Summer is here, and as July begins, we close out our current membership year and start transitioning to working with new leaders across the King County Bar Association. It’s easy to look forward to what’s next, but we would be remiss if we didn’t take a moment to shine a light on those who have helped to guide the association’s work.
It has been a very busy year for KCBA and the legal community, and I am amazed by how much we have accomplished together. None of this would have been possible without our section and committee chairs, who have dedicated their time, energy, and expertise to fostering supportive environments where our members could collaborate, learn, and grow. Your patience, grace, and commitment have made the difference for so many. Thank you.
Speaking of committees, I want to give a shout-out to the following KCBA members who have chaired or co-chaired our committees this year: Neal Black, Finance; Kinnon Williams and Raegen Rasnic, Judicial Conferencing; Michelle Pham, Member Services; Mary Sakaguchi, Anti-Racism and Equity; Aubrie Hicks and Colin Mieling, Judicial Candidate Evaluation; Daniel Weiskopf, Judicial Officer Survey; Daniel Hsieh, MLK Luncheon; James Morrison, Breakfast With Champions; Sidney Tribe, Awards; Katie Comstock and Lindsay Calkins, Judiciary and Litigation; Jennifer Payseno, Nominations and Leadership Development; Seth Rosenberg, Lawyer Referral Service; Rory O’Sullivan, Public Policy; Theodore Angelis, Fair Campaign Practices.
I would also like to recognize KCBA section chairs for leading our practice-area sections with dedication and vision: Kelly Paradis, Appellate Practice; Samantha Pitsch, Aviation Law; Darcel Lobo, Bankruptcy Law; Sarah Alderin, Business Law; Jill Geary, Child Law; Mihaella Bayla, Collaborative Law; Christopher Petroni, Criminal Law; Pranjal Shirwaikari, Dispute Resolution; Fabio Dworschak, Environmental and Land Use Law; Natalie Roberts, Family Law; Carla Calogero, Guardianship and Elder Law; Peter Noone, In-House Counsel; Joshua Harms, Intellectual Property Law; Helen McFarland, Labor and Employment Law; Saphronia Young, Litigation; Richard Furman, Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law; Adam Bungay, Solo and Small Firms. To learn more about the wonderful work our sections accomplished this year, please see the article “KCBA Sections: Community Growth and Gratitude” on page 14 of these pages.
Sections and committees are the heart of KCBA and are where some of the most important work is done to ensure KCBA is here to meet the needs of our members, volunteers, and clients and the legal community. If you happen to be looking for networking opportunities, professional development, leadership experience, and the chance to make a tangible impact for KCBA and the legal community, join a section or committee now!
We are currently recruiting committee chairs for the Anti-Racism and Equity, Member Services, and Public Policy committees. You do not need to already be a member of a committee to serve as chair; you just need the interest and desire to make KCBA better. And don’t worry, you won’t be on your own — KCBA staff will be there to guide and support you as you step into this new role.
If I have piqued your interest in getting involved and maybe taking on a leadership position, please reach out to me at kathleenj@kcba.org.
Thank you again to all who have contributed to making this year such a success. Let’s continue this momentum together.
