The district elections for the Board of Governors are now over, says she-who-managed-the-process with a sigh of relief. Rest assured that every ballot was counted, and no chads were hung. Here’s a little information about our three new governors, plus a reminder about WSBA’s next president, and a heads-up about some key leadership decisions that will be made at the May BOG meeting.
1. James Andrus | District 9
James Andrus, our new District 9 governor, is a corporate lawyer with K&L Gates and lives in Newcastle. He graduated from West Point and the University of Texas School of Law. James has been actively involved in KCBA, WSBA, and the Loren Miller Bar Association, serves as a mentor to lawyers and youth, and is a board member of Pioneer Human Services. In his ballot statement, he remarked, “We enjoy a profession that many of us dreamed about as children. How we address the critical issues facing WSBA will have a lasting impact on our ability to live our dreams.”
2. Phil Brady | District 10
Phil Brady, who persevered through both a regular and run-off election in District 10, has held several positions at the Washington Dept. of Financial Institutions, where he is currently regulatory projects coordinator. He previously served as staff counsel for the Washington State Senate. He noted in his candidate statement that young lawyers and public attorneys, of which he is both, are underrepresented on the BOG. He is a graduate of the University of Oregon, with a J.D. and an M.S. in Conflict and Dispute Resolution, and lives in Tumwater.
3. Brad Furlong | District 2
Brad Furlong, of Mount Vernon, will soon represent the 2nd district on the BOG. Brad is a general practitioner, concentrating on municipal and healthcare law, real estate, and business transactions. He is a member of the Washington Supreme Court Ethics Advisory Committee, the Skagit County Bar Association, and many other groups. In an email to voters, Brad pledged to “help the WSBA be lean and efficient, responsive to lawyers’ challenges and needs, while striving for diversity and access to justice.”
4. Patrick A. Palace | 2013-2014 President
Patrick Palace, of Tacoma, our current president-elect, will be sworn in as WSBA’s president at the Annual Dinner on Sept. 26, 2013. Patrick owns Palace Law Offices, a firm that emphasizes workers’ compensation, civil rights, and personal injury matters. His WSBA involvement includes serving on the WSBA Board of Governors for the Sixth District from 2008–2011, serving as president of the WSBA Young Lawyers Division in 1999, as well as extensive committee and task force work. Patrick received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington in International Business and his law degree from Loyola University of Chicago School of Law.
5. TBD | At-Large Governor and President-elect
At its May 31 meeting, the BOG will choose a president-elect for 2013–14 and fill one of the at-large governor positions on the board.
President-elect. Anthony Gipe, of Seattle, is the only candidate for president-elect. A former at-large BOG member, Anthony was also a founding member of the Washington Leadership Institute Advisory Board and QLaw. He served in the U.S. Navy, received his J.D. from the University of Washington, and is currently of counsel to the Olympic Law Group, PLLC. In his application for president-elect, Anthony states that his “one defining characteristic … is that I try in all things to be a person dedicated to service.”
At-large Governor. The two candidates for the at-large governor position are Jenny Cochrane, of Bellevue, and Karen Denise Wilson, of Mount Vernon.
- Jenny Cochrane, a graduate of the University of Montana School of Law and a member of WSBA’s Judicial Recommendation Committee, writes in her application letter that she hopes to “continue my pursuit of equal justice for all through representation of my bar members on the Board of Governors through my unique perspective as a solo firm practitioner as well as a zealous advocate for those with special needs.”
- Karen Denise Wilson is a public defender, a graduate of the Washington Leadership Institute, and the recipient of a J.D. from Tulane University. In her application letter, she says that “the at-large member position aligns with my purpose and my commitment to service in a way that promotes equality and engenders diversity in the legal community.”
Pam Inglesby. Until recently, Pam was WSBA’s Member and Bar Leader Relations Manager. She coordinated WSBA’s annual awards, BOG elections and committee appointments, among other duties. She is still with the WSBA, in a newly-created Operations position. A Seattle native, she has also lived in New York City, Philadelphia and Santa Barbara, and almost earned a PhD in Communications from the University of Pennsylvania. (That pesky dissertation!) In her spare time she watches, blogs about, and occasionally appears in all kinds of movies. Contact her at pami@wsba.org.
