Aloha from King County Superior Court.

On February 9th, the Court celebrated the formal investiture of Judge Taki Flevaris. Judge Flevaris was sworn in by Presiding Judge Patrick Oishi. He was robed by his parents, who traveled from Portland for the event. Chief Justice Steve González of the Washington State Supreme Court gave keynote remarks. Judge Flevaris made remarks and introduced his family and special guests. It was a terrific event formally welcoming Judge Flevaris to King County Superior Court. Judge Flevaris is assigned to our Unified Family Court Department and is really digging into his work. Great to have Judge Flevaris on board!

SEATTLE — Sixth & Lenora Building. One 10 x 9.5 and one 10 x 16 office. Ideal for professionals and attorneys wanting to work in a quiet professional setting in the heart of South Lake Union. Exterior glass offices with Class A improvements and easy access to Amazon amenities. Convenient to I-5 and 99. $1,100 per month (small office) or $1,400 per month (large office) and includes internet, reception area seating, conference, shared storage, and kitchen. Contact Ellen Khan, Breakwater Investment Management. 206.337.7850.

In the February edition of the Bar Bulletin, Mike Goldenkranz (self-described “full-time curmudgeon”) made a compelling appeal to our community to create pathways for young attorneys to pursue low bono law practice.¹ Renting office space in the Puget Sound region is almost out of reach for young attorneys establishing a market-rate practice and virtually impossible for those starting a low bono practice. Add to that the cost of subscribing to Westlaw or Lexis and the other expenses of running a law office and suddenly you realize that maybe the only newbie attorney who will be able to afford to go low bono upon becoming barred is Kim Kardashian.

It is not every year that we have the chance to influence the accountability of the highest court in the United States. In these first months of 2023, KCBA has played a major role in moving the nation forward in demanding that its highest court take steps to protect its integrity.

The family law motions calendar is a grind. Every day, the commissioner faces a huge stack of reading — thousands of pages of declarations, proposed orders, financial statements, and occasionally even some legal briefing. Prior to the pandemic, there could be a dozen cases on the morning calendar, and then a series of afternoon hearings, every day. The pandemic introduced Zoom hearings that capped the number of cases, but the grind persists.

Aloha from King County Superior Court.

February 2023 is a busy and exciting time for the Court, after a whirlwind month of January.

On January 13, we completed physical moves of judges and bailiffs to new courtrooms and courthouses due to new 2023 judicial assignments. On January 17, judges officially began their new assignments and caseloads. Our eight newest judges completed attendance at Washington State Judicial College early this month.

Preeminent lawyer, strategic thinker, passionate advocate, well-respected leader and citizen ambassador, empowering mentor, well-rounded and practical businessman, strong networker, articulate speaker, fun-loving teacher, compassionate friend, community steward, courageous cancer survivor and more. Joel Paget wears a multitude of hats with confidence, flair, and joy! Now an elder in the legal community, Joel has been planting and nurturing seeds within the Washington community and bar for over five decades, creating a rich and diverse legacy. I am blessed to be one his “seedlings.”

On January 13, 2023 KCBA hosted nearly 600 attorneys, judges, students and community leaders who gathered to celebrate Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his teachings. He lived his life in service and in the belief that dedicating one’s life to others would make the world a better place.

Staying in town for mid-winter, we tried a mix of local new openings and re-openings. 

The following are highlights from the KCBA Board of Trustees meeting held on December 14, convened by KCBA President Tahmina Watson.