Joseph E. Shorin III Receives WSBA's Local Hero Award | March 7, 2019
OLYMPIA, WA [March 7, 2019] — The Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) has named Joseph E. Shorin III as the most recent recipient of the Local Hero Award, in recognition of his compassion, commitment to helping others, and invaluable mentoring to his colleagues at the Washington Attorney General’s Office (AGO).
The Local Hero Award is given to those who have made noteworthy contributions to their communities. WSBA President Bill Pickett presented the award at a luncheon on Thursday, March 7, at Hotel RL in Olympia, Wash. Shorin was nominated by the Thurston County Bar Association.
In a heartfelt praise of the impact Shorin has had on her life and the lives of many others, Legal Administrative Assistant Hang Nguyen-Le, wrote, “Compassion has driven Joe to become involved with the community and public on a great scale; his work through various pro bono groups, community outreach programs, and dedication to public service through his work with the AGO—all of these have contributed to positively changing the course of many people’s lives.”
Currently division chief with the AGO Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Division, Shorin has been with the AGO since 1990 and had lasting impact on his coworkers, his community, and AGO processes. Shorin was instrumental in the AGO’s work on eDiscovery issues and took his expertise to serve as an advanced discovery trainer for the National Association of Attorneys General. He is a lauded mentor who, as Nguyen-Le described, “insists that others succeed.” He is a frequent speaker at CLEs and has been a supervisor in three different divisions at the AGO where he’s worked on notable cases like the cleanup of the Hanford site and the U.S. v. Washington culverts case.
Shorin also serves as vice president of operations for the Panza Board of Directors, which oversees the Olympia Quixote Village of 30 “tiny houses” that provide a safe and supportive environment for people to transition out of chronic homelessness. He’s helped secure funding for Panza to build additional support communities and led other charitable campaigns, even holding fundraisers from his own home. Shorin has served on local boards such as the Thurston County Volunteer Legal Clinic, the Cooper Point Association, the Thurston County Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, the Olympia Unitarian Universalist Congregation, the Washington State Bar Foundation’s Loan Repayment Assistance Advisory Committee, and the NOVA School.
“In all that Joe does, his concern and empathy for people is evident,” Deputy Attorney General Kristen Mitchell and Senior Assistant Attorney General Laura Watson wrote in a joint statement of support. “Those of us lucky to work with him at the Attorney General’s Office are grateful for his generous spirit and high standards of service.”
About the Washington State Bar Association
The WSBA operates under the delegated authority of the Washington Supreme Court and exercises a governmental function authorized by the Court to license and regulate the state’s nearly 40,000 legal professionals, including lawyers, limited practice officers, and limited license legal technicians. The WSBA both regulates legal professionals under the authority of the Court and serves its members as a professional association — all without public funding. The WSBA administers the Bar admission process, including the bar exam; provides record-keeping and licensing functions; administers the lawyer discipline system; and provides continuing legal education for legal professionals, in addition to numerous other educational and member-service activities. The Bar’s mission is to serve the public and its members, to ensure the integrity of the legal profession, and to champion justice.
