And the Winner Is … Those Who Need Our Help
By Michael Goldenkranz
I can’t resist personally congratulating those who Kathleen noted so well in June’s Bulletin, with the message to them and all of us that our job is not finished (especially when we’re “recognized”).
Two years ago in June, I received what I initially thought were two separate prank calls — first from the King County Bar Association, then from the Washington State Bar Association — congratulating me on being selected for their respective Pro Bono and Public Service Awards.
Still shocked, I looked to my kin to bring me back down to earth. My brothers, being the Brooklyn-
spawned, sharp-witted yet supportive cheerleader types we are, responded befittingly.
“Mikey, you just turned 70. This is their way of putting you out to pasture with a pocket watch and chain.”
“Hey, bro, don’t screw (though he used the more apt term) this up!”
And on and on they went. Yes, we have always been able to count on each other … to keep our egos in check.
But now, reflecting on this year’s KCBA award recipients, I am truly humbled and appreciative of:
- James Williams, a managing partner who championed a “civil Gideon” right-to-counsel on behalf of indigent defendants and devoted decades of service to the community outside his practice.
- Kate Battuello, the genetic technology legal expert who also became a powerhouse fundraiser, tirelessly exceeding the Bar Foundation’s endowment campaign goal.
- The Honorable Patrick Oishi, an outstanding judge and long-term most valuable and versatile player on the bench, who forged new ground amid COVID by devising innovative ways to keep the court system functioning.
- Tommy Tobin, a young lawyer who is already encouraging the next generation and can rightly claim to be a “legal foodie”! I’m not talking about an aficionado of delicacies but an advocate who keeps our food safe.
- The Federal Civil Rights Legal Clinic, a mighty pro bono clinic that — since 2006 — has been a lifeline to people without access to justice.
These honorees are more than impressive; they are inspiring. I encourage you not only to read about them but to reach out. Say thank you. Pitch in. Most importantly, follow their lead.
As the baton gets passed, I’d like to reiterate what my partner, Jill, said after laughing hysterically at my various brothers’ backhanded tributes:
“Awards aren’t about what you’ve done. They’re the Bar’s way of encouraging you to continue because what you are doing matters, and your job is not done.”
That sentiment echoes a Rabbinic teaching from “Pirkei Avot (Ethics of Our Fathers)” that is so pertinent today:
“You are not required to finish your work, yet neither are you permitted to desist from it.”
So let me say this: “Congratulations” feels like an understatement. To this year’s KCBA award recipients — and to the many unsung members of our legal community who make a difference constantly for those in need as well as for the profession we serve — thank you. Please keep going. The work continues, and so must we.
Michael Goldenkranz is a retired curmudgeon who enjoys pro bono volunteer work, but mostly wonders what it will take to set the Guiness World Record for the silliest grandpa ever.
