Small Town and Rural Council
The WSBA Small Town and Rural — STAR — Council is committed to strengthen and support the practice of law in the rural communities throughout Washington state. Members of the STAR Council will work to ensure that the practice of law in rural communities is present, growing, and thriving.
Practitioners in rural communities are few and far between. Additionally, many of these practitioners are nearing retirement without a clear plan of succession for their clients, leaving a void of access to legal representation and counsel. The STAR Council members will guide policy and program development, serve as ambassadors between the WSBA and these communities, explore and advocate for creative and innovative solutions, and regularly assess the legal landscape in rural communities to determine if WSBA policy, advocacy, and program development require further resource for sustainability and improvements. To learn more about the STAR Council's purpose, composition, scope of work, and roles, review the STAR Council Charter.
The formation of the STAR Council is the result of work conducted by the Rural Practice Project.
Meet the STAR Council Members
2024-2025Kari Petrasek, Chair Dan Clark, Board of Governors member Mary Rathbone, Board of Governors member Kathryn Burke, Rural Member Philip Hunsucker, Rural Member Merf Ehman, Qualified Legal Service Provider Member Sean King, Gonzaga Law School Member Travis Pietila, University of Washington Law School Member | Rusty McGuire, Rural Member Jesse Lamp, Rural Member Thomas Garvey, Young Lawyer Member Allison Foreman, At-large Member Ashley Cummins, Seattle University Law School Member Matthew Dresden, Board of Governors Liaison Staff Liaison: Julianne Unite, julianneu@wsba.org Staff Support: Chelle Gegax, michelleg@wsba.org |
For questions, please email Council Chair Kari Petrasek or staff liaison Julianne Unite.
Meetings
Next Meeting
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the Washington State Bar Association that a Small Town and Rural Council will have a special meeting to be held on:
Date: Dec. 18, 2024 │ Time: 12:10 p.m. │ Location: Virtual via Zoom │ Meeting ID: 873 3538 6159 │ Passcode: 595209
The purpose of the meeting is for the council to discuss, deliberate, and take potential final action regarding the following agenda items (no final disposition regarding any matter will occur at the meeting except as indicated on this notice).
AGENDA
1) Introductions and Approval of November Meeting Minutes (Gov. Kari Petrasek)
2) WSBA Updates (Gov. Petrasek and Kevin Plachy)
3) State Law School Hubs & Rural Access (Dean Anthony Verona)
4) Project Team Updates
a. Job Fair at Gonzaga
b. Summit Project Team (Kevin Plachy & Merf Ehman)
c. Rural Day of Service (Kathryn Burke, Kevin Plachy)
5) Summit Venue Planning Discussion
6) Legal Lunchbox – April 2025
7) Announcements
8) Next Steps/Conclusion
9) Next Meeting: Jan. 22, 2025
10) Adjournment
Reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities will be provided upon request. Please email julianneu@wsba.org.
Note: Discussion and action may be taken on any item on the agenda. The time and order of agenda items are subject to change at the discretion of the council chair.
Past Meeting Materials & Minutes
