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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Judith Berrett WSBA Board of Governors to Meet in Olympia January 22-23(SEATTLE) — The Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) Board of Governors will hold its next meeting on January 22-23 at the Phoenix Inn Suites in Olympia. Third District Governor Loren Etengoff, of Vancouver, will welcome the Board to Olympia. The public meeting will be held on Thursday from 11:15 a.m. to 5 p.m., with lunch from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., and from 2 to 5 p.m. on Friday. On Friday morning, the Board will have its annual private meeting with the Washington State Supreme Court. The Board will welcome members of the local bench and bar at lunch on Thursday. Janet McClanahan Moody, of Tumwater, is president of the Thurston County Bar Association. Jon Tunheim, of Olympia, is president of the Government Lawyers Bar Association. A highlight of the luncheon will be the presentation of two Local Hero Awards – one to Michael Dewitt, of Lacey, and one to Scott Douglas, of Olympia – by WSBA President Mark Johnson. As the Board of Governors travels around the state, these awards are presented to local attorneys who have made noteworthy contributions to their communities. The Greater Access and Assistance Project (GAAP) Committee will present an update on their work. GAAP provides civil legal assistance at a reduced rate to moderate-income clients who fall into the “gap” of not being financially eligible for free legal aid, but have difficulty affording an attorney. The program is currently operating in Snohomish and Spokane counties, and is scheduled to begin soon in Kitsap County. Chair of the Discipline Review Committee Douglas C. Lawrence, of Seattle, will present two recommendations from the Discipline Review Committee and ask the Board to take action. This special committee was formed to review the recommendations made by the American Bar Association (ABA) after the WSBA invited the ABA to examine Washington’s disciplinary system. The Board will consider a request to establish a Council on Public Legal Defense and approve its charter. Since 2005, the WSBA has had a special Committee on Public Defense, co-chaired by Anacortes attorney Jon E. Ostlund and Seattle attorney Marc A. Boman. Chair of the special Planning Ahead Committee, Stephen Crossland, of Cashmere, will present an update of the committee’s work. This committee was created to help solo and small-firm practitioners prepare for potential unanticipated death or disability. The committee has drafted a handbook intended to be a guide to these lawyers in planning ahead for the unexpected. The Board will consider a proposed IOLTA (Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts) comparability rule that would have the effect of requiring banks and credit unions to pay interest on IOLTA accounts that is comparable to market rates. (IOLTA accounts are pooled, interest-bearing trust account for deposit of client funds that are nominal in amount or expected to be held for a short period of time.) The WSBA has worked with the Legal Foundation of Washington to review a draft rule to submit to the Supreme Court for consideration, and the Board will be asked to approve the recommended approach. Ultimately, the draft rule will be submitted to the Washington State Supreme Court for approval. Other matters before the Board include a recommendation from the Amicus Brief Committee, a report from the Program Review Committee, a preview of issues on this year’s legislative agenda from Director of Justice and Diversity Initiatives Gail Stone, a report from Executive Director Paula Littlewood, and an investment update from Deputy Director of Finance and Administration Julie Mass. The meeting will conclude with the Governors’ and Liaisons’ Forums, during which governors and others in attendance may bring non-agenda items to the attention of the Board. About the Washington State Bar Association # # #
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