Assists the Court in the administration of Civil Rule CR 39.1 (ADR) by (i) processing attorney applications for certification and inclusion on the court’s register of neutrals, (ii) responding to court requests for ADR-related assistance (such as obtaining pro bono neutrals), and (iii) responding to inquires from the court or prospective neutrals; periodically presents ADR CLE programs (ranging from formal programs to informal “roundtable” discussions attended by one or more Western District judges); and, as the need arises, addresses (through committee mailings, meetings or work groups) ADR developments or emerging ADR issues. For more information about becoming a CR 39.1 neutral, or to view the Court’s register of neutrals, click here.

For more information or to join the committee, contact:

Michele Gammer
ADR Committee Co-Chair
Phone: 425-703-8777
Email: mgammer@microsoft.com

Warren Rheaume
ADR Committee Co-Chair
Phone: 206-757-8265
Email: warrenrheaume.com

Has the primary goals of providing continuing legal education for federal appellate practitioners through free CLEs designed specifically for those practitioners; acting as a liaison between the federal appellate bench and members of the FBA-WDWA; enhancing communication between the bench and bar regarding topics such as rule revisions; and providing a source of information for key legal and practice developments, with a focus on Ninth Circuit practice.

For more information or to join the committee, contact:

Kristina Bennard
Appellate Practice Co-Chair
Phone: 206-757-8010
Email: kristinabennard@dwt.com

Micki Brunner
Appellate Practice Co-Chair
Phone: 206-553-5172
Email: micki.brunner@usdoj.gov

Acts as a liaison between the bankruptcy bench and bar. The committee disseminates information regarding rule, statutory, and case law modifications relating to bankruptcy practice; and provides comments to the Bankruptcy Court regarding proposed rule changes. The committee co-sponsors an annual breakfast with bankruptcy practitioners and members of the Bankruptcy Court. It has also published a newsletter summarizing court developments and unpublished opinions. The committee is currently developing projects for continuing interaction between all members of the bankruptcy community.

For more information or to join the committee, contact:

Christine Ford
Bankruptcy Committee Co-Chair
Phone: 253-472-9747
Email: christine@cfordlaw.com

John R. Knapp, Jr.
Bankruptcy Committee Co-Chair
Phone: 206-254-4492
Email: jknapp@cairncross.com
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Works to keep bar members informed regarding procedures in the federal courts. To that end the committee hosts and co-sponsors various CLEs, for which it designs curricula and selects speakers. The committee also assists and supports the substantive law committees of the FBA-WDWA when those committees hold CLEs. Finally, the committee hosts and coordinates the CLE program held every December before the FBA-WDWA’s Annual Dinner.

For more information or to join the committee, contact:

Floyd G. Short
CLE Committee Chair
Phone: 206-373-7381
Email: fshort@SusmanGodfrey.com

Provides input to the courts on issues relating to services offered to attorneys, including technology in the courtroom, technology in the clerk’s office, and courthouse amenities for lawyers; and serves as a liaison between the FBA-WDWA and the Washington State Bar Association.

For more information or to join the committee, contact:

Lish Whitson
Court Services and WSBA Liaison Committee Chair
Phone: 206-626-6000
Email: lish.whitson@whitsonlaw.com

The Criminal Law Committee’s primary goal is to provide continuing legal education and training to criminal law practitioners on trends and topics in the field of federal criminal law and trial practice. The committee’s other goal is to help maintain a competitive yet convivial bar by supporting professionalism, communication and civility among the members of the federal criminal bar.

For more information or to join the committee, contact:

Kristine A. Costello
Criminal Law Committee Co-Chair
Phone: 206-749-5020
Email: kcostello@costellolawfirm.com

Tessa M. Gorman
Criminal Law Committee Co-Chair
Phone: 206-553-7970
Email: tessa.gorman@usdoj.gov

Focuses on the nuts and bolts of practice before the federal courts, as well as the ethical issues practitioners face. The committee has recently sponsored seminars and brown-bag meetings with federal judges on practice tips, published articles on the changes to the disciplinary rules in federal court, and sponsored a seminar on ethical challenges facing general and in-house counsel. The committee is also developing a program for lawyers new to the federal bar.

For more information or to join the committee, contact:

Kate Axtell
Ethics and Practice Committee Co-Chair
Phone: 206-381-0128
Email: katea@schweetlaw.com

Merrilee A. MacLean
Ethics and Practice Committee Co-Chair
Phone: 206-224-8047
Email: mmaclean@karrtuttle.com

Provides input on federal judicial appointment candidates as requested by the court.

For more information or to join the committee, contact:

John S. Congalton
Federal Appointments Committee Co-Chair
Phone: 206-623-8300
Email: JohnCongalton@aol.com

John W. Wolfe
Federal Appointments Committee Co-Chair
Phone: 206-467-9088
Email: jwolfe@wolfeleinbach.com

Addresses issues arising out of patents, copyrights, trademarks and other forms of intellectual property. The committee also addresses the interplay between intellectual property rights and other disciplines, such as antitrust and economic theory.

Click here for links to various online resources, including information relevant to intellectual property issues.

For more information or to join the committee, contact:

Brian Park
Intellectual Property Committee Co-Chair
Phone: 206-903-8711
E-mail: park.brian@dorsey.com

Karl Quackenbush
Intellectual Property Committee Co-Chair
Phone: 206-370-7956
E-mail: kquackenbush@Riddellwilliams.com

Follows changes and proposed changes to the Federal Rules of Civil and Criminal Procedure and Evidence that occur at the national level, develops proposed revisions to the local rules to accommodate those national rule changes, and periodically suggests changes to the local rules to improve practice in this District. The committee works closely with the court’s local rules committee on these projects. The committee also acts as a spokesperson for the FBA-WDWA before the rules committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States.

For more information or to join the committee, contact:

Scott Johnson
Local Rules Committee Co-Chair
Phone: 206-626-6000
Email: scott.johnson@stokeslaw.com

Miles Yanick
Local Rules Committee Co-Chair
Phone: 206-749-0500
Email: myanick@jetcitylaw.com

Recruits new members to the FBA-WDWA by explaining the benefits of membership to potential new members, and by offering a free two-year membership to newly admitted members of the state bar, together with a free CLE on the local rules of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. The committee also approaches practitioners and law firms in the Western District, offering information about the FBA-WDWA and the benefits of membership.

For more information or to join the committee, contact:

Kelly Seaburg
Membership Committee Co-Chair
Phone: 206-370-8903
Email: kelly_seaburg@wawd.uscourts.gov

Darcy Shearer
Membership Committee Co-Chair
Phone: 206-757-8143
Email: darcyshearer@dwt.com

Is primarily responsible for nominating candidates for trustee and officer positions in the FBA-WDWA, and for recommending candidates to serve as Ninth Circuit Lawyer Representatives from the Western District of Washington.

For more information, contact:

Brian Kipnis
Nominations Committee Chair
Phone: 206-553-7970
Email: brian.kipnis@usdoj.gov

Performs several functions to help the court address the concerns of pro se litigants. First, when pro se litigants apply for appointment of counsel, the U.S. District Court refers the case to a screening panel administered by the Pro Bono Committee. The screening panel recommends to the court whether counsel should be appointed, and the court accepts or rejects the panel’s recommendation. If the court agrees to appoint counsel, he or she may be selected from a Pro Bono Panel of volunteer attorneys, also recruited and administered by the Pro Bono Committee, or the request for volunteer counsel is circulated to pro bono coordinators in local law firms and agencies. Once a pro bono attorney has been identified, the appointment process is completed by the court. The Pro Bono Committee works closely with the court and other FBA-WDWA committees to come up with innovative ideas to reduce the number of pro se cases and to assist those who pursue claims in federal court on a pro se basis.

For additional information about the Pro Bono Panel or to join the panel, click here.

For more information or to join the committee, contact:

Brett Purtzer
Pro Bono Committee Co-Chair
Phone: 253-272-2157
Email: brett@hesterlawgroup.com

Judith H. Ramseyer
Pro Bono Committee Co-Chair
Phone: 206-728-6872
Email: judy@ramseyerlaw.com

Maintains and updates the website of the FBA-WDWA, edits and publishes the FBA-WDWA’s newsletter, reports on the activities of the FBA-WDWA, and provides a forum to discuss current legal issues as they arise in this District and in the Ninth Circuit.

For more information, to join the committee, or to submit articles for consideration, contact:

Joanna Plichta Boisen
Website/Communications Committee Co-Chair
Phone: 206-447-5144
Email: PlicJ@foster.com

Christopher Emch
Website/Communications Committee Co-Chair
Phone: 206-447-8904
Email: emchc@foster.com