Page 5 - Pierce County Lawyer - September October 2025

INSIDE THIS ISSUE...
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER PIERCE COUNTY LAWYER By Elizabeth Vincent
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Welcome to all things Fall: falling leaves, falling temperatures, falling expectations...
We leave (leaf?) behind the summer pressure to get out there and enjoy the sun and turn to a
mellower pace, flavored with seasonal fare like pumpkin spice, scary movies and leisurely reading.
Partake in our harvest spread of articles, some thought-provoking and others downright unearthly!
[ PG. 6 ]
Local Bar President Elizabeth Johnson advises us that October is National Depression and Mental Health
Screening Awareness Month, and invites us to take stock of our own mental health. Are we zombies going
through the legal motions, while feeling depleted and disengaged? Liz contends that authenticity is a much
healthier goal than striving for a false image of perfection. She also provides resources for members looking for
support. Which is something we can all use, at one time or another.
[ PG. 8 ] Executive Director Kit Kasner notes that Fall means the Annual Bar Convention is fast
approaching. This year’s festivities are being held at Skamania Lodge in Stevenson, WA from October 10th
12th. She also asks members to consider participating in the Bar’s Lawyer Referral Service, particularly
if you specialize in underrepresented areas, such as Administrative Law and Torts.
[ PG. 11, 24 ] Professor Weaver gives a heartfelt In Memoriam to his friend and colleague Richard
Settle, who taught Land Use, Zoning and Environmental Law at University of Puget Sound Law School.
Attorney James Lopez offers another tribute to Professor Settle in the form of an IRAC analysis of a
baseball pitcher’s duty to call out which infielder should catch a fly ball.
[ PG. 26 ]
Richard Lumley contributes a review of a recent Washington State Supreme Court opinion
addressing non-compete clauses in employee contracts and discusses how the court’s consideration of
the Legislature’s intent to protect low-wage workers informed their interpretation of the relevant statute.
[ PG. 28 ]
Far afield from statutes and legal opinions, Nigel Malden once again scans the mysterious skies above. We’re
talking encounters with unidentified flying objects—West Coast-style. Did you know the first widely-reported
sighting of a UFO was here in Washington State in 1947?
[ PG. 34 ] David Shelvey brings us back down to earth with more pointers for legal practitioners, this time with
managing their e-mail accounts. He also cautions lawyers with hard-won advice about the creative potential of A.I. tools
to make up caselaw and hide unread e-mails.
[ PG. 37 ]
The indefatigable Professor Weaver introduces us to Jacqueline “Jackie” Shepherd, the new Director
of the University of Washington’s Legal Pathway Program. This program guides interested undergraduates
towards various jobs in the legal profession. She is seeking local lawyers’ participation to advise students
in the study and practice of law.
[ PG. 39 ] Interim Tacoma-Pierce County Law Librarian Laurie B. Miller writes about finding another
successor for Stephen Seely, who replaced her in this position in 2022 and has recently moved on to a new
job. She discusses the joys of restocking the shelves with new selections and her ambivalence about leaving
the post once again.
[ PG. 44 ]
One of our local agencies that has taken Ms. Shepherd up on that request is Tacomaprobono, whose article
highlights three interns from the Legal Pathways Program. Their column discusses how each of these interns’
backgrounds contribute to their efforts to “empower their clients.”
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