The Fierce Urgency of Now: Join Us for the Annual KCBA MLK Jr. Luncheon
By Matthew Clark
Dear King County Bar Association Members,
In his seminal “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote the words that hang in law offices and courthouses across the nation: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny.”
For the legal community, these words are not merely poetic; they are the bedrock of our professional obligation. As attorneys, we are the weavers of that garment of destiny. It is our distinct privilege and duty to ensure that the law serves as a shield for the vulnerable and a sword against inequity.
Each year, the King County Bar community gathers to renew this vow. We invite you to join your colleagues, the judiciary, and community leaders for the Annual King County Bar Association Martin Luther King Jr. Luncheon.
The Reality of Representation: Why We Gather
While we celebrate Dr. King’s legacy, we must also confront the work left undone. Dr. King taught us that “our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” We cannot remain silent about the disparities that persist within our own profession.
A diverse bar is essential to a fair justice system. Yet, recent data from the Washington State Bar Association reveals a stark reality: the legal profession in our state does not yet reflect the rich diversity of the public it serves.
- Representation Gap: Attorneys identifying as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) make up approximately 18% of the Washington Bar, despite representing nearly 35% of the state’s general population.
- Black Attorneys: Black residents make up roughly 5% of the state population, yet Black attorneys comprise only 2% of the Bar.
- Hispanic/Latino Attorneys: There is a significant gap here as well, with Hispanic and Latino attorneys representing just 5% of the Bar, compared to 14% of the Washington population.
Turning Statistics into Action
This luncheon is our collective answer to these statistics. It is a fundamental fundraising vehicle for minority scholarships at Seattle University School of Law and the University of Washington School of Law.
When you purchase a ticket or a table and make a contribution, you are not just buying lunch; you are buying books, tuition, and an opportunity for a student who might otherwise be excluded from the legal field. You are directly altering the statistics above and ensuring the next generation of King County lawyers looks more like King County itself.
Keynote Speaker: Cornell Brooks
We are profoundly honored to announce that this year’s keynote address will be delivered by Cornell William Brooks, a pivotal figure standing at the intersection of modern civil rights activism and jurisprudence.
Mr. Brooks is renowned for his tenure as the 18th President and CEO of the NAACP, where his leadership secured significant, hard-fought victories against voter suppression and police misconduct. Today, he continues his essential work as the Hauser Professor of the Practice of Nonprofit Organizations and Professor of the Practice of Public Leadership and Social Justice at the Harvard Kennedy School. Furthermore, he directs The William Monroe Trotter Collaborative for Social Justice at Harvard.
A distinguished civil rights attorney and an ordained minister, Mr. Brooks powerfully embodies Dr. King’s holistic approach to justice — the indispensable understanding that legal battles must be inextricably coupled with moral clarity.
Bending the Arc Together
In a profession governed by precedent, it is easy to look backward. But Dr. King urged us to look forward with intensity, noting the “fierce urgency of now.” He reminded us that “Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable. … Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle.”
We ask you to pause your practice for one afternoon to engage in that struggle. Dr. King once asked, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”
Let your attendance at this luncheon be part of your answer. Let us come together to bend the arc of the moral universe a little further toward justice — right here in Seattle.
Event Details & Registration
Date: Friday, Jan. 16, 2026
Time: Noon - 1:15 p.m.
Location: Seattle Convention Center Arch Building, 705 Pike St., 98101
We look forward to standing with you in solidarity and service.
Sincerely,
The King County Bar Association
Matthew Clark is an in-house attorney at Google and a member of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Luncheon Committee.
