Thank you to everyone who attended this year’s New Lawyers Division Spring Soirée! This annual event is an opportunity to network and socialize, as well as to honor our annual Mentor of the Year Award winner. This year there were some truly incredible nominees, including Becki Ashbaugh, Todd Bowers, Jon Jurich, Elena Praggastis, and Catherine Romero, all of whom deserve to be recognized for their contributions to the practice of law and this community. The 2023 KCBA Mentor of the Year Award winner was Chief Justice Steven González. Congratulations!

This month we are paying attention to some establishments that have been around a few years, but we just did not find and review them earlier. All three of this month’s choices show why they survived Covid, and we are glad they did.

The following are highlights from the KCBA Board of Trustees meeting held on March 15, convened by KCBA President Tahmina Watson.

Aloha from King County Superior Court!

On April 20th, the Court hosted the King County Bar Association spring new attorney swearing-in ceremony. It was a wonderful event and well attended by the new admittees to the bar and their supporters. We also had a number of leaders from the bar, leaders from law schools, and judges in attendance. Palavi Wahi, the Managing Partner of the Seattle office and Co-Managing Partner of the United States for the K&L Gates Law Firm, as well as the Chair of the Firmwide Diversity Committee, gave a wonderful keynote address to the new attorneys. King County Superior Court congratulates all the new admittees for their hard work and perseverance!

Dirk attacks an impressive mint chocolate chip cairn. Sea green, like a Vespa Conn owned once, and freckled. Pimply Hercules behind the counter must be scooping this place outta business.

Hanging your own shingle can be daunting. Since I began writing this column, I have not written about an attorney transitioning to or starting a solo practice but would like to announce new solos who have recently made this step. So, please reach out to me if you know of any attorneys in King County who have decided to wear the dual hats of business owner and attorney.

Make sure your next announcement is seen by 7,500 attorneys!

Sexual assault survivors face obstacles to accountability and justice that no other crime victim does. They are more likely to be disbelieved, their experience minimized, their safety and well-being placed secondary to the rights and needs of the person who harmed them.

The following are highlights from the KCBA Board of Trustees meeting held on February 15, convened by KCBA President Tahmina Watson.

Have you ever found yourself late in the afternoon sitting in a conference room when the mediator walks in only to tell you that your latest offer is getting no traction with the other side? You’re still so far apart it feels less and less likely the case will settle. Nothing you’ve communicated to the mediator has moved the needle to a point where you or your client are encouraged to make any big moves. According to the mediator, your opponent believes a jury will believe that your client has testified untruthfully, and his credibility is now a central issue. You respond that any misstatements are minor, inconsequential to liability or the alleged damages. You may even ask the mediator, “so what?” Maybe this is just that one in a hundred case that will go to trial. You’re confident a jury will see these misstatements as you do, a distraction. But to put a painful point on it, the mediator tells you she doesn’t like your chances with a jury. She warns there is risk ahead.