The Low Bono Section Formation Committee presented its request to become a new section of the Washington State Bar Association to the WSBA Board of Governors on Thursday, January 23, 2014, at the BOG meeting in Olympia. The presentation was a for a First Reading. The Governors had many questions and a lively discussion was had. Per the normal routine, the vote on the creation of the section is expected to take place at the next BOG meeting, in Seattle, on March 7, 2014.
Mark Baumann is the Chair of the Low Bono Section Formation Committee, and represented the LBSFC at the BOG meeting. Five other LBSFC members attended the BOG meeting, including Ron Mattson, Forrest Carlson, Rachel Rappaport, Mikel Carlson and Celeste Miller.
Mr. Baumann said: “Low bono is about providing reduced fee services to clients of moderate means, and therefore about access to justice. It is also about exploring new ways to deliver legal services and providing a way for the many newer un- and under-employed lawyers to enter the legal services market. Beyond that low bono opens the door to re-thinking how to reduce the cost of litigation, and most importantly, how to improve client counseling and client experiences to improve our justice system. The low bono concept is a new and very exciting development in the law. Currently, there a number of law schools that are promoting low bono projects for their students and new alumni. If the WSBA Board of Governors approves our new section, it will be the first in the nation and a good supplement to the new Limited License Legal Technicians, which is also the first program of its kind in the nation.”
Lawyers interested in information about the section, or interested in mentoring young lawyers opening up low bono practices, may join the free low bono Yahoo Group at:
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/LowBonoWA/members/all
Also, at the meeting, the BOG approved President Patrick Palace’s request to create a new Future of the Practice Committee to explore how to improve and create new ways to deliver legal services. Mark Baumann has been appointed to serve on this committee.