Legal educator Kiyoko Kamio reflects on how storytelling can bridge the gap between abstract legal principles and lived human experiences, especially in a society where poverty is often overlooked. Drawing from her experiences in Tokyo and inspired by a controversial U.S. Supreme Court case, Kamio wrote Bohemians, a novel that follows marginalized youth in Shibuya and explores meritocracy, inequality, and the emotional power of art in a world that often excludes the poor. By integrating fiction into legal education, she aims to make the law more accessible and empathetic, inviting students into a global, transnational dialogue about justice and voice.

Kevin R. Boully and Thomas M. O’Toole argue that attorneys often assume jurors understand the structure and logic of their case, when in fact jurors may miss key points. Drawing on a study where listeners failed to recognize familiar songs without context, they show how courtroom communication breaks down similarly. The authors offer four strategies to “whisper” structure to jurors during witness examinations. These subtle cues help jurors follow complex testimony and apply the law more effectively.

July 1 marked the beginning of the new KCBA membership year. (If you haven’t already, renew today!) A new year for us means that we are onboarding new leadership in all areas of the bar, including the KCBA Sections. 

Most of us would agree that equality is a virtuous concept. Like beauty, however, it lives in the eyes of the beholder, which makes it highly subjective — and, in the business world, ripe for disagreement.

Barbara Engstrom shares the King County Law Library staff’s summer reading recommendations — ranging from dystopian fiction to philosophical meditations and include an acclaimed novel set in Seattle. There's Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping, a humorous sleuth novel; A Flicker in the Dark, a twisty psychological thriller; Blackout and All Clear, historical sci-fi during the London Blitz; The Every, a satirical take on big tech’s overreach; and Flights, a nonlinear novel exploring transience and identity. Then there's the close-to-home, post-apocalyptic Hollow Kingdom. These eclectic, and electric, suggestions offer inspiration to bookworm yourself into a hammock. 

I should have known, because I read his prior book, Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know, that Adam Grant would have me questioning my assumptions, seeking out challenges, and developing my character traits.

We continued our quest for a second month to answer the question: “Is Seattle teriyaki dying?” We will lead with our conclusion: There are worthy options in and around Seattle, but the focus has moved out from downtown and broadened to include wider menus.

Since 2019, Celeste Miller has served as the Statewide Kinship Care Legal Aid Coordinator — a unique role created and funded by the Washington State Legislature to expand legal support to kinship caregivers. Kinship caregivers are individuals, often relatives like grandparents, who care for children when their parents are unable or unwilling to do so. Most kinship caregivers take on this role outside the formal child welfare system, navigating complex legal issues with limited resources. Here, we learn more about Celeste and her important work on behalf of kinship caregivers.

I hope everyone is on their way to having a wonderful summer. As I write this in the last week of June, we are looking ahead to a few events to close out a banner year for NLD. This is the year we started this Bulletin column to let everyone in on the happenings of our mighty group.

Greetings, and happy summer. I hope you are planning for vacation travels, family time, or simply rest and relaxation. Summer is often a time for optimism as we rejuvenate with some well-earned time off and anticipate a busy fall season.