July 1 marked the beginning of the new KCBA membership year. (If you haven’t already, renew today!) A new year for us means that we are onboarding new leadership in all areas of the bar, including the KCBA Sections. We have 17 active sections that focus on self-education for specific practice areas, and the work that is done within these learning communities is only made possible by the volunteer leadership. So, while we look ahead to an exciting new year, we want to take a moment to reflect on and celebrate the work that was done in the 2024–2025 year.
The KCBA Sections hosted 105 one-hour CLEs, 14 happy hour/networking events, and two multiday conferences!
Please allow me to provide a highlight reel:
Appellate Practice: Under Kelly Paradis’ leadership, the section hosted eight lunchtime CLEs and the Annual Reception with Division One. The reception honored the long career and recent retirement of Judge Stephen J. Dwyer. This garnered the best attendance since pre-2020 with over 80 appellate practitioners, judges, commissioners, and court of appeals staff members. Thank you to all who attended and coordinated this great event!
Aviation Law: This group hosted their multiday conference at Alderbrook Resort in October 2024. At the conference, Past Chair Sam Pitsch handed the reins over to Chair Casey DuBose. They are in full planning mode for their upcoming conference scheduled for September 26–28 at Campbell’s Resort in Lake Chelan. Check out the KCBA website’s event calendar for more information!
Bankruptcy Law: Section Chair Darcel Lobo hosted nine lunchtime CLE programs AND co-sponsored six “Chapter 11 Training Program” CLEs alongside the U.S. Bankruptcy Court – Western District of Washington.
Business Law: This is a section that has always struggled with volunteer engagement. Fortunately, Sarah Alderin stepped up to lead the group and hosted several exceptional CLEs that can all be found in the KCBA On-Demand CLE Library, accessible through our website.
Child Law: We welcomed this brand-new group to the bar in November 2024. Led by Jill Geary, Rachel Sugar, and Natalie Findley-Wolf, this group welcomes practitioners and non-attorney professionals that work in any area of the law that impacts children. They’ve only just begun and already hosted five incredible CLEs. In the new year, they hope to expand their leadership and take on special interest projects.
Collaborative Law: For the second year in a row, this section hosted 10 CLEs in 10 months! An incredible achievement by the leadership team made up of Mihaella Bayla, Ululani Akiona, and Mei Shih.
Criminal Law: A huge thank you to outgoing Chair Christopher Petroni and incoming Chair Victoria VanNocken for starting this new section in January 2024 and leading it ever since. This group hosted six lunchtime CLEs hitting a variety of topics like mental health and well-being, equity and anti-bias, and law and procedure.
Dispute Resolution: We thank Paula Emery every single year for her contributions to this group, and this year is no different. Paula and the Past Chair Pranjal Shirwaikar put on several lunchtime CLEs and a meet-and-greet with our incoming Chair Megan Skiber. We are excited to welcome new leadership to the group, and we hope it empowers others to step into new leadership opportunities.
Environmental and Land Use: Under Fabio Dworschak’s leadership, this group hosted two happy hours at Miller Nash’s new Seattle office and quarterly lunchtime CLEs. Check out their best-attended CLE in the KCBA on-demand library: “Environmental Justice Efforts in State and Federal Administrative Practice” by Allyson Bazan of Hillis Clark Martin & Peterson P.S.
Family Law: Chair Natalie Roberts kept this group well-connected with legislative and court updates throughout the year. Natalie’s been a communicative and engaged leader whilst planning and hosting six lunchtime CLEs, an additional business meeting, and co-hosting the happy hour that followed the annual all-day CLE “Family Law Hot Topics.”
Guardianship and Elder Law: This group has the largest leadership team consisting of 14 members chaired by Carla Calogero. This was Carla’s second go-round as Section Chair, and she handled it like the pro that she is! The group planned eight lunchtime CLEs, one all-day conference, two special events, and co-sponsored two other events. An incredible feat by a determined team!
Immigration Law: This group was created at the request of KCBA members but has yet to have anyone join as leadership. It’s free to join, and by joining, you automatically have access to the listserv and receive discounts on KCBA CLE programs pertaining to this area of law. We want to acknowledge how important it is to serve this community, perhaps now more than ever. Please reach out to us at sections@kcba.org with any questions, concerns, or requests.
In-House Counsel: Peter Noone deserves many thanks for his leadership of this group for the last two-plus years. He brought it back from dormancy and has hosted cutting-edge topics like employment law in this post-pandemic world, immigration law under the Trump administration, and what to know if you’re joining an association/foundation board.
Indian Law: This group was also created by member request but has yet to get up and running due to the lack of volunteer support. If you or anyone in your network has ideas for how the bar can serve this area of practice, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at sections@kcba.org. For now, we offer a complimentary listserv for anyone interested in joining this free section.
Intellectual Property: Under Joshua Harms’ leadership, this group hosted a happy hour at Stokes Lawrence, P.S. and eight lunchtime CLEs focusing on hot topics like artificial intelligence, trademark law, the right of publicity, patent law, and data privacy.
Labor and Employment Law: Chair Helen McFarland and Vice Chair Carson Phillips-Spotts led another successful year for this group. This year, the section hosted the 58th Annual Pacific Coast Labor & Employment Law Conference at the Seattle Convention Center Arch. Attendees enjoyed lectures from speakers all over the country and several networking events.
Litigation: The members asked for a litigation-focused section, and thus it was formed in January 2024. Saphronia Young has been an exceptional Chair of the group ever since, and has hosted top-notch CLEs on how to litigate ranging from 101 to expert-level topics. We will be sad to see her go, but the group is in great hands with incoming leadership. Stay tuned to see how this group continues to grow and flourish!
Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law: With nearly 600 members, this section consists of practitioners with a wide variety of practice areas. The leadership team hosted six lunchtime CLEs and two happy hour events. This group continues to be a beautiful example of camaraderie with their very active listserv that allows all members to exchange ideas, discuss new areas of the law, and make referrals.
Solo and Small Firms: Chair Adam Bungay solely planned and hosted nine CLEs on practice management, ethics, and mental wellness for legal practitioners. That is often a trend for this group — with Chairs leading the team solo (pun intended) — as past leaders are aware; we greatly appreciate the hard work that Adam and many of you have put in to supporting your fellow solo/small firm practitioners. We want to take this moment to thank you all!
If you aren’t yet a member of a KCBA Section, why not? For $40 per year, each section offers free CLEs hosted by the section, discounted rates on other KCBA CLEs, invitations to networking events with peers in your area of practice, and a listserv for referrals and discussion. For more information, you can visit kcba.org/sections or email sections@kcba.org.
Jordan Brock is KCBA’s Sections Program Manager and can be reached at sections@kcba.org.
