It is hard for me to believe that 12 months ago the current board of KCBA officers and trustees started on its journey to serve as the new stewards of the bar association. At the time, 12 months seemed more than enough time to accomplish, well, something. In these 12 months, we would meet twice monthly as a full board, with the officers meeting two additional times during the month. Added to the meeting schedule would be committee and section meetings and many bar-related activities. So, how exactly did our board use the 12 months?
We started the year by focusing on our Mission Statement (see www.kcba.org) as a means of setting our goals and objectives and to determine core business activities. As I reported in the September Bar Bulletin, this mission was accomplished. From this point, the Board of Trustees undertook the issue of same-sex marriage, which then and now remains before the Washington State Supreme Court. After much debate among the Board on the issues, together with valuable input from our members, the Board adopted a public policy based on the premise that the equal rights doctrine applies to all citizens.
Core business functions involving the courts dominated much of the year. Violations of our fair campaign practices in municipal court races were investigated by our committee and addressed by the Board. Our Judicial Evaluation Committee conducted a survey and released the results on the district and municipal court judges, commissioners and pro tem judges.
Significantly, President-elect John Ruhl and members of the American Judicature Society organized the Washington Summit on Judicial Selection in November. ABA President Mike Greco flew in to provide the opening keynote address. As a result of the strong interest in judicial selection reform, four follow-up subcommittees have been organized by the Judicial Selection Coalition: voter information, campaign finance, judicial evaluation and judicial selection.
KCBA also has started efforts to establish a Web site containing comprehensive information on candidates for the Court of Appeals and state Supreme Court races. Studies show that voters lack sufficient information about judicial candidates and tend not to vote in those races.
Following the strong interest in judicial selection, John Ruhl and Charlie Wiggins worked tirelessly with Rep. Shay Schual-Berke to successfully pass legislation (HB 1226) that limits contributions to judicial candidates in statewide races and large jurisdictions to $1,400 per donor for the primary and $1,400 for the general election. KCBA in collaboration with key legislators also worked to defeat SB 6216, a bill giving absolute privilege to journalists.
Recently, KCBA Trustees Joe Bringman, Loretta Story and Mark Hillman analyzed complicated data, such as total case filings, location of available courtrooms, and population with and without inclusion of municipalities with court systems, to formulate a recommendation to the Board regarding the County Council's mandate to eliminate a District Court judgeship in the county.
A highlight for me has been the opportunity to work with the bar leaders from the numerous specialty bar associations. Diversity in the legal profession remains in the forefront of issues. Discussions are under way to plan a forum with our KCBA pillar firms to meet with the minority and specialty bar leaders for an open and frank discussion on recruiting and retaining a diverse population of attorneys.
In addition, with the invaluable input of these leaders, KCBA established a meaningful list of job duties for our newly created diversity manager position. Through our King County Bar Foundation's generosity and vision to fund this position, the Future of the Law Institute outreach program to high school students and their families will continue. Our EDILP Committee and our ever-so-popular Martin Luther King, Jr. Luncheon also will benefit from added staff support.
Roger Goodman and the Drug Policy Project organized a conference of international leaders to continue the education of drug policy reform. Community leaders from medical, mental health and civic organizations make this collaborative effort a national model. (See http://www.kcba.org/druglaw/index.html)
Member benefits were added: Ixio QShift, an electronic legal research source; Epicenter health club (reduced fee) and the YMCA Fitness Center (enrollment waiver); Office Depot (discounts); and better health insurance and disability insurance plans. And,
of course, our CLE department offered current, relevant and informative continuing legal education programs throughout the year. (See http://www.kcba. org/membership/memben/index.html)
The Board also studied and approved the purchase of new software that will improve the way we conduct business. Members also will have an easier time renewing their KCBA memberships.
As I look back and reflect on the last 12 months, I do so with some sadness. I will miss the relationships established with bar leaders, committee chairs, community leaders and law school faculty and administrators. I will miss the collegiality of a superb set of officers and trustees who made each meeting a lesson in professionalism and good humor. Most of all, I will miss the outstanding KCBA staff. Executive Director Alice Paine provides the leadership and knowledge that keeps KCBA in the forefront of local, state and national bar associations. I have yet to find a more dedicated staff who truly embrace the notion of Justice ... Professionalism É Service.
Thank you for the last 12 months. It's been a privilege and honor serving you.
Gary Maehara is the current president of the King County Bar Association. He can be reached at garmae@safeco.com.
