In addition to holiday parties and gatherings with friends and families, December brings the Winter Solstice. As days become colder and shorter, and nights get longer and darker, I often feel wrapped in contemplation (as well as my warm and cozy blanket). This natural turning point in the seasons serves as a powerful metaphor for optimism in the face of challenges. As the longest night of the year is immediately followed by longer days, we are reminded to look for places in our lives where things are getting brighter. Our bar is no exception.
Last month I witnessed multiple examples of how KCBA and our community have come together to support diversity and inclusivity and to overcome and innovate through pandemic-related challenges that our legal system has endured over the past three-and-a-half years.
Like a bleak winter day, the lack of racial diversity in the legal profession has long cast a shadow over our justice system. Since 1970 the King County Bar Foundation has been working to counter that imbalance by distributing minority law student scholarships. Today, KCBF annually awards $150,000 to law students from Seattle University and the University of Washington.
Last month I was privileged to attend the Minority Law Student Scholar Reception hosted at Stoel Rives. I had the opportunity to meet and chat with many of the recipients. These fantastic future new lawyers are inspiring, not just because of their achievements to date, but also from the energy and enthusiasm they exude about the future. Their vibrant optimism and fresh perspectives will undoubtedly enrich the quality and fairness of our legal system.
In many ways the pandemic has been like an arduous and unending winter, stress testing access to justice. Yet through that experience, our judges and lawyers have persevered and innovated in ways that will endure even as the acute crisis winds down.
I had the honor of participating in KCBA’s Bench-Bar Conference held last month at the Washington Convention Center. The Conference was an opportunity for all jurisdictions of Washington courts to update us on their work in the past years, their outlook toward the future, and the challenges they are anticipating. The good news is that most courts have cleared their backlogs and are at or close to pre-pandemic levels. The bad news is that the King County Superior Court is likely facing significant operational budget cuts that will impact its ability to serve its mission.
During the Conference, a panel of judges and trial attorneys evaluated the advantages and challenges associated with conducting remote trials, a practice that was instituted in King County during the pandemic. The discussions highlighted how remote jury selection can advance racial and social equity by reducing or eliminating common obstacles such as transportation and childcare. Attorney Steve Fogg noted that this method is leading to jury panels which reflect our community more accurately, which is of course the point of the jury system in the first place.
The Conference was also a chance to meet with the newest members of the King County Superior Court Bench: Judges Crisalli, Wilson, Yip, Dixon, and Larranga. They discussed their backgrounds before taking the bench, their courtroom management, the initial challenges they have experienced as judges, and the enthusiasm they bring to their new jobs.
Finally, as many of you are aware, KCBA was a moving force behind this year’s ABA resolution calling for the United States Supreme Court to adopt a binding code of judicial ethics governing its own Justices. I am pleased to report that last month the Supreme Court finally did so. Although the “Code of Conduct” is not everything we had hoped for, Chief Justice John Roberts, Jr. has directed a study of best practices for complying with the code, and KCBA stands by its call to adopt a binding and enforceable code of ethics. This first step, while not the full dawn of accountability we seek, is a promising glimmer that the days of transparency and integrity are getting brighter, even if they haven’t reached their brightest yet.
