Page 6 - 2025 May June Magazine

PRESIDENT'S PAGE
In a time when many
attorneys are feeling
uncertainty or even
fear about current
events, the TPCBA
continues to be a
source of strength,
support, and shared
purpose.
6 P I E R C E C O U N T Y Reflecting on the TPCBA Board Retreat:
Inclusion, Vision, and Collective Action
I’ll be the first to admit: I’m not
a big “meetings” person. I’ve sat
through plenty that could’ve been
emails—and maybe a few that could’ve
just been sticky notes. But the recent
Tacoma Pierce-County Bar Association
Board Retreat was different—it was
something extraordinary. It was inspiring,
productive, and collaborative in a way
that reminded me why I love being part
of this Bar Association.
We read and hear a lot about division
right now, and about how judges and
lawyers are being targeted. It’s just one
reason I am grateful to be part of this
Bar Association—an Association that is
not afraid to find common ground and
include everyone as we strive for justice.
In a time when many attorneys are feeling
uncertainty or even fear about current
events, the TPCBA continues to be a
source of strength, support, and shared
purpose.
The retreat was made infinitely more
inclusive and effective thanks to our
facilitator, attorney John Cummings.
With skillful guidance, John helped us
explore our values, goals, and tangible
action steps for the coming year. His
facilitation allowed every voice at the
table to be heard—not just politely, but
meaningfully. He created space for each
board member to contribute to our
shared vision and helped us identify
where our individual goals aligned to
form a stronger collective mission.
John also spent extra time encouraging
those who often go quiet to speak up
and share their voices—and it made all
the difference in uniting us. I learned
so much just watching him coax people
into sharing real talk during the meeting.
He encouraged everyone to contribute
thoughtfully. I feel like I gained new
insight not only about leadership, but also
about how to make space for others—
how to create an environment where
people trust you enough to speak up, and
how to honor those contributions with
care. I’ve said before that I want feedback,
but this retreat helped me realize how to
really encourage it and create room for
honest dialogue.
Over the course of the retreat, we
engaged in open, honest, and often
vulnerable conversations about what the
TPCBA stands for and what we want to
become. Together, we articulated core
values that will guide our work in the
year ahead, including:
• Accountability
• Intra-bar communication
• Connection to community
• Peer support within the TPCBA
• Social engagement and camaraderie
• Uplifting and engaging our new and
young lawyers
• Community service and outreach
• Continuity of operations and
preservation of institutional
knowledge
(And let’s be honest—when it comes to
institutional knowledge, we all know
that title mostly belongs to our fearless
Executive Director, Kit Kasner. If we
could just plug Kit into the cloud, we’d
never need a search bar again.)
Perhaps most importantly, we
reaffirmed our commitment to being a
Bar Association that welcomes everyone
and ensures that every voice has a place
at the table.
It was awe-inspiring to participate in
a meeting that wasn’t just efficient—it
was energizing. I had the opportunity
to connect with the Board on a different
level. Without the pressure of watching
the clock or moving the agenda forward,
I could engage in deeper conversations
and really listen to the hopes, concerns,
and ideas of my colleagues.
There’s a true art to asking people for
their thoughts—positive and negative—
and creating the kind of space where
they feel safe enough to answer honestly.
L A W Y E R | M a y /J u n e 2 0 2 5