Last month I announced an important step in the process of “spinning off” the Housing Justice Project as its own entity, by introducing you to Lisa Stone, who serves as the Transition Administrator in that process. Lisa got right to work, meeting with stake holders, sending out communications, and identifying key steps to help move the spinoff forward. I am grateful to have Lisa’s help and to benefit from her years of experience in the legal/non-profit arena.
One of the reasons we are moving down this path is so that KCBA can turn its focus to serving our membership, which in turn, supports important work in our community. As we gathered for a Board retreat in July, I was struck by the level of commitment from our Board members; all busy attorneys, with many responsibilities. And yet, they make the time to serve on the Board, and also teach students at the University of Washington Law School, or Chair KCBA Committees handling some weighty subjects — like significant changes to the court rules and anti-racism. They come to every meeting prepared to take on the subject of the day and offer thoughtful input.
We are also fortunate to have a number of long-term, committed volunteers devoted to their committee work or to programs, like the Neighborhood Legal Clinics. Our Pro Bono Award recipient for 2023, Michael Goldenkranz, has been a part of the Legal Clinics for 20 years! I appreciate your work and I thank you.
Today, I am asking those of you who have not yet found your way into one of our committees or programs to join us. We have interesting, important work to do and we are so much more effective when we draw from a broader spectrum of the legal talent in our community. Maybe this is the year that you transition from supporting the KCBA anti-racism statement to taking an active role on that committee. I believe Mary Sakaguchi would welcome a co-chair for that committee. Or maybe you are a litigator who would like to help members of our bench get detailed feedback about their service. I know Raegan Rasnik and Kinnon Williams are ready to show you the ropes on the Judicial Conferencing Committee. Do you want to have a voice in Olympia? Then help the Public Policy Committee develop the legislative agenda for the KCBA for the next session and meet with our lawyer-legislators about their focus as legislative leaders. Whatever your interest or experience, there is a place for you at the KCBA.
Some of our work includes direct client services, for people that would never be able to pay for legal representation. My first volunteer assignment decades ago was to assist a young woman in an abusive marriage in obtaining a protection order and divorce from her spouse. I knew nothing about the area of practice, but I was teamed up with a family law mentor who helped every step of the way. Our Pro Bono Award recipient for 2024 (Lianna Bash) similarly took on a new area of practice, as a volunteer with the DV Lead Project, where she has represented multiple domestic violence survivors in Superior Court and on appeal.
These are not just experiences that make a meaningful difference to the people you assist, these are experiences that shape who you are in our community. These are opportunities to expand your skill set and knowledge of practice areas outside of what you know. You will get first-hand experience that helps you to see gaps in service and structures in need of reform. You will work with people you would never meet in your day-time area of practice and who may one day become a resource for you, when you need help problem solving in areas of the law that are unfamiliar to you.
To me, August seems like the perfect time to commit to a new level of involvement at the KCBA. Summer will soon draw to a close. We are less likely to see vacation related out of office auto-replies. We start to take our sweaters out of storage soon and by September it does not feel like we are missing out by sitting in meetings or tapping away at the keyboard, because there are not quite as many stunning sunsets over Elliot Bay and the Olympics, or early afternoon departures to hike in the Cascades, or opportunities for after work stand up paddle board tours around Lake Union. Consider re-directing your hiking, paddle boarding, sunset watching self to take a volunteer project at the KCBA. If you are not sure what works best for you, then contact Member Services Director, Bridget Schuster at bridgets@kcba.org, or Pro Bono Director, Judy Lin at judyl@kcba.org. I promise you they are full of good ideas and information.
Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
We are a group of critical thinking problem solvers. We have multitude of ways we can teach and advocate and bring about meaningful change. We are thought leaders, not just in King County, but nationally. After all, it is thanks to the work of some talented KCBA members that the ABA, and now other bar associations, are calling for a binding code of ethics for the Supreme Court of the United States. I hope you will think about something you are interested in solving or a subject that is meaningful to you and join us.
