Business Law Section
The Business Law Section is committed to providing services that its members value, operating in a fiscally responsible manner, and enhancing the professional collegiality among all Washington business lawyers. Section members have access to certain restricted portions of this website, such as the Current Developments and Legislation pages. Members are also entitled to attend section events, participate on the Business Law Section list serve, and receive a semiannual newsletter and other publications prepared from time to time, including a sourcebook containing in-depth comments and legislative history on the Business Corporation Act (RCW 23B) and a report on opinion letter practice in Washington.
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The Business Law Section offers many resources and benefits for members. On this page you will find information about the section, their upcoming events and offerings, as well as information about the section's executive committee.
Upcoming ProgramsMembers-Only ResourcesAnnouncements | Executive CommitteeCommittee ChairsJoin Our List Serve |
Upcoming Programs
Executive Committee Elections
Election season is here! If you’re interested in applying to serve on your section’s executive committee, head over to the Election page to see a list of open positions and how to apply.
If you have any questions, please email sections@wsba.org.
NEW! Webcasts: Business Law Practice Primer
Presented in collaboration with the WSBA Business Law Section
The WSBA Practice Primer consists of a series of three learning tracks that build upon one another, providing a solid educational foundation for practice in a substantive area of law. While designed for new members (and offered at a substantial discount for new members), the Practice Primer may also be of interest to those looking to transition into additional practice areas.
Our 2024 Practice Primer series will cover the practice area of Business Law. The complete series will occur over the course of three months, January through March, with sessions held 9–11:15 a.m. Wednesdays from Optional homework will be assigned between sessions, giving attendees an opportunity to apply the concepts learned and earn extra CLE credit. The topics covered by the three Business Law Practice Primer tracks include Formation Fundamentals, Contract Basics, and Thinking Like a General Counsel.
6.0 CLE credits will be offered for attending the three sessions over each track. Participants will have the opportunity to earn 2.0 Other CLE credit by independently completing two exercises (each accredited at 1.0 Other credit).
New Members who are licensed for less than five years in WA are eligible for the New Member Pricing of $79 per track. Members who do not qualify for the New Member Pricing can benefit from a tuition discount by purchasing all three tracks for $600 and earn up to 22.5 CLE credits.
Track 3: Thinking Like a General Counsel
When: March 13-27, 2024
Credits: 6.00 Law & Legal Procedure
Schedule:
March 13 – Session 1: Ancillary Practice Areas
March 20 – Session 2: Ownership Transfers and Deals
March 27 – Session 3: Protecting the Business from the Expected and the Unexpected
NEW Webinar! How to Read and Understand a Privacy Statement
Register Now!
Developed in partnership with the WSBA Business Law Section
Participants in this seminar will learn (1) when your work requires you to read and understand a privacy statement; (2) key elements of a privacy statement; and (3) how to analyze key provisions of a privacy statement to accomplish your task. We will cover when the RPCs require us to read a privacy statement, how reading a privacy statement can be a valuable skill in other contexts, and what to look for in a privacy statement.
When: March 6, 2024
Time: Noon–1 p.m. PST
Credits:
0.50 Ethics
0.50 Other
Members-only Resources
Announcements
Executive Committee
Chair: Kelly Anne Lawton-Abbott (2023-2024) Chair-Elect: Kelly Anne Lawton-Abbott (2023-2024) Immediate Past Chair: Christina Catzoela (2023-2024) Secretary: Joanna Cleveland (2023-2024) Treasurer: Barbara J. Prowant (2023-2024) | At-Large Members: Anna Otsuka (2023-2024) Young Lawyer Liaison: Vacant (2023-2025) Board of Governors Liaison*: Kevin Fay (2023-2024) |
Section Committees
Communications Committee Co-Chairs: Corporate Act Revision Committee Co-Chairs: Financial Institutions Committee Chair: Legal Opinions Committee Chair: Nonprofit Corporations Committee Chair: Partnerships & LLC Law Committee Co-Chairs: | Privacy & Data Protection Security Law Securities Law Committee Chair: Uniform Commercial Code Committee Co-Chairs: Young Business Lawyers Committee** Chair: |
* Nonvoting members
** Ad hoc committee
All positions are for Fiscal Year 2024, except as otherwise indicated. Please contact subcommittee members for details on their upcoming meeting dates and locations.
Join Our List Serve
To join the section list serve and for general section questions, please send your email address and Bar number to sections@wsba.org. For more information and to get involved with the section, please contact Section Chair.