As we are in the middle of harvest season and the Festival of Lights, I want to thank the King County Bar community for being partners with our court to improve accessibility to courts, championing the rule of law, and ensuring we work toward a more civil society. The work each of you does — from the mundane to the complex, from explaining court proceedings to your neighbors to zealously advocating your clients’ interests — is noteworthy. It is that passion for the rule of law that makes our society function.

The following are highlights from the KCBA Board of Trustees meeting held Sept. 17, 2025, and convened by KCBA President Sidney Tribe.

November marks a pivotal time for law firms, signaling the final push to meet annual goals and prepare for year-end reviews, audits, and client reporting. Yet amid the flurry of deadlines, the month also offers a meaningful opportunity to pause and reflect with gratitude — whether for dedicated teams, loyal clients, or the progress achieved throughout the year. With Thanksgiving approaching, it’s an ideal time to recognize and celebrate collective efforts across the firm.

Office space in Issaquah available with conference room, Internet, kitchen available for monthly or longer terms. Please call Dana Carrothers at 425-395-7787 or email at dana@carsonnoel.com.

University of Washington Law Professor John Junker died in August, just shy of age 91. He had a deep and long-standing impact on criminal law in Seattle and Washington more broadly, both as a teacher and as an advocate. He was a champion of justice who will be missed.

Marc Lampson revisits the 1981 assassinations of Seattle union organizers Silme Domingo and Gene Viernes and the legal battle that followed. Civil proceedings netted over $20 million in damages and held Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos accountable — the only time a foreign leader has been held liable in a U.S. court for the killing of American citizens. Lampson sheds light on this fascinating piece of legal history.

Imagine a civil lawsuit where the defendant is either a corporation or an individual and is either wealthy or not. Consider all four possibilities: a wealthy corporation, a wealthy individual, a non-wealthy corporation, a non-wealthy individual. If all other case facts against those four defendants are identical, what factors make jurors more likely to find against one type of defendant? And why?

Hear the wild story of the early 1900s Holy Rollers Love Cult and the murder trials of its downfall, as Barbara Engstrom interviews Washington Supreme Court librarian Rob Mead and historian George Edmonston. This Q&A highlights women's agency and vigilantism, and previews a free CLE webcast on the cult and its lasting legal significance.

Whether by design or coincidence, this month we checked out a few local places with Japanese-inspired food (other than sushi — no offense to the wonderful world of sushi).

Over the past 51 years, Neighborhood Legal Clinics has become a staple in the legal aid community in King County. Though the structure of the program and the trends around folks’ legal issues have evolved over time, the earnest dedication of NLC’s volunteer community remains steadfast. On the evening of Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, NLC hosted a trivia night at the KCBA office to recognize, appreciate, and celebrate its volunteers — including volunteers from NLC’s partner clinics.