Get to Know Ann Guinn
Guinn is a law firm practice management consultant and has been a WSBA volunteer for more than 30 years, in various roles including member of the Solo & Small Practice Section Executive Committee and CLE faculty.
Q: Tell us a bit about your career as a legal practice consultant.
A: I began my career as a legal secretary in San Francisco. Following a move to Los Angeles, and more secretarial work, I took a management position at a large firm. These jobs taught me how a law firm works. That background, and a goodly share of common sense, has allowed me to teach attorneys what they didn’t learn in law school about running a law practice for the past three-plus decades (having started when I was in kindergarten!).
Q: You have focused particularly on helping solo and small firm lawyers. What made you choose that path?
A: At some point, I realized that small firms have the same problems as large firms—marketing, hiring, getting paid, client management, etc.—but the attorneys are frequently handling everything themselves, with no management training. I saw attorneys who were working really hard, but not feeling confident about their management skills. They needed guidance, and I could provide that.
Q: Why did you initially start volunteering with the WSBA, and how long have you been a WSBA volunteer?
A: I served on the Executive Committee of a Section of the State Bar of California for five years before moving to Seattle. I missed that work, so I phoned the WSBA and asked if anyone could use my help. I was immediately introduced to the Law Practice Management Section (now the Solo & Small Practice Section), and I just retired after serving 32 years on that Executive Committee.
Q: What do you find most meaningful or rewarding about volunteering with the WSBA?
A: My whole purpose in life is to help attorneys, and my work with the WSBA has allowed me to do that on so many levels—presenting CLEs, writing articles, planning conferences, serving on task forces and committees, and more. Besides the joy of lending a hand or word of encouragement here and there, the friendships I’ve formed have been the greatest reward of all.
Q: What advice would you give to others who are thinking about volunteering with the WSBA?
A: Do it! It’s fun, educational, and life-enriching (not kidding!). There are literally dozens of different volunteer opportunities with the WSBA—and the best part is that you will be working with the amazing staff at the WSBA. And encourage your staff to volunteer, too. I’m not an attorney, yet the WSBA has given me countless ways in which to serve, so all types of experience and skills are welcome.
Q: Did anything surprise you about being a WSBA volunteer?
A: I was surprised at how readily I was accepted as a volunteer, and how much my meager efforts contributed to the overall goals of the WSBA in supporting its members.
Q: In your experience, are there any misconceptions legal professionals have about the role of a WSBA volunteer?
A: Perhaps some may think that WSBA volunteers are just nameless minions doing things WSBA staff can’t do. Wrong! As a volunteer, you are an appreciated and honored member of the bigger team, your help is critical, and you will be sincerely thanked every time you turn around!
It’s like Cheers—everybody knows your name!
Q: Has volunteering with the WSBA led to any new connections?
A: Over the years, I’ve met hundreds of attorneys, and besides being great fun, that has allowed me to become an excellent resource for friends and clients who need to find an attorney in a particular practice area. My “matchmaking” success rate is 100 percent!
Q: Now that you are retiring and stepping away from volunteering with the WSBA, what are your plans for the future?
A: I haven’t fully retired as I’m still working with existing clients, and my volunteering days are not over. I have been invited to serve on two local boards here in Reno, Nevada: the Washoe County Senior Advisory Board and the Renown Patient and Family Advisory Council for our local hospital conglomerate. I’m loving this new work, but I’m also hoping to find a way to get involved in helping educate attorneys on meeting the needs of clients/staff with disabilities, as well as providing support to attorneys with disabilities of their own. As a recently disabled person myself, that is my new passion!
My final words: It has been my great privilege to work on behalf of Washington attorneys for these many years. I hope in some small way I have made a difference.
Hear from Guinn’s colleagues
Many years ago, I had the privilege of serving as the staff liaison to the Solo & Small Practice Section, where I had the opportunity to work with Ann. From the very beginning, Ann distinguished herself as an exceptional partner—warm, innovative, steady, and unwavering in her commitment to the Section year after year. Her dedication has had a lasting impact, not only on the Section’s success but on everyone fortunate enough to work alongside her.
As the WSBA and its sections have evolved over time, Ann consistently offered a clear, grounded voice that kept our work focused on what mattered most: delivering meaningful value to section members. Her leadership, passion, and follow through set a standard that continues to inspire.
I often think of Ann as the kind of volunteer we all aspire to be—generous with her time, wise in her counsel, and wholeheartedly committed to strengthening the WSBA community. Her contributions have been extraordinary, and the respect and gratitude we feel for her are profound.
— Paris Eriksen, WSBA manager of volunteer engagement
By my calculations, when Ann Guinn attended her final Solo & Small Practice Section Executive Committee Retreat this year as an advisor, she had completed 32 years as a member of the EC—and had probably contributed an unmatched amount of time as a non-attorney volunteer in support of the Section and the WSBA that included speaking at CLE programs and serving on planning committees for the annual WSBA Solo and Small Firm Conference. She was well-deserving of the WSBA APEX Lifetime Service Award in 2019. Now that she has retired from her involvement with the Section, her institutional knowledge regarding the Section—not to mention her “eagle eye” attention to details when reviewing draft EC meeting minutes—will be missed. Best wishes to Ann in retirement!
— John Redenbaugh, Advisor to the EC and retired WSBA employee
SIDEBAR > Do You Know an Outstanding WSBA Volunteer? Nominate them to be highlighted in a Volunteer Spotlight in Bar News! Find the nomination form and more at www.wsba.org/connect-serve/volunteer-with-wsba/volunteer-recognition. Nominations are reviewed on a rolling basis.