Page 10 - 2024 March April Magazine

Lincoln Day Banquet
Pierce County
Minority Bar Association Group with Keynote Speaker
By Elizabeth Vincent and David Snell
The Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association celebrated its 116th Annual Lincoln Day Banquet on Friday, February 9, 2024 at the Tacoma Convention Center. The Tacoma-
Pierce County Bar came into being on December 22, 1852, when Pierce County was brought into existence by an act of the Legislature of Oregon Territory. In 1883, 20 members of the local Bar met and organized the first Bar Association in Pierce County. What was originally the Tacoma Bar Association was re-organized as the Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association in the late 1950s.
Over 340 TPCBA members and their guests gathered to celebrate our esteemed colleagues and to herald the changing of the local Bar leadership. After the traditional Social hosted by our local stalwarts, Connelly Law Offices PLLC and Gordon Thomas Honeywell, LLP, attendees gathered for an excellent dinner as current Bar President Heather Swann invoked a moment of silence for the members we have lost since our
last Lincoln Day event: Tim Coogan, Jesse Yarborough, James Furber, Steve Bobman, Bill Griffies, G. Perrin Walker, Dione Hauger, Becky Lamont, John Messina and Judge Robert Peterson.
President Swann then recognized
the dozens of esteemed judges, commissioners, and elected officials from all levels who attended this sold- out event. Next, she introduced the 2024 Keynote Speaker, Chief » Justice Steven C. González, from
the Washington State Supreme
Court. Justice Gonzalez presented the
audience with a thought-provoking
consideration of some of President
Lincoln’s less-admired quotes and socio-political beliefs of the times. These observations challenged the current view of Lincoln as a “progressive”, focusing on his flawed position as a politician navigating turbulent times, although he did manage to accomplish some great things. See Justice González’ speech elsewhere in this issue.
President Swann then introduced the incoming Officers and Trustees for 2024, including our next President, Catherine Case, the President-Elect, Elizabeth Johnson, and Secretary- Treasurer, Desiree Hosannah. Our newly-elected Trustees
were announced: Brad Hashimoto, Jessica Campbell, and Michelle Luna, who are joining Nina Caldwell, Nichole Fisher and Richard Wooster on the Board. She also acknowledged the New & Young Lawyers Section President Patrick Brown, Family Law Section Liaison Hannah Gurewitz, Criminal
Law Section Liaison Amity Bjork, Collaborative Law Liaison Leslie Bottimore, Pierce County Minority Bar Liaison Desiree Hosannah and WA Women Lawyers Liaison Nichole Fisher. Our Law School Liaison is Professor John Weaver and the Tacomaprobono Liaison is Melisa Evangelos.
Superior Court Liaisons are Judges Diana Kiesel, Susan Adams and Presiding Commissioner Philip Thornton. District Court Liaison is Judge Kevin McCann, and Tacoma Municipal Court Liaison is Commissioner Randall Hansen. The Washington State Bar Association Board of Governor for the Sixth District Liaison is Todd Bloom.
President Swann recognized our outgoing officers, » including the end of her own term as 2023–2024 President (now Immediate Past President), and that of President Elect Catherine Case, who has become
our acting President. She
also acknowledged the 2022-2024 Board Members, including Trustees David Snell, Elizabeth Vincent and Nicholas Andrews; Neil Stubbs, President New & Young Lawyers Section, Hannah Gurewitz, 2023 Outgoing Family Law Section President, Leann Paluck, Past President of the Family Law Section and Sarah Richardson, 2023 Immediate Past President.
President Swann then announced this year’s award recipients. They are:
Distinguished Service:
Emilia Hickok [no photo]
« Outstanding Jurist:
Pierce County Superior Court Judge Joseph A. Evans
10 PIERCE COUNTY LAWYER | March/April 2024