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 five years, regardless of admittance date in another jurisdiction.
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 2025 Trial Advocacy Program will be announced in early 2025. 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 2025.
Scholarship recipients must agree to write an article for the WSBA blog, NWSidebar, on their experience participating in the 2025 Trial Advocacy Program before the 2026 Trial Advocacy Program.
Scholarship applicants will be selected by the TAP co-chairs, who will consider the following factors:
- The applicant must be a “young lawyer” as defined by the WSBA Bylaws (Active lawyer members of the Bar will be considered Young Lawyers until the last day of December of the year in which the member attains the age of 36 years or until the last day of December of the fifth year after the year in which such member first was admitted to practice as a lawyer in any state, whichever is later)
- 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 young lawyer until Dec. 31 of the year in which the member turns 36 years old or until Dec. 31 of the fifth year after the year in which the member first was admitted to practice as a lawyer in any state, whichever is later.
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.
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.
Financial Focus
Developed in partnership with the Washington Young Lawyers Committee, the Financial Focus CLE program centers on financial topics that are relevant to new practitioners. This program is free to new members.
Save the date! The 2024 Financial Program will take place on Thursday, Sept. 19. More information and registration will be available soon.
The most recent Financial Focus program aired on Aug. 16, 2023. The on-demand version of the course is now available for free to new members.
Get Involved!
Interested in helping WSBA develop seminars geared towards new members?
Email us at NewMembers@wsba.org.
