WSBA Sections – Page 2 – NWSidebar

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Legal Multitasking: The Advantages of Multiple Section Membership

More than 10,000 WSBA members are also members of the nearly 30 sections spread across the many diverse practice areas of the law. Through sections, these members band together to share knowledge, perfect their skills, and push the boundaries of the legal profession. Just as no single legal professional is limited to one area of law, a number of WSBA members are actually members of multiple sections. Nicholas Pleasants, for example, is one such lawyer. A solo practitioner and owner of Pleasants Law Firm, he participates in three WSBA sections. Read on to find out why he does it and what he gets out of it.

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AG Ferguson: Let’s Address the Unmet Civil Legal Needs of Veterans and Service Members

As attorney general, I invite Washington’s legal community to consider how we all can support veterans and service members throughout the year. My office honors the service and sacrifices of those who have served in our armed forces by working to meet their civil legal needs through our Office of Military & Veterans Legal Assistance (OMVLA). Through the Military Engagement & Directed Advocacy by Lawyers (MEDAL) program, OMVLA facilitates direct representation for military service members and veterans. The MEDAL program receives requests for legal assistance and refers qualified requests to registered volunteer attorneys who can offer assistance with self-selected civil legal issues. OMVLA also coordinates training for volunteer attorneys to acquire the skills they need to address these civil legal needs.

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What You Need to Know About the Washington Nonprofit Corporation Act

Earlier this year, the Washington Legislature adopted, and Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law, an all-new Washington Nonprofit Corporation Act (the “New Act”). The New Act, which will take effect Jan. 1, 2022, is a total replacement for the current Washington Nonprofit Corporation Act, Chapter 24.03 RCW. Washington lawyers who represent nonprofits will likely want […]

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Washington Legislative Recap: 2021 Session Summary for Legal Professionals

On April 25, the Washington State Legislature closed its unprecedented 2021 Regular Session, capping 105 days in Olympia that for the first time was also conducted nearly entirely virtually. Despite a few technical glitches and Zoom missteps, that have become commonplace during pandemic life, the session went surprisingly smoothly and WSBA Legislative Affairs was busy throughout, monitoring hundreds of bills that are of interest to lawyers and other legal professionals.

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What the WSBA is Tracking in Washington’s 2021 Legislative Session

The 2021 session of the Washington State Legislature is certainly like none in the history of the state—but so far things are going smoothly. With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Legislature like many other government bodies is conducting nearly all of its business virtually during the 105-day session. The first day of session was Jan. 11 and it will continue through April 25. Here’s what we’re watching.

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Lessons From Earth to Outer Space: Space Law, Elon Musk, and the Future of Mars

The history of space law can be traced to competition among developed countries that demanded new ground for growing political pretensions.

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Honoring Veterans in Washington State Bar News

Each November we dedicate a day to pause and reflect on our veterans. In the latest issue of Washington State Bar News, we’ve done just that. In recognition of Veterans Day, we’re sharing stories that focus on issues affecting service members, their families, and the legal professionals who make serving veterans their duty. Members of the WSBA Legal Assistance to Military Personnel Section help explain its origins and what its section members do

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Attorney General Bob Ferguson Honors Service Members, Calls for MEDAL Volunteers This Veterans Day

Each year on Veterans Day, we pause to honor those who have served in our armed forces. We should never forget their contributions to our safety, security, and health. Over the past year, service members have been called to the front lines of historic challenges, including management of the COVID-19 pandemic and fighting wildfires threatening communities across our state.

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Tracy Chapman v. Nicki Minaj: Commercial Purposes Can be Fair Use, but Minaj May be ‘Sorry’

Tracy Chapman recently sued Nicki Minaj for copyright infringement, after Minaj sampled part of a Chapman song. Minaj won a partial summary judgement motion on fair use grounds. A win for Nicki Minaj? Not so fast…

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Washington’s New Noncompete Law Shrinks Physician Employment Agreements

This year the state of Washington flipped the regulations for noncompete agreements on their head and, eight months after the new law became effective, the impacts are beginning to take shape. In this article I will describe the significant effects of the new law on noncompetes in physician employment agreements, which I regularly draft and review.

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Delayed Justice: The Attorney Behind the Fight Against State v. Towessnute

The 1916 Washington Supreme Court decision in State v. Towessnute opens with the words, “The prior occupancy of American soil by the Indian tribes did not vest them with sovereignty or any title to the land that was ever recognized by the white race, the Indian being merely an occupant with possessory uses for subsistence, and a favored ward of the Federal government.”
Then it gets worse…

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Eviction Predictions: A Roadmap for Landlord-Tenant Law in Washington

Past experience informs us that the predicted eviction onslaught will more likely be a steady inundation of evictions on the civil dockets. Nonetheless, landlord-tenant practitioners and the courts will be navigating a rapidly evolving area of law. Here’s what you should know.

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A Family Law Perspective on the COVID-19 Crisis

When Washington’s stay-at-home order went into effect March 23, the uncertainty of where my firm, Navigate Law Group, might be when the dust settled weighed heavily on all of us. Similar concerns were felt throughout the legal community, and the ability of firms to embrace technology became a pressing issue.

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Bellevue by Way of China: A Young Lawyer Liaison’s Experience

A conversation with Carol Li, the recently selected New and Young Lawyer Liaison for the WSBA Real Property, Probate and Trust (RPPT) Section.

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Online Dispute Resolution in the Time of Coronavirus

Online dispute resolutions will be a critical component in preventing residential and commercial evictions rather than hashing issues out in court after someone has already been displaced.

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Why is Alyssa Milano Tweeting About the Equal Rights Amendment?

The ERA battle is very much alive in court. To get a handle on the trio of lawsuits surrounding it, you first need to know a little about David Ferriero.