Washington

Coco Su helps expand access to justice throughout California

Coco Su has worked with the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s lawyer referral service, SmartLaw, for more than a decade and is now its director. She has been the driving force behind many of its efforts to increase access to justice for underserved communities and low-to-moderate income consumers.

Jun 9, 2025 9:12 AM CDT

Judge who accuses city attorney’s office of lying takes her concerns to the state bar

When Seattle Municipal Judge Pooja Vaddadi first took the bench in 2023, she was assigned to preside over misdemeanor cases, such as driving under the influence and domestic violence charges. But Vaddadi says that the city attorney’s office “immediately” rejected her and had “preconceived notions” of her and her abilities.

Jun 2, 2025 8:56 AM CDT

Supreme Court allows ban on transgender troops to take effect

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the Trump administration to enforce a ban on transgender troops while a legal challenge continues.

May 6, 2025 3:14 PM CDT

Judge who wanted parking discount should be ousted for faking document with colleague’s stamp, ethics board says

A part-time judge in King County, Washington, should be removed from office for using a fraudulent document and the “accoutrements of another judge’s judicial status” in a failed attempt to get a parking discount, according to a judicial ethics commission.

Apr 30, 2025 2:31 PM CDT

Sound Decisions: Meet the retired bankruptcy judge who rules Seattle’s ambient electronic music scene

When federal bankruptcy judge Marc Barreca retired in 2024, he ended both his legal career and his double life. For years, Barreca had been dividing his time, spending weekdays presiding over a courtroom and evenings and weekends in his studio, composing and recording ambient electronic music.

Apr 1, 2025 1:10 AM CDT

Refugee ban can’t be enforced against those who received conditional approval, 9th Circuit says

A federal appeals court on Tuesday allowed the Trump administration to stop approving new refugees for U.S. admission during a legal challenge but said the government can’t keep out refugees who received conditional approval before the resettlement program was halted Jan. 20.

Mar 26, 2025 2:29 PM CDT

BigLaw firm took several pages from ‘Retaliating Employer’s Handbook,’ suit alleges

Updated: A counsel at Davis Wright Tremaine in Seattle has filed a retaliation lawsuit against the law firm and several partners, including one defendant who moved into the plaintiff’s Seattle apartment building—allegedly on the firm’s dime.

Jan 23, 2025 11:11 AM CST

Federal judge will no longer tolerate lawyers’ barbed briefs and ‘expletive-laden phone calls’

A federal judge in Seattle is fed up with "hyperbole and bluster" in a lawsuit alleging that State Farm failed to pay full policy benefits to homeowners after a house fire.

Dec 12, 2024 9:00 AM CST

Pilot project allowing nonlawyer legal providers gets OK in Washington

The Washington Supreme Court has authorized a pilot project that will allow nonlawyer entities to provide legal and law-related services in Washington.

Dec 9, 2024 11:13 AM CST

County can’t prevent chartered deportation flights at airport, 9th Circuit rules

King County in Washington can’t prevent the federal government from using a Seattle-area airport for chartered deportation flights, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at San Francisco ruled last week.

Dec 4, 2024 9:02 AM CST

Who is the real Roger Pearce? Successful lawyer used assumed name for more than 50 years

A successful land use and zoning attorney living in a $1.4 million condo with his wife in Seattle was sentenced last week to two years of probation for making a false statement when he sought to renew his passport.

Nov 25, 2024 2:38 PM CST

Under Pressure: Understanding alcohol addiction in the legal profession

It’s no secret that lawyers have a high rate of problem drinking. According to data from the ABA, “as many as one in five lawyers is a problem drinker—twice the national rate.” These drinkers are able to keep their jobs because they’re considered to be either gray area drinkers or functional alcoholics. The former display early signs of an alcohol use disorder, while the latter appear to be somewhat in control of their drinking.

Nov 25, 2024 8:53 AM CST

What does the future hold for licensed paraprofessionals?

Much has been made of the gigantic access-to-justice gap in this country. One possible way to help bridge the gap is to expand the pool of people eligible to practice law. Of course, that raises age-old concerns about unauthorized practice of law.

Sep 18, 2024 8:49 AM CDT

Nevada green-lights three-pronged plan to licensure

Nevada will move forward on its proposal for a unique three-stage assessment for bar licensure that does not include using the National Conference of Bar Examiners’ new NextGen bar exam—but might include the test being developed by Kaplan Exam Services for the State Bar of California.

Sep 12, 2024 2:24 PM CDT

Nonlawyer entities could provide legal services in Washington in proposed pilot program

Nonlawyer-owned entities would be allowed to deliver legal services in Washington under a pilot program proposed by the Washington State Bar Association and a board created by the Washington Supreme Court.

Sep 11, 2024 2:36 PM CDT