May is a busy month. We hope to see many of you at the Breakfast with Champions event on May 9th hosted by the King County Bar Foundation. Our KCBF President Scott Collins wrote about it so eloquently last month; if you haven’t read his column, please do. He covers in great detail why the event is important to our legal community. It will be a fantastic breakfast with philanthropist and former Seattle Seahawk Doug Baldwin. The event is almost sold out, so I hope you were able to snag your ticket!
May 1st is Law Day, which celebrates the principles of government under law. Law Day was first introduced by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1958, and it was designated by Congress in 1961.Today, many countries observe Law Day. The day is celebrated by bar associations, courthouses, and others associated with the legal profession. And each year, a theme spotlights a specific issue.
This year’s theme is “Cornerstones of Democracy: Civics, Civility, and Collaboration” — the same themes that American Bar Association President Deborah Enix-Ross emphasized as she started her term. I had the privilege of hearing her speak just before she was installed during the National Conference of Bar Presidents in Chicago last year. She took office with a focus on bringing civility back and has continued earnestly on that mission, which this year’s Law Day reflects. Many would agree that civility is desperately needed in our divided country.
In service of that theme, this year, KCBA plans to engage in conversations regarding civility in our communities. In the future, we hope to create pro bono opportunities for our members as these conversations will be an excellent pathway for micro volunteerism. Our members are the ideal group to educate and inform students, community members, and more on how laws are made and why the rule of law is important. KCBA attorneys can make an incredible impact by promoting civics education in middle and high schools in King County. Stay tuned to learn more about how our attorneys can collaborate with community organizations to promote civics and civility. Hats off to Director of Membership Bridget Schuster for delving deep on the issue!
May 1-5 is Lawyer Well-Being Week. The genesis for Well-Being Week started in 2016 as a joint effort by the American Bar Association Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs and the Association of Professional Responsibility For Lawyers after studies found high rates of depression, anxiety and alcohol abuse among people in the legal profession. Lawyer Well-Being Week and the nonprofit Institute for Well-Being in Law were officially launched in 2020 to put a focus on health and mental well-being in a field that can be high-pressure and stressful.
In a post-Covid world, the necessity for lawyers’ well-being (and of course, the rest of humankind!) is demonstrably essential. We have been through our own struggles during the pandemic on top of the usual lawyerly stresses. I used to think having a hobby was a waste of time. I now believe that all of us, especially lawyers, need a way to alleviate stress. Personally, I became a bird photographer, and it has become much more for me than just a vehicle to destress. Whether it’s a monthly spa day or participation in a sport, or a brand new hobby, I highly recommend you do something just for yourself — something that makes you happy and brings you joy. If you are in a spot where you don’t believe you have the time for yourself, at least take some time during Lawyer Well-Being Week as a starting point.
In other news, on April 20th, 45 lawyers were sworn in at the King County Courthouse. It is such an honor for me to be able to say a few words of wisdom to the group. Growing up, I wanted to be nothing but a lawyer. And now, seeing young lawyers getting admitted brings me immense joy and pride to be in this profession.
At the ceremony, the keynote speaker was Pallavi Wahi, Co-Managing Partner, United States K&L Gates, and Managing Partner of the Seattle office. I am lucky to call her a friend. She is a dynamic and incredibly talented lawyer in our community who inspires everyone she meets. During her speech, she repeatedly emphasized that we should all be kind. Kind to ourselves, to each other, to opposing counsel, in-house counsel — basically everyone. Reputations are built on kindness. She shared that kindness from others is part of the reason for her success. No doubt, Pallavi Wahi is kind to others — I have been lucky enough to be a recipient of it, and so were the newly sworn-in lawyers by receiving her words of wisdom.
A huge thank you to Judge Patrick Oishi, and his team for their tireless effort in organizing yet another successful event.
In organizational news, the Executive Director Search Committee just started to advertise the executive director position. It is a huge milestone in this process. While it has taken some time for the members of the ED Search Committee and the Search organization to get to this point, our sincere hope is to be able to offer the right person the position of executive director by the end of June. No doubt, I will provide an update in next month’s column!
