This November we vote. Or to be more exact, many of us already voted—as early as October 18, 2024. I have been putting off writing on this important topic because I feel especially clear this election season about what is important for us as a country, for us as a State, and even for the City of Seattle, where I live and vote. I feel like the stakes are so high. The notion that others feel differently than I do and might support someone else for President, for Governor, or for King County Superior Court bench is hard to bear this year. It feels terribly important because these are important decisions. Thinking about the possibility that someone I do not support could win these significant elections is simply hard to fathom. So, I have tried to avoid contemplating a result I disagree with.

Did you know? Members of the New Lawyers Division (NLD) are attorneys that have been practicing for 10 years or less. When an attorney with less than 10 years’ experience joins KCBA they are automatically members of the NLD and eligible to participate in all NLD events. Participation in the NLD is a great way to meet other attorneys, expand your network, give back by participating in charitable events and grow your knowledge at our recurring CLE’s. The NLD also admits student members from statewide law schools and the WSBA Rule 6 Law Clerk program for no membership cost. Presently the NLD has 1550 members and is served by a board of 17 trustees including lay members and student liaisons from the University of Washington and Seattle University law schools. The NLD is the biggest section of the KCBA!

One way to learn how “powerful” or “influential” a person is in King County is to search the person’s name in the Puget Sound Business Journal. When you search the name of Kelly Twiss Noonan, there are too many “hits” to count, as her accomplishments over her 35 years in the law have put her high on the lists of power and influence in our community. In 2022, Kelly was recognized by the PSBJ as one of its “Women of Influence” and, in a separate list, PSBJ named her in its “Power 100” in recognition of her positive influence in our community.

As anyone familiar with our current political climate knows, we are a nation divided, polarized and deeply intransigent. The purpose of this article is not to address the merits of either position or discuss politics. That is for another article written for another day, and probably better done by someone more qualified. The purpose of mentioning this idea of a divided and polarized electorate is to compare it to how we operate when attempting to mediate. How do we expect to resolve a dispute if the opposing sides are unwilling to see the other’s point of view? How do we find compromise when to do so would mean you must ignore what you so deeply believe is right and just? Is it any different for legislators from both sides of the aisle who must cross the aisle if they expect to pass a law? In other words, why should we negotiate?

On September 26, former KCBA and KCBF presidents came together for a reception at the home of Scott Smith (a former KCBA president himself).

The King County Bar Association was sad to learn of the passing of former Seattle King County Bar President, Bruce Pym. 

$130M. That was the average damage award across the three mock jury panels we used to test liability and exposure for our client who was the defendant in a wrongful death case.

Generally speaking, there are two ways a case ends up in the Court of Appeals. First, when a superior court enters a final judgment or something like it, that decision is appealable as a matter of right under RAP 2.2.1 Second, under RAP 2.3, the Court of Appeals may accept discretionary review of any other decision that is not appealable as a matter of right.2

We’ve been very fortunate to be part of the dedicated free Neighborhood Legal Clinics volunteer pro bono legal team, provided by the King County Neighborhood Legal Clinics, for over two decades.

The other day an attorney patron came in looking for sample language for a very specific type of employment agreement. Using the form sets in our collection we were able to quickly find sample clauses for that particular situation.