The Class of ’74

The WSBA celebrates members with 50 years of dedicated service at the Museum of Flight

BY WSBA STAFF

It’s 1974. Richard Nixon has announced his resignation, The Sting is sweeping the Oscars, Happy Days has debuted on American television, and a new class of lawyers has just passed the Washington State Bar Exam. Fifty years later, WSBA President Sunitha Anjilvel addressed those same folks at the 50-year members’ celebration at the Museum of Flight in Seattle.

“We have a number of Bar members admitted in 1974 who have gone on to serve on the bench, and others who have been elected officials,” Anjilvel told the crowd gathered to reconnect and celebrate at the annual luncheon. “Surrounding you are former State Bar Board governors, as well as former staff, including the head of the Bar’s legal department. Still more of you were Bar volunteers, including a fair amount of disciplinary hearing officers. We also have a handful of prosecuting attorneys and public defenders. And let’s not forget our renowned legal professors in the room. I’m in awe of the class of 1974. You are a very service-oriented group and we’re excited to recognize you.”

The WSBA class of ’74 included 191 members who collectively represented nearly 10,000 years of service. Eighty-five of those members were in attendance at the event. Also in attendance were members of the current WSBA Board of Governors, WSBA staff, and Washington Supreme Court Chief Justice Steven González, who began his remarks with a few zingers that drew a mixture of chuckles and groans.

“I promised I’d tell a couple of dad jokes and then stop. I could go on for quite some time—I’ll just tell one more,” González said. “I’m thinking about starting a diet except I have way too much on my plate right now.”

The class of ’74 included more women and people of color than previous classes, González noted, a trend that has continued as the legal profession has diversified over the years. González commented on the work the Supreme Court has accomplished since 2020, when the court called on the legal community to work together on racial justice. He highlighted achievements such as limiting access to juvenile records, modifying rules to limit the role of implicit bias in jury selection, and making the court more accessible to externs of moderate means.

“It’s been an honor to work now on what is the most diverse Supreme Court in the United States,” González said. “Now, perhaps Puerto Rico and Guam have us beat, but among the 50 states we are the most diverse supreme court in the United States. And it’s made a real difference. It’s made a difference not just in the appearance but I think in the substance of the conversations that we have. … There’s a richness to the discussion that wasn’t there when I first joined the court, as the only person of color on the court, 13 years ago. And I’m hopeful that we’ll continue with the recognition of that importance and embrace that as we recruit people into the profession.”

Concluding, González said, “Thank you very much for the service you’ve given to the state of Washington. It’s a privilege to stand here before you.”

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What Happened in 1974?

IN THE NEWS

• President Richard Nixon signs the Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act, establishing a national speed limit of 55 miles per hour.
• The Terracotta Army is discovered by Chinese farmers near Xi’an.
• President Nixon announces his intention to resign from office.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

• The first ever Universal Product Code (UPC) is scanned in Troy, Ohio, for a pack of Wrigley’s chewing gum.

ARTS & CULTURE

• The sitcoms Happy Days and Good Times make their television debut.
• Barbara Streisand has her first number one hit with “The Way We Were.”
• Musical duo Sonny and Cher end their relationship after more than a decade in the spotlight. 
• The Sting sweeps the Oscars with seven awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. 
• Dungeons and Dragons, also known as D&D, is born, later becoming one of the best selling and best known role-playing games in the United States. 

Sports

• The Miami Dolphins win their second consecutive Super Bowl.

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Full List of 50-Year Members

The WSBA class of ’74 included 191 members who collectively represented nearly 10,000 years of service. Here is a list of everyone in that class, including the 85 members who attended the event:

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