WSBA outlines three-year strategic plan, ties work to equity-and-justice goals

The Washington State Bar Association presented a new three-year strategic plan that the board said aligns with the WSBA’s previously adopted equity-and-justice plan and will guide programs through FY2029. Executive Director Taryn Evan highlighted four strategic goals—access to justice, technology, culture of the profession (including inclusion and wellness), and governance transparency—and described early implementation steps and measures of success.

"Adopting a strategic plan is kind of momentous for us...the first one in recent memory," Evan said, noting WSBA will develop objectives, success statements and a staff road map for execution. The DEI council and a Justice Gap scoping work group will develop performance metrics and consult broadly with stakeholders to ensure implementation addresses communities historically underserved in legal services.

DEI leaders and board members described plans to align the WSBA work with the Supreme Court’s equity and access office and the forthcoming civil legal needs study so the bar’s initiatives complement judicial access efforts.

Board members asked for opportunities to comment; the board encouraged questions as programs are presented and previewed a short-term scoping timeline that could include concentrated work sessions to deliver recommendations within months.