The King County Bar Association exists as a vehicle to bring our professional community together. Our mission is to foster, advance and serve a membership that is both diverse and collaborative. To achieve this part of our mission the KCBA must be a place where people who hold divergent opinions still work together for the betterment of the profession, our community, ourselves, and our society. The inclusion of the front-page opinion piece in last month’s Bar Bulletin had serious consequences and caused harm to many members of our community.
Although the KCBA has taken positions in the past that some of our members have disagreed with, these positions have come in the form of Resolutions that have been approved by the Board of Trustees. Those Resolutions are voted on only after a thorough discussion and collaborative deliberation. One of our many committees may bring proposed Resolutions before the Board after that committee itself has vetted, debated, and gathered information from various community partners. The committee then presents a recommendation for the Board.
The subject matter of Resolutions may vary — e.g. support for same-sex marriage, support for the legalization of marijuana, support for legislation regarding fair housing, or support of an enforceable code of ethics for the United States Supreme Court. When the KCBA takes a position through a Resolution, it does so consistent with our Mission Statement — namely to advance equality, access to justice and professionalism in our community. The KCBA also understands that many may disagree with a position it takes — and that is why the process of coming to a position is important. It fosters productive and constructive debate and ultimately respects those that disagree and invites them to be part of the conversation.
The opinion piece and the language used in February’s issue was neither vetted nor approved by any committee, the Board of Trustees or KCBA leadership. However, the way it was included and presented in the Bar Bulletin gave the impression to many of our members and community partners that it had been. We acknowledge this caused even further harm.
In the last month, Christina Entrekin Coad, KCBA Executive Director and I have heard from hundreds of members of our community and spoken with many who were immeasurably hurt by the language used by the author. We have also heard from and spoken with those upset with our removal of the opinion piece from the online version of the Bar Bulletin. It is clear everyone we have heard from is experiencing pain. We expect to have many more conversations going forward. Individuals and organizations gave us their time to speak with us. They opened up to us to discuss their hurt, to explain their history, and to share their vulnerability. I am so grateful for and humbled by the grace and kindness that have been shared with me in these conversations. One thing that all these interactions have in common is that after expressing their disappointment, hurt, and sometimes dismay about the KCBA’s inclusion or removal of the article, sincere offers of partnership to help our community heal and understand have been extended. The KCBA intends to do this in the coming months.
As the Board’s previous statement declared, this piece, as it was written, should never have appeared in our publication. We want to be an organization that is thought provoking and that encourages differences of opinion. A place where difficult conversations can be had. As I said in my February column, truthful confrontation and discourse with those we care about is an ultimate act of love. As much as those conversations can be uncomfortable, they are unsung acts and essential requirements to protect our society in these fragile moments. The KCBA is committed to mitigating personal harm from the expression of differences of opinion and difficult conversations instead of creating it.
One response to KCBA’s publication of the opinion piece pointed out that lawyers are at our best when we acknowledge and embrace our common humanity. This is especially true as we seek to promote a better pathway to peace and justice for all. Importantly noted in this response was the statement that righteous calls for justice and humanitarian treatment must not come at the expense of other people’s existence. I believe in this deep within my own heart.
On a personal level, this whole situation has been profoundly upsetting. The KCBA has been a part of my life from the very beginning of my legal career. Like so many of us, I care deeply for those who give their time, energy, and hearts to support the KCBA and the people it serves. When the KCBA is involved in causing harm instead of the betterment of lives it feels like a gut punch. The KCBA I know and love is a place of inclusivity, community building, and service. That is why I serve it.
The KCBA is committed to regaining the trust of those who were hurt and to ensuring that we continue to be a place where it is safe and productive to have a different opinion while respecting all our differences. The Bar Bulletin should be the voice of our organization and we need to ensure what occurred in the February edition never happens again. The KCBA has taken editorial control of the Bar Bulletin in-house under our Executive Director, Christina Coad and ended our contract with our third-party editor. In addition to meeting with members of our community to discuss the harm that has been caused, we have reconvened our Editorial Advisory Committee. This committee will serve as a steering committee to a Taskforce of volunteers working to create editorial guidelines and best practices for the Bar Bulletin. These are only our first steps. I am hopeful that in the coming months, we will organize educational programs that will allow members to engage with and learn from each other.
We know that our work and learning from this event is only beginning. It will be ongoing. We will do better.
