In plain terms, therapeutic courts are specialized court programs that combine accountability, treatment, supervision, incentives, and sanctions for people whose legal cases are tied to substance use, mental health, trauma, homelessness, or related needs. It doesn’t work for every defendant, but when it does, it can change a defendant’s trajectory while improving public safety.
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The ability to do less (recite less law, cite fewer cases with more purpose, and raise fewer arguments) is one of the most under-taught skills in the profession. The three habits below are the ones worth avoiding when editing a brief.
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The risks of mishandling third-party claims run from possible regulatory discipline to potential civil liability for the funds involved. Last year, the WSBA released a very pragmatic advisory opinion—Advisory Opinion 202503—addressing the ethical issues raised in this often-difficult situation.
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This article aims to demystify the discipline process, answer commonly asked questions, and identify resources.
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Christell Casey graduated from the Law Clerk Program in 2014 and became a member of the Bar in 2015. She has been a member of the Law Clerk Board since 2017 and is the current chair.
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Get to know WSBA member Juli E. Farris. Request your own questionnaire at wabarnews@wsba.org.
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As part of the WSBA’s Rule of Law Ambassadors Program and Washington courts’ Lawyers in the Classroom program, more than 350 legal professionals signed up to connect with and visit a classroom on or around Sept. 17, with visits stretching from Spokane to Camano Island, to teach lessons on the Constitution and share their career stories with curious students.
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Newly published research concludes that the very process of reaching a decision can produce confidence that is not warranted by the information. The phenomenon is called predecisional information distortion.
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A conversation with author and lawyer Hillary Behrman, whose short story collection Lake Effect won the Mary McCarthy Prize for Short Fiction.
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Meet the 2026-2027 Washington State Bar Association president.
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The Acknowledging Professional Excellence (APEX) Awards honor exemplary members of the legal community, including legal professionals, judges, and members of the public.
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Ten years in the legal profession has left me with more lessons than I can fit in a single article. What follows is my best attempt to distill them.
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What follows are short summaries of the findings and recommendations from each work group.
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The choice between legal process and scientific truth is not rare. With more and more evidence-based tools at our disposal, it is increasingly routine.
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A Q&A with The Way to Justice Co-Founder and Legal Director Camerina Zorrozua.
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The WSBA celebrates members with 50 years of dedicated service at the Museum of Flight.
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What Washington estate planning and probate practitioners need to know about the significant new revisions to Title 11.
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The authors propose the Washington State Bar Association create a binding Artificial Intelligence Verification Standard under RPC 1.1 built around actual risk.
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Recently, Smucker’s sued Trader Joe’s for trademark infringement, false designation of origin, trademark dilution, and related claims.
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Q&A with three Law Clerk Program tutors
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For some aspiring attorneys, especially those with the responsibilities of raising a family or those facing major life disruptions, dedicated full-time bar exam study simply isn’t possible.
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The proposal for the portfolio evaluation, now under consideration by the Washington Supreme Court, is outlined in this article.
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SB 6081 is a targeted data privacy measure designed to protect individuals from the unauthorized disclosure of sensitive identity information within government databases.
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KCDC’s Community Engagement Program aims to promote civic engagement, build trust, demystify the “black robe,” and meet the community.
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The last few years have witnessed much confusion in the trial courts about whether Washington’s weapons-surrender statute is constitutional.
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For many Washington lawyers, managing a client trust account (IOLTA) is one of the most anxiety-producing aspects of practice.
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It is not unusual for attorneys to use estate planning software or form documents in drafting wills and trusts as part of estate plans they prepare for their clients.
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This shift to homeschooling has created significant legal and policy implications, particularly for families and educators navigating the boundaries between home-based instruction, learning pods, child care centers, and private school regulation.
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The WSBA is now accepting applications for its 2026 Rural Practice Summer Internship Grants. Application deadline is April 13, 2026.
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How Washington pioneered the use of courthouse facility dogs to help victims, witnesses, and vulnerable people throughout the justice process.
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I have found that these cases require creativity, agility, preparation, and grit—the same qualities that a mountaineer may need to scale Mount Rainier or a mountain biker to navigate a black-diamond run.
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Rather than learning about constitutional modalities through the traditional channels of law school, many law students are instead acclimating to the legal profession through video-based digital media platforms.
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In July 2023, Rex Heuermann was arrested and charged with seven murders between 1993 and 2010 in the Gilgo Beach serial killing case in New York. Prosecutors’ evidence against Heuermann involves a type of DNA analysis called whole genome sequencing, or WGS, that is new to the courtroom.
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I quickly realized that golf, tennis, sun, and beaches were not for me. I thought about my bucket list—the things that I had thought would be interesting to do if I just had time. … My mind unavoidably strayed to law.
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It might seem improbable that two women, each the mother of a child catastrophically injured during birth, would not only know each other but become close enough to lean on one another during the most emotionally charged stages of their cases.
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In March 2025, the Internal Revenue Service eased restrictions by issuing an IRS Chief Counsel Memorandum that identified situations in which taxpayers can, once again, deduct losses sustained from theft.
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VCs are military attorneys detailed to provide free legal representation to eligible victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, and sex-related crimes under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).
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Senate Bill (SB) 5686, passed in the 69th Legislature (2025) and signed by the governor, makes significant revisions to Washington’s Foreclosure Mediation Program and has staggered effective dates.
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Displaying leadership through service, five local leaders stand out: Chelsey Butchard, Alejandra Cabrales, Austin Hellman, Eilish Villa Malone, and Lauren Romero.
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Using the Washington Supreme Court’s Access to Justice Technology Principles as a guide, the Task Force developed a set of 10 key recommendations.
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The community of people with Intellectual and developmental disabilities is a diverse group with unique strengths, dreams, and ways of experiencing life. But too often they confront systems and barriers that make basic rights feel out of reach, including access to the legal system.
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The Entity Regulation Pilot is now taking shape: The WSBA and Practice of Law Board are finalizing application procedures, oversight mechanisms, and data protocols to support a closely supervised 10-year test.
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Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, important provisions of the Washington Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act become applicable.
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Melanie Nguyen and Joanne Kalas, former presidents of the Vietnamese American Bar Association of Washington, sat down to discuss families, shared history, and their pathways into the law to mark the 50th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon.
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The demands of a legal career lead many practitioners on a never-ending quest for a healthy balance of life’s priorities.
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Inspired by successful programs for lawyers in other states, Washington Lawyers Assisting Lawyers (WALAL) was created last year as a free and confidential assistance program.
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This article takes a closer look at—and answers some of the (many) questions asked about—the additional pathways to licensure approved in concept by the Washington Supreme Court.
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In the courtroom, where justice is the ultimate goal, deeply ingrained acceptance of many different kinds of people and advocates will lead to a more equitable justice system.
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UW School of Law Professor Jeff Feldman sat down with Judge Morgan Christen of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit for a candid conversation about what makes for helpful and persuasive appellate briefs.
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The Attorney General’s new Cold Case Unit for Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and People embarks on a grim trail for answers.
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The WSBA’s two active soon-to-be centenarians reflect on their prodigious legacies and bright futures
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Washington state courts led the country as early adopters of remote technology but we have not yet adopted statewide rules or statutes allowing its permanent use. Now is the time.
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Thinking about swapping town for country? Take a look at the following 10 statutes practitioners find most relevant to rural practice.
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The U.S. Copyright Office is considering the issue of copyright registration for works co-created by humans and AI.
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Last year, at age 65, I learned a new fact about myself. I’m autistic. It is a fact that explains nearly everything about my life and career.
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The Washington Family Law Deskbook editors share some thoughts on their long careers, how the practice of family law has changed, and more.
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