early June for election updates and voting instructions.

Questions? 
For more information about the Section, its executive committee roles, and elections process, please review the Section’s bylaws. You may also contact any member of the current Section Executive Committee or email sections@wsba.org.

The Administrative Law Section is involved in all areas of administrative law of interest to Washington lawyers, including Washington State administrative law, federal administrative law, tribal administrative law, and interstate compact administrative law. We recognize that most attorneys in Washington practice some type of administrative law, even if they never directly apply the Washington Administrative Procedure Act. We have written (and regularly update) an administrative law practice manual (an online publication), and the Public Records Act Deskbook. You can order these publications under the “Resources & Deskbooks” section below. View the free publication, Ensuring Equal Access for People with Disabilities-A Guide for Washington Administrative Proceedings (2011).

The section welcomes anyone as a member who has an interest in administrative law. Upon payment of annual dues of only $25, active members of the WSBA may be voting members of the section and anyone else may be a non-voting member of the section and receive section benefits. Our members include:

• Assistant attorneys general
• Administrative adjudicators and individuals who represent private parties or agencies in administrative hearings
• Public agency in-house attorneys
• City attorneys (on private contract as well as municipal employees)
• County prosecutors
• Private practitioners who either contract to represent government entities or represent clients subject to government regulation
• Judicial officials

Benefits of Membership

• Reduced tuition at high-quality section CLEs (at least two per year)
• Three newsletters per year, including summaries of recent administrative law state and federal cases, articles and announcements
• Annual meeting with good food and other special events
• Input into legislative and WSBA proposals as the recognized experts in administrative law
• Contributions to projects benefiting access to justice efforts
• Networking and support in the field of administrative law

Law Students Welcome

The Administrative Law Section welcomes law students! If you are enrolled in law school, join the section as a law student member. Meet lawyers who practice administrative law. Help prepare your own career in administrative law.

New Mentorship Program — Apply Now!

The WSBA Admin Law Section invites you to participate in its first annual mentorship program.  The mentorship program pairs experienced administrative law attorneys with either new/young attorneys or those beginning careers in administrative law and is designed to provide general career advice and guidance to mentees through a provided curriculum. The program runs just under one year, from April 19, 2022 to March 31, 2023, and we ask that applicants commit at least two (2) hours per month with their paired mentor/mentee. This is an excellent opportunity to network and earn free CLE credits. The application window is now open. Apply as a mentor or a mentee by completing the attached application form and emailing it to alexis@dynamiclawgroup.com on or before March 31, 2022. Applicants must be a member of the Administrative Law Section in order to participate.  Join Today!

Program Application

The Frank Homan Award

Congratulations to John Gray, our 2021 Homan Award recipient!

The Frank Homan Award is presented annually to an individual who has demonstrated an outstanding contribution to the improvement or application of administrative law.

Only Administrative Law Section members can nominate, but a nominee does not have to be an attorney or a section member.

The award is named for Frank Homan, a dedicated teacher and mentor who was passionate about improving the law. After receiving his law degree from Cleveland State University of Law in 1965, he began practicing in Washington in 1968, serving as an Employment Security Department hearings examiner from 1970 to 1974 and as a senior administrative law judge at the Office of Administrative Hearings from 1975 to 1993. He continued to serve as an ALJ pro tem after his retirement in 1993. He was an early proponent for the creation of a central hearings panel, and played an important role in the creation of the Office of Administrative Hearings (RCW 34.12).

Frank was generous with his time and expertise and is well-remembered for his sense of humor, his command of the English language, and his writing style — including his knowledge of legal terminology and history. His commitment to promoting justice for all and the practice of administrative law is the inspiration for the award that bears his name.

Prior Recipients

Section Newsletter

Archived issues are available to section members upon request. To request an issue, please email sections@wsba.org.

Resources & Deskbooks

Ensuring Equal Access for People with Disabilities — A Guide for Washington Administrative Proceedings

Public Records Act Deskbook (order online)

Administrative Hearing Procedure Index

Washington state agencies, boards and commissions

Executive Committee

Committee Chairs

*Nonvoting member

Please contact subcommittee members for details on their upcoming meeting dates and locations.

For general questions, please email inquiries to sections@wsba.org. To get involved and learn more about the Administrative Law Section, please contact Section Chair Bill Pardee.