WSBA provides free and low-cost CLE courses to support onboarding new members into the profession. The following are seminars specifically designed for members who have been admitted for less than ten years, regardless of admittance date in another jurisdiction.
Financial Focus
Developed in partnership with the Washington New Members Committee, the Financial Focus CLE program centers on financial topics that are relevant to new practitioners. This program is free to new members.
Financial Focus: Student Loans and Timekeeping 101 (September 2024)
Financial Focus: The Basic of Client Trust Accounts (August 2023)
Trial Advocacy Program
The annual WSBA Trial Advocacy Program (TAP) offers a two-day trial-skills training from seasoned trial lawyers and a one-day mock trial a few weeks later. This seminar is designed to give attorneys working in the criminal or civil arenas the skill to become effective trial lawyers. No trial experience is required to participate.
The 2026 Trial Advocacy Program will be announced in early 2026. To view past programs, visit the On-Demand section of the WSBA CLE Store.
WSBA New Member Programs offers scholarships for new and young lawyers* to attend the TAP seminar and mock trial for free.
Scholarship information will be made available in early 2026.
Scholarship recipients will have the opportunity to write an article for the WSBA blog, NWSidebar, on their experience participating in the 2026 Trial Advocacy Program before the 2027 Trial Advocacy Program.
Scholarship applicants will be selected by the TAP co-chairs, who will consider the following factors:
- The applicant must be a “new member” as defined by the WSBA Bylaws (Active members of the Washington State Bar will be considered New Members until the last day of December of the tenth year in which such member was first admitted to practice in the State of Washington.)
- Articulated need to develop trial experience and skills for career advancement, and
- Involvement in the greater legal community (through pro bono work, volunteer activity, involvement in state, local or minority bar association, etc.)
*Per the Washington State Bar Association Bylaws, an active lawyer member is considered a new member until Dec. 31 of the tenth year in which such member was first admitted to practice in the State of Washington.
You can view past Trial Advocacy Programs on-demand at the links below. We invite new speakers every year, so each program is unique.
Practice Primers
The WSBA Practice Primer takes a substantive area of law and develops a series of learning tracks that build upon one another. Completion of all three learning tracks (usually three sessions within a track) will provide attendees with a solid educational foundation and primer for practice.
We currently have on-demand Practice Primer seminars covering Employment Law, Business Law, and Estate Planning. The 2026 Criminal law Practice Primer will be announced soon and is scheduled to air this coming January through March.
Online Products — New Member Seminars
These products and materials emphasize building a strong foundation in practice management, relationship building, interpersonal communications, work-life balance, ethics, and professionalism.
Get Involved!
Interested in helping WSBA develop seminars geared towards new members?
Email us at NewMembers@wsba.org.
