WSBA provides free and low-cost CLE courses to support onboarding new members into the profession. The following are seminars specifically designed for members who have been admitted for less than five years, regardless of admittance date in another jurisdiction.
Practice Primers
The WSBA Practice Primer takes a substantive area of law and develops a series of learning tracks that build upon one another. Completion of all three learning tracks (usually three sessions within a track) will provide attendees with a solid educational foundation and primer for practice.
Click here for more information.
Trial Advocacy Program
The annual WSBA Trial Advocacy Program (TAP) offers a two-day trial-skills training from seasoned trial lawyers and a one-day mock trial a few weeks later. This seminar is designed to give attorneys working in the criminal or civil arenas the skill to become effective trial lawyers. No trial experience is required to participate.
WSBA New Member Programs offers scholarships for new and young lawyers* to attend the TAP seminar and mock trial for free. More information on the scholarships will be made available when registrations opens for the next program.
*Per the Washington State Bar Association Bylaws, an active lawyer member is considered a young lawyer until Dec. 31 of the year in which the member turns 36 years old or until Dec. 31 of the fifth year after the year in which the member first was admitted to practice as a lawyer in any state, whichever is later.
Click here for past Trial Advocacy Programs available in our CLE Store.
Online Products — New Member Seminars
These products and materials emphasize building a strong foundation in practice management, relationship building, interpersonal communications, work-life balance, ethics, and professionalism.
Financial Focus
Developed in partnership with the Washington Young Lawyers Committee, the Financial Focus CLE program centers on financial topics that are relevant to new practitioners. This program is free to new members.
The most recent Financial Focus program aired on Aug. 16, 2023. The on-demand version of the course is now available for free to new members.
Get Involved!
Interested in helping WSBA develop seminars geared towards new members?
Email us at NewMembers@wsba.org.
