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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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How a Moderate Means Attorney Can Provide Low-Cost Help for Employment Legal Issues

Running a small nonprofit law firm that focuses on the access-to-justice gap, it is very helpful to have someone refer and screen clients in need. In the past year, our firm has taken several referrals from the WSBA’s Moderate Means Program (MMP) in housing and family law. These cases have gone very well, and it is with great excitement that we are starting to take referrals in employment law through Moderate Means!

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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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ReportFraud.FTC.gov: New Consumer Fraud-Reporting Tool

On Oct. 22, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) launched ReportFraud.FTC.gov, a new consumer-friendly fraud-reporting portal. Consumers can report anything from government imposter scams to phony weight-loss claims, abusive debt collection, and deceptive auto sales, along with all sorts of unwanted phone calls, text messages, and emails. And the FTC wants to hear about them all! Please help us spread the word and keep Washingtonians safe from scams.

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Subject-Matter Jurisdiction in the Washington Supreme Court: Unsettling the Settled

Subject-matter jurisdiction—the power to decide the merits of a case—was one of the subjects of Ronald Wastewater District v. Olympic View Water & Sewer District, a Washington Supreme Court decision issued on Oct. 15.

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Ghost of Courts Past: The Story behind Washington’s Oldest Courthouse

In the July/August issue of NWLawyer (now Bar News), Andrew Bergh pointed out in his excellent article, “Washington’s Historic Courthouses—Through the Lens: Attorney-Photographer Explores the State,” that the beautiful 1887 courthouse in Columbia County is the oldest working courthouse in the state. While Bergh gave a fascinating glimpse of Washington’s legal history, there is actually much more to the story of Washington’s true oldest courthouse.

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Are You Prepared for a Pandemic?

COVID-19, especially in Washington state, poses a threat on the legal profession and the world. We dive into the current circumstances and look at ways to prepare for pandemic.

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Tales from Uganda: Working With Those Who Protect LGBT Human Rights

Timothy MB Farrell, counsel to MBI Health Services, LLC, shares his pro bono experience protecting women and girls, LGBT people, sex workers, and political activists in Uganda.

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Pro Bono Month Nears End, but Opportunities and Needs Still Abound

The pandemic has changed the landscape for many, businesses closing, individuals facing eviction, and unemployment and disproportionate impacts on communities of color. Legal professionals of all practice areas and license types can help in a variety of ways. In October, the WSBA celebrates Pro Bono Month. Even as the month comes to a close, it’s always a good time to look at ways members of the legal community can help and take action.

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Risk Management by the Numbers – New ABA Study on Malpractice Claims

Approximately every four years since 1985, the American Bar Association has published a “Profile of Legal Malpractice Claims.” Plaintiffs’ personal injury and family law are the most frequent source of claims, according to the latest profile. Although the Profile does not correlate the severity of claims by practice area, the Profile’s “anecdotal observations” section suggests that business and commercial law have traditionally been higher-risk areas on this score.

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WSBA’s New President and Beaucoup Pro Bono in Bar News

Meet Kyle Sciuchetti: the first WSBA president from Vancouver. In the new issue of Washington State Bar News, the newly seated WSBA president introduces himself and his vision for the Bar over the next year. “Having lived most of my life in and around Washington, I see my year of service as WSBA president as […]

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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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7 Virtual Networking Tips for Legal Professionals in the 21st Century

The digital transformation of the legal industry went into overdrive the last few months. With in-person meetings and large gatherings canceled for the foreseeable future, networking virtually has become the norm. While networking virtually has made it easier than ever to reach out to a stranger and connect, virtual interactions can still feel awkward and unnatural.

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After Justice Ginsburg’s Death, How Will a New Justice Be Appointed? How Long Will It Take?

he death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has left the U.S. Supreme Court short-handed as it began its new term on Oct. 5 with only eight justices on the bench. The 87-yea-old was an icon for women’s rights and spent nearly three decades on the bench. But with less than 30 days until the next presidential election, the question remains whether a new Supreme Court nominee will receive a vote before November.

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Washington Supreme Court Delivers Resounding Defense of Indian Child Welfare Act and the Rights of Tribal Nations

Last month, the Washington Supreme Court affirmed core provisions in the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), ensuring that the law’s protections are applied early enough to prevent the unnecessary removal of Native children from their families.

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A Brief Legal History of Washington’s Vote-By-Mail System

For weeks, the national discourse has been embroiled in battles over the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and the upcoming general election. Amidst an ongoing health calamity, people in the U.S. and around the world question how America will pull off a national election not so much from the ballot box but from the mailbox. A Brief Legal History of Washington’s Vote-By-Mail System.

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I Dissent: The Legacy of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Perhaps the most impactful of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s famous dissents came in a case about gender pay inequity in the workplace: Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., 550 U.S. 618 (2007). Plaintiff Lilly Ledbetter began working as a supervisor at the Goodyear Tire plant in Gadsen, Alabama, in 1979. She worked there for 19 years and for most of that time was the only woman manager.

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How to Find a Lawyer Using WSBA’s Legal Directory

Recently, the Washington State Bar Association updated our Legal Directory — a searchable database of every legal professional in the state of Washington—to make it easier to use and with a few expanded features to provide additional information when you’re researching a lawyer. Read on to learn how to use the Legal Directory to find a lawyer and how to access additional resources to get connected with affordable legal help.