In September, Sunitha Anjilvel made history. She became the first South Asian woman to serve as president of the WSBA. She also became the first to lead any state bar association in the United States.
“My parents, both doctors, emigrated from India in the late 1950s, and my siblings and I were raised in the U.S. and Canada,” Anjilvel said in a Washington State Bar News interview. “My parents instilled in me the importance and value of service. My career trajectory as an attorney has been diverse in a number of ways, encompassing a variety of jurisdictions and types of practice.”
As the new WSBA president, Anjilvel says the theme of her term will be “building community, consensus, and collaboration within the legal profession.” In the latest issue of Bar News, she lays out a roadmap for her presidency as well as a temperature check on Washington’s legal profession, the Bar, and more.
After learning about our new president, check out another feature in the new issue of Bar News. We have photos and bios of all the governors beginning their terms this year or continuing in governance.
October marks the beginning of the WSBA’s fiscal year, and there’s plenty to keep an eye on. This issue celebrates outstanding achievements by hundreds of Washington legal professionals who reported 50 hours or more of pro-bono service in 2023. See who made the Pro Bono Honor Roll, as well as stats on the hours of service they provided.
Also in this issue, learn what it takes to not only patent new inventions but also to patent inventions developed in outer space. Patent attorney Kate Mead looks at the many challenges orbiting around space-based innovations and inventions. Also, many legal professionals in the U.S. begin and end their careers here, but others start on the legal path abroad and finish here. We have an interview with two international refugees who came to the U.S. to flee danger and pursue new opportunities in the law.
Then read more to learn about an upgrade to the free legal-research tools offered to WSBA members. Delve into an analysis of the ethics of dealing with unrepresented persons. And don’t miss how to avoid ambiguity in transactional documents, disciplinary and other regulatory notices, and more.
