Connect with Peers and Practitioners through WSBA's 29 Sections
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Sections members become part of active professional communities and gain access to an array of exclusive section member benefits. Over 10,000 WSBA members currently belong to one or more of the WSBA’s 29 sections. The section membership year begins Jan. 1.
Member Benefits
In the past year, WSBA Sections have sponsored approximately 70 CLE seminars and hosted multiple professional networking events around the state. Various sections offer a plethora of member benefits, including, but not limited to:
- List serve communities
- Newsletters, reports, deskbooks, and sourcebooks
- Free and discounted CLEs
- Opportunities to engage in the Washington state legislative process
...and more! Join a Section Today!
Interested in Section Leadership?
Each section is led by a group of volunteers who are elected to serve on the executive committee. Many find leading a section to be a rewarding experience because of the leadership growth, professional development, firsthand experience with the legislative process, and collegiality it offers. Executive committee discussions are productive and challenging, offering a unique opportunity to work with other legal professionals in a goal-oriented setting that benefits WSBA members and the greater legal community.
Executive committee terms begin Oct. 1, 2022, and sections accept applications for the following year in early spring. Consider applying to become a section leader!
For general sections questions, send an email with your Bar number to sections@wsba.org or call 800-945-9722.
WSBA Sections
Dispute Resolution Section
The WSBA Dispute Resolution Section promotes the informed use and best practices for all dispute resolution processes in Washington. Whether mediating, arbitrating or negotiating, every lawyer is a dispute resolution professional. The section is home to many attorneys who are also members of other sections.
The Dispute Resolution Section welcomes and encourages participation of all dispute resolution professionals. You don’t have to be a lawyer or a member of WSBA. This is the community for all dispute resolution professionals: mediators, arbitrators, and lawyers representing and advising their clients.
The Section provides benefits to members by participating in legislative activities that relate to dispute resolution and undertakes projects aimed at increasing the availability and quality of dispute resolution services throughout the state. The Section also maintains a website, which offers an online dispute resolution provider directory, sponsors an annual meeting, and provides other dispute resolution educational programs, including co-sponsorship of the annual Northwest Dispute Resolution Conference.
Annual Report │ Budget │ Bylaws | Year in Review │ Mediation Committee
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What We Do
The Dispute Resolution Section connects professionals with relevant dispute resolution resources and information:
- Educational presentations for both neutrals and advocates
- Unsurpassed networking opportunities with other dispute resolution professionals
- Cost-effective CLE credits in dispute resolution
The Section hosts an interactive, content-driven website www.wsba-adr.org — the online network of dispute resolution professionals. It is the source for relevant, current dispute resolution information in Washington:
- Share information and engage in professional discussions and in the Forum
- Learn about conferences and seminars on the Events page
- Connect with colleagues in Groups focused on specific dispute resolution subjects like Arbitration, Foreclosure Mediation or Land Use
- Create your own individual online profile to market services to potential clients, connect with colleagues and get referrals on the Dispute Resolution Professional Directory
How We Do It
The Dispute Resolution Section has an Executive Committee and five standing committees:
Click on any of the committee group pages above to learn more, see how they can help you in your dispute resolution practice and how you can get involved.
Executive Committee
Chair:
Courtland Shafer
(2022-2024) Vice Chair: Vacant Secretary: Dee Knapp (2022-2023) Treasurer: Vacant Immediate Past Chair: Melvyn Simburg (2022-2024) Board of Governors Liaison*: Jordan Couch (2022-2023) and Nam Nguyen (2022-2023) Young Lawyer Liaison: Kyle Berti (2021-2023) | At-Large Members: Carol Dianne Betts (2020-2023) |
Meetings
The Dispute Resolution Section Executive Committee conducts meetings on the third Friday of each month, beginning at noon and concluding by 1:30 p.m.
Executive Committee meetings are currently being conducted by teleconference only. You may attend virtually by calling 669-900-6833, and using access code 8824651313#. Please contact committee members for any other details on their upcoming meetings.
To learn more about the benefits of section membership, see the Dispute Resolution Section website, contact any member of the Executive Committee or contact membership@wsba-adr.org.
Join Our List Serve
The ADR Section list serve is a great way to connect with your fellow dispute resolution professionals. Members on the list serve are now able to post directly to the list serve. In order to foster a welcoming and productive environment, the ADR Section Executive Committee has adopted general list serve guidelines and section-specific list serve guidelines. To join the section list serve and for general section questions, please send your email address and Bar number to sections@wsba.org.
