WINTER CLE PROGRAM

Please join us for an afternoon of dynamic CLE programming. This year's CLE program will take place at the Lotte Hotel in Seattle, the same venue as the Annual Dinner. CLICK HERE to register for the dinner.

Location:
Lotte Hotel
809 5th Ave, Seattle

Parking:
Parking is available at the hotel and nearby ramps at posted rates.

CLE Credits:
3.5 Credits applied for in Washington
(1.5 General, 1.0 Ethics-Equity, 1.0 Ethics-General)

Attendance:
In Person - Lotte Hotel, Seattle
Remote via Zoom (you will receive the link as we get closer to the date)

AGENDA

1:00pm-2:30pm
Threats to Independence of the Judiciary and Other Democratic Institutions: How the federal and state judiciary has been under attack and how misinformation and disinformation threatens the judiciary, the media, academia and law firms.
(1.0 General CLE applied for in Washington) 

Moderator:
 Judge Robert Lasnik, U.S District Court - Western District of Washington

Panelists:

Judge John C. Coughenour, U.S District Court - Western District of Washington
Chief Justice Debra Stephens, Washington Supreme Court
Professor Kate Starbird, University of Washington Center for an Informed Public
Professor Lisa Manheim, University of Washington Law School
Caesar Kalinowski, Davis Wright Tremaine
Erika Evans, Seattle City Attorney-elect

2:45pm - 3:45pm
The Price of Belonging: What We Give Up to Get In
(1.0 Ethics-Equity credit applied for in Washington) 

Join us for an honest and vulnerable exploration of one Black lawyer's journey through the legal profession, examining the complex dynamics of belonging, identity, and professional survival. This presentation offers candid reflections on the often-invisible costs of navigating the internal negotiations between authenticity and acceptance.

Through personal stories and hard-won insights, we'll explore the weight of representation, the exhaustion of being "the only one," and the difficult choices between fitting in and standing out. This is not just a professional development session, but a vulnerable conversation about what it means to pursue success while wrestling with questions of identity, community, and self-preservation.

Expect an unfiltered look at the price of belonging and the ongoing journey toward finding where you truly belong.

Speaker:
Craig Sims, Shareholder Attorney at Schroeter Goldmark & Bender

4:00pm-5:00pm
Trauma, Impairment, and Recovery
(1.0 Ethics -General credit applied for in Washington) 

This interactive panel including judges will address and encourage participation about challenges of life, trauma, and recovery among lawyers, judges and jurors. The panel will address addiction and other mental health challenges disproportionally faced by lawyers, judges and law students, as well as the lawyer and judicial ethics rules potentially impacted by such issues.  In addition, this panel will address concerns about juror trauma.     

Moderator:
Judge Tiffany M. Cartwright, U.S District Court - Western District of Washington

Panelists:

Judge David Keenan, King County Superior Court
Leslie Hagin, Washington Lawyers Assisting Lawyers

Venue:
Lotte Hotel | 809 5th Ave, Seattle, WA 98104

Schedule:
Reception | 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
Plated Dinner | 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM

Parking:
Valet parking is available at the venue at posted rates. Additional ramp parking is available in several nearby buildings at posted rates.