Hon. Brian Tollefson Sworn in as President of the Washington State Bar Association │ Sept. 23, 2021
Seattle, WA, Sept. 23, 2021 — Hon. Brian Tollefson (Ret.) was sworn in as President of the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA). Washington Supreme Court Chief Justice Steven González administered the oath of office virtually during the WSBA Board of Governors meeting on Sept. 23.
Following his swearing in, he thanked his friends and family who had joined virtually and in-person for the event. He especially thanked his wife, Linda, for her support and assistance throughout their marriage.
“It’s been a wonderful experience and I’m looking forward to the opportunity and challenge,” he said of his time on the Board of Governors and new position as WSBA President. “The State Bar’s many members have career and life priorities. Finding common ground for the benefit of all our members and the public will be the focus of my time as president.”
As WSBA President, he will oversee the long-range, strategic planning process for the future of the WSBA. His term as president of the Bar runs through September 2022.
He was first elected to the Board of Governors in 2017 and elected by the Board of Governors as president-elect in 2020. He is currently a principal at Black Robe Dispute Resolution Services, PLLC, having previously served on the Pierce County Superior Court bench for over 27 years. Before his judicial career, he was a partner in a Tacoma law firm. He is an emeritus member of the Robert J. Bryan American Inns of Court and has also worked with the National Courts & Sciences Institute.
During his time on the bench, he served on the Superior Court Judges Association (SCJA) Board of Trustees and several SCJA committees. He also served on the Pierce County Superior Court Executive Committee and others, as well as serving as a Presiding Judge.
He graduated from Willamette University College of Law with honors, serving on the Willamette Law Review staff. He earned his Master’s of Judicial Studies from the University of Nevada, Reno, and earned a B.A. in Business Administration from the University of Washington School of Business.
At the Sept. 23 meeting, Chief Justice González also swore in WSBA President-Elect Daniel D. Clark, Treasurer Bryn Peterson, and governors starting new terms: Francis Adewale, Sunitha Anjilvel, Daniel D. Clark, Jordan Couch, Serena Sayani, and Alec Stephens. The Board honored outgoing President Kyle Sciuchetti and Governors Russell Knight, P.J. Grabicki, and Jean Y. Kang.
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.
