Get to Know Christell Casey
Christell Casey graduated from the Law Clerk Program in 2014 and became a member of the Bar in 2015. She has been a member of the Law Clerk Board since 2017 and is the current chair.
Q. Tell us a bit about your legal career.
A. I graduated from the Rule 6 Law Clerk Program in 2014, passed the bar in 2015, and was working in personal injury. I joined a family law firm in 2017 and have been doing that ever since.
Q. Why did you initially start volunteering with the WSBA?
A. As a graduate of the Rule 6 program, I was passionate about making sure it was vibrant and remained an option for other people like me who needed an alternative to the traditional law school route.
Q. What are your current volunteer role(s)?
A. I have just completed my ninth year on the Law Clerk Board, serving as its chair for the last year. I regularly volunteer locally for Latinos en Spokane and Mujeres in Action, assisting with family law issues. I also periodically assist with the local legal aid clinic for family law cases.
Q. How long have you been volunteering with the WSBA?
A. Nine years.
Q. What do you find most meaningful or rewarding about volunteering with the WSBA?
A. On the Law Clerk Board, I firmly believe that the Law Clerk Program is uniquely suited to provide low-cost, high-quality legal education to those around our state who cannot move to Spokane or Seattle for law school. They receive quality mentorship and then remain in the communities they already live and work in. This is a vital service. I was grateful to access it myself, and I want to make sure it remains part of access to legal education in Washington.
In my other volunteer roles, the families I see are often in crisis, and everything in their world is in turmoil: their housing, their money, and their kids. Not everyone can afford an attorney to help them navigate their legal issues, especially those in disadvantaged communities. I like helping them gain clarity, develop a plan, and get guidance on next steps so they are less afraid.
Q. Can you share a memorable moment or experience from your time volunteering with the WSBA?
A. Without a traditional law school graduation, most law clerks move on from the program with little opportunity to reflect on their accomplishment or share it with their loved ones. Recently, the Law Clerk Board began holding an annual recognition ceremony for graduates of the program. It is moving to see these graduates and how proud their families are, and to get to share and recognize their accomplishments!
Q. What advice would you give to others who are thinking about volunteering with the WSBA?
A. Just do it! The legal profession is a noble one, and it is up to us to live up to that standard and to maintain it for future generations. We can certainly do that in our practice, but also through the hands-on work at the board level, setting policy and standards, and guiding the profession as it grows and changes. There is an area for everyone to be passionate about and lend their experience.
Q. Has volunteering with the WSBA led to any new connections?
A. Yes, in my nine years, I have met other practitioners from around the state, and I still connect with a few of them regularly. I have met wonderful, smart, talented, and dedicated attorneys. I know I can reach out if I have questions about their practice areas or to recommend attorneys in their area if I need to make a referral.
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.