Kitsap County Bar Association

In 1935 attorney Merrill Wallace became the first President of the Kitsap County Bar Association. Many of the traditions established over 75 years ago have continued and maintained their vitality. This historical foundation has given the Kitsap County Bar Association a unique opportunity for professional collegiality.

The Association's major social event is its annual dinner, when new officers and trustees are installed and other members are recognized for their accomplishments. Although the price for the dinner has increased from $3.00 per person, the event is consistently well attended and has produced many memorable moments.

The Association's major public event is Law Day, the first Friday in May. President Eisenhower proclaimed the creation of Law Day in 1958. Since then, our courthouse ceremony has provided an opportunity for the general public and lawyers to participate in a program celebrating our Constitution.

The Bar Association and its members work hard on behalf of our local community. A thriving pro bono practice is now functioning that can trace its roots to the advice clinics held in the 1970s. A local Dispute Resolution Center was created almost entirely through the efforts of county lawyers. The Association has also established a unique scholarship fund for Olympic College students, with the initial fund memorializing Merrill Wallace, our first President.

The vitality, color and life of the Kitsap County Bar Association is preserved in a four volume set of historical records dedicated in 1994. In addition, a Wall of Honor has been established in the Superior Court ceremonial courtroom, providing a pictorial history of our colleagues. Much more than a mere history, these records and photographs represent a sterling tradition of Kitsap County Bar Association professionalism, public service and Bar/Bench good will. This tradition is at the core of the Kitsap County Bar Association's history and its future.