Small Town and Rural Council
The WSBA Small Town and Rural — STAR — Council is committed to strengthen and support the practice of law in the rural communities throughout Washington state. Members of the STAR Council 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 Council 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 Council's purpose, composition, scope of work, and roles, review the STAR Council Charter.
The formation of the STAR Council is the result of work conducted by the Rural Practice Project.
Page Navigation
On this page you will find information about the STAR Council, upcoming events and offerings, and information about STAR initiatives. Please visit the STAR Resources page for information on past events, CLEs and career support.
Meet the CouncilMeetings | Internship GrantsUpcoming Events |
Meet the STAR Council Members
2024-2025Kari Petrasek, Chair Dan Clark, Board of Governors member Mary Rathbone, Board of Governors member Kathryn Burke, Rural Member Philip Hunsucker, Rural Member Merf Ehman, Qualified Legal Service Provider Member Sean King, Gonzaga Law School Member Travis Pietila, University of Washington Law School Member |
Rusty McGuire, Rural Member Jesse Lamp, Rural Member Thomas Garvey, 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: Vanessa Sweeney, vanessas@wsba.org |
For questions, please email Council 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 Council will have a special meeting to be held on:
Date: Sept. 24, 2025 │ Time: 12:10 p.m. │ Location: Virtual via Zoom │ Meeting ID: 873 3538 6159 │ Passcode: 595209
The purpose of the meeting is for the council 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 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 council chair.
Seattle University HUB Program Liaison
The STAR Council is seeking applicants to serve as a Seattle University HUB Program Liaison to the STAR Council. View the position description here. For questions and more information, please contact memberbenefits@wsba.org.
Rural Practice Summer Internship Grants
The purpose of this internship program is to assist in building a pipeline of rural attorneys who will help narrow the legal services gap in rural communities throughout the state of Washington. Applications for 2025 grants are no longer being accepted. To learn more, read about our 2024 grant recipients.
Upcoming Events
Rural Day of Service Sept. 12, 2025
WSBA’s Small Town and Rural Council (STAR), in partnership with the Northwest Justice Project, will be hosting a “Rural Day of Service” clinic in Okanogan County on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. WSBA is currently seeking volunteer attorneys for this clinic to help the public with their simple estate planning needs. Volunteers will be served lunch and receive reimbursement for travel expenses. If you are interested in volunteering, please sign up here. For questions, contact memberbenefits@wsba.org.
Past Meeting Materials & Minutes
