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.
Melissa Haney
Stevens County Public Defender
People often ask me why I became a criminal defense attorney. The truth is, I don’t think there was just one defining moment. Looking back, it feels as though my life was quietly leading me here all along.
I grew up in Goldendale, a small, rural, predominantly white community where I was one of the few children of color. Raised by my white mother, I never had the opportunity to know my Black father. Growing up, I often felt like I didn’t quite fit in, and I learned early that people’s circumstances rarely tell the whole story.
At home, I witnessed the criminal justice system from a deeply personal perspective. Friends and family struggled with addiction, poverty, and incarceration. I watched my home be raided and saw my mother taken to jail. Those experiences were painful, but they also taught me that behind every criminal case is a human being with a story.
Then, at 17 years old, I became a mother. Like my own mother before me, I found myself raising my son on my own. I knew the life I wanted for him had to look different from the one I had experienced. Determined to build a better future, I enrolled in community college in Yakima. That decision changed the course of my life. One class became another, one goal led to the next, and eventually I found my way to law school and the legal profession.
Looking back, there were earlier clues. When I watched courtroom dramas or crime shows as a kid, I almost always found myself rooting for the defense. While everyone else seemed convinced they knew who the “bad guy” was, I wondered whether there was another side to the story. I didn’t know it then, but that instinct—to question assumptions and to make sure every person has someone standing beside them—would eventually become my life’s work.
Today, I practice criminal defense because I know that one mistake, one accusation, or one difficult chapter should not define a person’s entire life. Every client deserves to be heard, treated with dignity, and represented by someone who understands that justice is about more than charges on a page. My experiences have given me empathy, resilience, and a deep respect for the responsibility that comes with defending another human being. It is both my profession and my purpose.