President’s Corner > Stewardship, Innovation, and Our Shared Calling

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BY FRANCIS ADEWALE

“Mobilizing is about getting people to do a thing, and organizing is about getting people to become the kind of people who do what needs to be done.” 

—Hahrie Han, Johns Hopkins political scientist¹1 Duncan Green, “Top Tips From Community Organizing Guru Hahrie Han,” From Poverty to Power, Dec. 2, 2024, available at https://frompoverty.oxfam.org.uk/top-tips-from-community-organizing-guru-hahrie-han/. 

Note: Some sections of this column were written with the assistance of Google Gemini AI.

Lo and behold, this is my last column as your WSBA president. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve and thankful to all our members for their kindness and welcoming hearts. As I pass the baton to my colleague, Kari Petrasek, I want to appeal to you to extend the same arm of fellowship to her as you gave to me. Kari has been a bar leader since her days as trustee and president of the Washington Young Lawyers Division. She cares deeply about bar volunteerism. We frequently refer to her as the quintessential bar volunteer. 

Now, let me tell you about my experience as your president. When I first took the oath as a Washington attorney, our profession operated under a different pace and set of tools. Yet, as I travel across our state this year—from trial courts in King County to sole practitioner offices in Stevens County, from civil legal aid centers in Yakima to corporate boardrooms in Bellevue—one fundamental truth remains constant: the heart of the Washington State Bar Association is not found in rules or administration, but in our collective commitment to justice and public service.

We find ourselves practicing in an era of rapid transition. Modern practice demands that we navigate unprecedented shifts: the integration of generative AI into routine workflows, evolving licensure models, and persistent economic pressures on both small firms and public interest practices.

How we choose to lead through these shifts will define our profession for the next generation. As I stated in my very first presidential column, three key priorities will guide our collective efforts:

1. Adapting to the Tech Landscape Without Sacrificing Integrity

Technology is no longer a peripheral tool; it is reshaping the core mechanics of legal delivery. Generative AI and automated document processing offer tremendous efficiency, but they also bring complex ethical questions surrounding client confidentiality, competence, and duty of candor.

Our responsibility is neither to resist innovation out of habit nor to adopt it without question. The WSBA is actively working to provide practical guidance, ethical frameworks, and low-cost continuing legal education (CLE) resources to help members evaluate emerging tech safely. Harnessing these tools responsibly allows us to reduce overhead and focus on what software cannot replicate: human judgment, empathy, and strategic counsel. Our Legal Technology Task Force Implementation Committee is addressing all these challenges in an effort to assist legal practitioners in Washington toward a better and more adroit use of technology.

2. Bridging the Gap: Access to Justice and Legal Deserts

A justice system that is inaccessible to everyday people risks losing its legitimacy. Across Washington, thousands of community members face eviction, family court disputes, or debt collection without representation. At the same time, many rural areas in central and Eastern Washington are facing a critical shortage of practicing attorneys—creating legal deserts where basic legal services are miles out of reach.

Through partnerships with the Washington Supreme Court, civil legal aid organizations, local bar associations, and law school mentorship pipelines, we are doubling down on initiatives that incentivize practitioners to serve underserved communities. Expanding pro bono participation and supporting flexible practice structures are vital steps toward ensuring equal justice under the law is a reality, not just a promise etched on a courthouse wall. The WSBA Board of Governors has partnered with Washington’s Access to Justice Board to establish the Justice Gap Scoping Work Group. Their findings will be released in the coming months. 

3. Sustaining the Person Behind the License

We cannot serve our clients or our communities effectively if we burn out in the process. The legal profession continues to experience high rates of stress, anxiety, and mental health challenges.

Seeking help is not a sign of weakness; it is a component of professional competence. This is the lesson we learned from the WSBA Well-Being Task Force (read more on page 50). The WSBA Member Wellness Program continues to offer confidential, peer-driven support and mental health resources. I encourage every member to make use of these services, check in on colleagues, and cultivate an environment where personal well-being is valued alongside professional output.

Looking Ahead Together

The law is not static; it is a living framework shaped by those who practice it. Every time you counsel a client, mentor a junior lawyer, or volunteer at a legal clinic, you reinforce the integrity of our legal system. The attack on the rule of law and independence of the judiciary also consumed my time as president. Our state funding of courts is abysmal, and my hope is that the next biennial state budget cycle will lead to a remarkable increase in the funding of the judiciary.

It has been a privilege to serve as your president. As usual, I invite you to share your ideas, engage with your local bar sections, and participate in our upcoming listening tours across the state. Together, we can ensure the Washington legal community remains innovative, inclusive, and steadfast in its commitment to justice. 

NOTE

1. Duncan Green, “Top Tips From Community Organizing Guru Hahrie Han,” From Poverty to Power, Dec. 2, 2024, available at https://frompoverty.oxfam.org.uk/top-tips-from-community-organizing-guru-hahrie-han/. 

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