In the vast and intricate world of law, mentorship serves as the essential thread weaving together the experiences, wisdom, and guidance crucial for budding legal professionals. Beyond textbooks and courtroom dramas, mentorship shapes the future of the legal profession by imparting not only legal knowledge but also the nuanced skills and values vital for success. From eager law students to seasoned attorneys, mentorship enriches every step of the legal journey, benefiting mentors and mentees alike.

As summer draws to a close, we start to replace flip flops with sensible, waterproof footwear when we take the dog out for a walk or hustle kids out the door. It’s back to school and back to business. And this year there is some important business that affects us all as we prepare for local, state, and a presidential election. We live in a state where it could not be easier to vote, because we can do it without even leaving our house. We can register to vote online. We receive our personally delivered ballot in the mail, which we can complete at our leisure. And when we are done, we need walk no further than the mailbox where we retrieved our ballot to send it along its way to our County Elections office.

As I create my last article for the Bar Bulletin as the Executive Director of the King County Bar Association, I am reminded of the excitement and genuine gratitude I felt to have been selected to lead the Association. Gratitude is an important element of leadership and an inherent part of Indigenous culture and teachings. I remain grateful to have had this opportunity and for the lessons, both personal and professional. As an Indigenous woman, I understand all things to be interwoven and connected and I will carry the experiences I have had, whether they reflect on successes or the deeply felt, and often painful, outcomes our members and community have experienced.

Only when you shine light through a prism can you see the full spectrum of color hidden in plain light. For when light passes through the prism, the light bends, causing it to disperse in distinct colors that make up the spectrum of light — red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. When you meet Jeffrey Frank, you immediately feel a positive, vibrant energy that emanates easily from him. Whether it’s his warm smile, friendly banter, easy sense of humor, or plain niceness, you feel it immediately and you feel at ease in his presence. Like sunshine on a summer day, his aura touches you with its warmth and calmness.

I am slowly winding down a litigation practice that I began 38 years ago. When complete, I will have transitioned to mediating and arbitrating disputes full time. While I am really looking forward to that moment when I no longer need to prepare for a hearing or a trial, I am enjoying more than ever the few cases I continue to handle and the clients I am honored to represent. I have one particular case that poses significant financial risk to my client and the opposing team of lawyers are skilled and dogged in their pursuit of a result for their clients. At a recent in person hearing, I was introduced to the wife of the lead attorney, who were both from out of State. I was told that after the hearing, they were spending the weekend in the Pacific Northwest to celebrate their wedding anniversary. After the hearing, I was the first to exit the courtroom and again said hello to the lead counsel’s wife. I also waited a few more moments for her husband, my opponent, to emerge from the hearing so that I could wish them both a happy anniversary. After doing so, I went on my way.

I am no fan of doctors, or hospitals; the only thing they’re good for is delivering babies. Everything else — no thanks.

Inspired by the recent survey of the top 50 pizza parlors in the country (the Seattle area got one, Portland two) we decided to go further on the road to check out the pizza offerings at some summer destinations. We will come back to try out the Seattle and Portland winners later.

Imagine having a reliable, low cost, on-demand associate focused squarely on helping you with your legal practice. As a subscriber to the King County Law Library, you essentially have your very own legal associate at the touch of your phone or computer. Need a case from Westlaw, a section from a WSBA Deskbook or an annotated RCW section? We can quickly provide what you need. What about jury verdicts or Keyciting? We’ve got you covered. Do you have a thorny legal issue and are out of ideas? We can make recommendations from our wide array of print and digital resources and suggest customized searches.

Tom Fitzpatrick grew up in Anaconda, Montana, a hard scrabble smelter town, in a blue-collar family. He graduated from the University of Montana with highest honors in 1973. He then went to the University of Chicago Law School, and served as President of the Law Students Association.

“Always Appealing” is a column addressing current issues in appellate practice and recent appellate cases written by the lawyers of Smith Goodfriend, P.S., a Seattle law firm that limits its practice to civil appeals and related trial court motions practice.