In each issue of Bar News, WSBA President Adewale will ask one Washington legal professional, one “Hero of Justice,” to share how they came to practice law.
Steve Horst
Spokane County Public Defender
My journey to becoming an attorney is an adventure the word count won’t facilitate, so I’ll cut to the quick: I left a meeting with my academic advisor as I was working on my master’s in history at Western Washington University and saw a series of posters on the wall. Each poster had a different answer to the posited question of what to do with a history degree. I was already employed in the quintessential liberal arts job—working in a restaurant. Knowing that wasn’t a long-term option for me, I focused on the poster that suggested law school. My goal in attending law school was to practice environmental law; I even managed a concentration in said area. Circumstances steered me elsewhere, however, and I have spent my legal career practicing criminal law.
I started my employment in the legal profession as an intern with the Spokane City Prosecutor’s Office, moved on to the Whatcom County Public Defender’s Office after graduation, and finally landed with the Spokane County Public Defender’s Office. I have been with that office since 2002. Through the years, I have handled misdemeanors, adult felonies, juvenile delinquencies, and even a few dependency cases.
I have long been involved with veterans court (going on 15 years now), and not too long ago, was afforded the opportunity to work in the other misdemeanor therapeutic courts (DUI and mental health). These courts present a unique opportunity to effectuate change—to allow participants a chance to demonstrate they aren’t just some statistic or construct of their criminal history. The journey is rarely a straight line for participants, and ample situations arise requiring presentations on case law, court rules, and therapeutic court best practices. After all these years, it still feels good to support and argue on my client’s behalf.