Bar in Brief > When ‘Racing’ Makes All the Difference

Keeping the Lines of Communication Open

COLUMN > A Note From the WSBA Executive Director

BY TERRA NEVITT

During licensing season here at the state Bar, we get many—many—questions. Our admissions team aims to be highly responsive, even with unusual requests and circumstances. This past March, however, they were going round and round with a person who was becoming increasingly heated about his 2024 license renewal. “I’m 100 percent certain that I’m the only [full name] in your system,” he wrote at one point, with the subtext: Why can’t you locate my information, you dolts?!

Finally, a breakthrough when an intrepid admissions colleague reached out to have a conversation and, after a few incongruous responses, a lightbulb went off: “Are you aware that you’re contacting the Washington State Bar Association, which licenses attorneys?”

“No,” he said, sheepishly. He was, in fact, looking for wsbaracing.org—not wsba.org—to renew his license with the Washington State Bicycling Association. He apologized and laughed, closing with: “‘Racing’ makes all the difference!”

Humorous, yes, but also a microcosm of a much larger challenge that has been top of mind lately: In an era when people are bombarded by electronic messages,¹1 Marketing experts estimated that most Americans in 2017 were exposed to about 4,000 to 10,000 ads each day. www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2017/08/25/finding-brand-success-in-the-digital-world/. much of it registers as noise, and a personal connection is often critical to clear any logjam of misunderstanding. 

At the WSBA we think about this communication philosophy a lot. It is essential that we have communication systems to disseminate information to our 40,000-plus members (you are, in fact, holding the state Bar’s most longstanding communication channel). We employ print and online channels, email, social and traditional media, web broadcasts, list serves, and blogs. But at the end of the day, it’s often the most low-tech of all our efforts—direct interactions and relationship-building—that convey information most effectively. 

A recent example is our communication efforts about the Washington Supreme Court’s Bar Licensure Task Force, a three-year study process that resulted in the court’s adoption of alternatives to the bar exam to demonstrate competency for lawyer licensing. It’s a big, historic shift, and we’ve leveraged all our communication channels to engage you: A full Bar News issue devoted to the topic (see the November 2023 issue), a dedicated inbox and listening session for feedback, targeted messages to various list serves, updates at Board meetings, FAQs, press releases, and even a Seattle Times’ editorial board piece.²2 “New alternatives to WA bar exam level the field for law licensing,” April 1, 2024, www.seattletimes.com/opinion/editorials/new-alternatives-to-wa-bar-exam-level-the-field-for-law-licensing/. 

And yet! It has been through directly interacting with many of you that I have realized, once again, how personal this type of change can be for each of us. That was the case for a lawyer who was deeply moved by his experience of “the inherent injustice in the licensing process” more than 50 years ago. He sent his heartfelt thanks for the new alternative licensure pathways on behalf and in honor of a classmate, a now-deceased judge with a stellar legacy, who was disproportionately and adversely impacted by the bar exam. 

It has been through directly interacting with members that I have realized, once again, how society’s firehose of ubiquitous information can, ironically, cause more chaos in distribution, like the children’s game of telephone where the message keeps getting transmitted with less and less fidelity. That was the case for multiple members who came to WSBA forums and events with significant concerns about what they believed to be the total abolishment of any form of meaningful competency demonstration in the licensing process. It was also the case for one 3L ready to rush out and self-start on one of the experiential alternatives to the bar exam, which are so far only approved in concept!

And it has been through directly interacting with members that I have realized, once again …  “‘racing’ makes all the difference.” There are frustrations and nuances and perspectives and history and information glitches that are unique to each of us in every situation. When we connect and share our experiences, we move beyond communication to understanding. As a bonus, it’s fun and meaningful to form these relationships, and it helps me to become a better leader and human.

So here is my promise and my invitation. We at the WSBA are going to do our best to keep all lines of communication open. One of my top values as the Bar’s executive director is listening and creating opportunities to listen. When you have a question, please reach out. When you have a concern, please reach out. When you have an idea, please reach out. When you find yourself thinking—all these messages blowing up my legal list serve—they can’t possibly be right?! You got it: Reach out.  

Your engagement and input make a difference. In the previous example about continued misconceptions about the Supreme Court’s alternative pathways to licensure, our Member Engagement Council listened to member feedback and spearheaded a CLE-accredited opportunity for members to directly speak to the task force and court representatives. Look for the recording of that webcast soon at https://wsbacle.org/.  

Ready to reach out? You can always start at questions@wsba.org or 206-443-9722. 

Looking forward to connecting!

. . .

Sidebar

We Are Listening! 

Recent changes and initiatives inspired by member feedback:

• A recommendation (now before the Supreme Court) to eliminate the resident-agent requirement for out-of-state licensees. 
• A work group to study new license statuses beyond “voluntarily resigned” for those who want to give up their active status.
• A standing blurb in the Take Note electronic newsletter pointing members to current WSBA demographics.
• A plan to create an ambassador program to empower members to speak about the importance of the rule of law and the legal profession in their communities. 
• A process to inform members about upcoming agenda items and solicit feedback prior to each Board of Governors meeting. 
• An in-progress video project to explain to members and the public what features are available and how to use the WSBA Legal Directory.

NOTES

1. Marketing experts estimated that most Americans in 2017 were exposed to about 4,000 to 10,000 ads each day. www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2017/08/25/finding-brand-success-in-the-digital-world/. 

2. “New alternatives to WA bar exam level the field for law licensing,” April 1, 2024, www.seattletimes.com/opinion/editorials/new-alternatives-to-wa-bar-exam-level-the-field-for-law-licensing/.