M. Margaret McKeown Federal Bar Association upcoming events

AI: Promises and Perils for In-House Counsel (04/07/2026)

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Registration for this event is being handled by Perkins Coie at https://aipromisesandperilsforinhousec.splashthat.com/

Please join us for a panel discussion sponsored by the Federal Bar Association for the Western District of Washington.

In this one-hour CLE program, the Honorable Tiffany Cartwright of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington will moderate a panel of in-house and law firm lawyers—Ryan Bounds (The Boeing Company), Erin Earl (Perkins Coie LLP), and Christopher Suarez (Steptoe LLP)—as they discuss the formulation of company policies on the use of AI, working with outside counsel on AI-related matters, and the ethics, advantages, and potential pitfalls of using AI in legal practice.

A networking reception will follow the presentation.

One (1) CLE credit will be offered for this discussion.

Agenda
Check-in: 3:30PM - 4:00PM PDT
Program: 4:00PM - 5:00PM PDT
Reception: 5:00PM - 6:30PM PDT

Location:
Perkins Coie LLP
1301 2nd Ave., Suite 4200
Seattle, WA 98101

U.S. Supreme Court Certiorari (04/21/2026)

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 22:00:00 GMT

U.S. Supreme Court Certiorari: A Panel Discussion

3pm-4pm | CLE Program - Courtroom 3 on the Fifth Floor
(in-person attendance only)
4pm-5pm | Reception - 6th Floor Conference Room

Following the CLE program, there will be a reception to honor Susan Gelmis, the Ninth Circuit’s Chief Deputy Clerk of Operations, who is retiring in March.

Greg Miller is a Partner at Morrison & Foerster LLP, in both the Complex Litigation and Advisement group, as well as the Appellate and Supreme Court group. He represents companies in complex product liability and commercial litigation in state and federal courts across the United States. Greg has litigated multiple cases in the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as handling appeals in many federal and state appellate courts. Before private practice, Greg clerked for Justice Clarence Thomas at the U.S. Supreme Court, Chief Judge Ed Carnes at the Eleventh Circuit, Justice David Nahmias at the Supreme Court of Georgia, and Amul Thapar in the Eastern District of Kentucky.

Professor Liz Porter teaches and writes in the areas of torts, civil procedure, constitutional law, and federal courts. Her research has been published at journals including the Columbia Law Review, the Cornell Law Review, the NYU Law Review and the Washington Law Review. She has been at the University of Washington since 2010. Prior to that, she served as a law clerk for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg at the U.S. Supreme Court and Judge Sidney R. Thomas at the Ninth Circuit.

James Sigel is a nationally respected appellate litigator and Co-Chair of the Appellate Practice at Davis Wright Tremaine LLP. An expert on constitutional, statutory, and regulatory issues, James has filed well over 100 briefs in various jurisdictions, including the U.S. Supreme Court. He has a wealth of behind-the-scenes knowledge while serving as a law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and for judges on the California Supreme Court, the 9th Circuit, and the D.C. Circuit.

1.0 CLE Credit to be applied for in Washington.

2026 Annual CLE and District Meeting (05/28/2026)

Thu, 28 May 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Chief Judge Estudillo Presents:
WDWA’s 2026 Annual CLE and District Meeting
One Battle After Another – Immigration, Elections and the Courts

Speakers:

Immigration Panel:

Matt Adams, Legal Director, Northwest Immigrants Rights Project
Catherine Ahlin-Halverson, Staff Attorney, ACLU of Minnesota
Jennie Pasquarella, Legal Director, Seattle Clemency Project

Moderated by:
Professor Angélica Cházaro, University of Washington School of Law

Election Panel:

Abha Khanna, Partner, Elias Law Group
Sam Oliker-Friedland, Executive Director, Institute for Responsive Government
Benjamin Plener Cover, Professor, University of Idaho College of Law

Moderated by: Zach Pekelis, Partner, Pacifica Law Group

The program will also include remarks from Chief Judge Estudillo on the state of the District Court, as well as from Chief Judge Alston on the state of the Bankruptcy Court.

Time:
1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
reception to follow

Location:
U.S. District Courthouse
700 Stewart Street
Seattle, WA 98101

CLE credits will be requested through WSBA

Registration prices include all applicable taxes.