Welcome
The Whatcom County Bar Association (WCBA) draws its members from the legal community in and around Bellingham, Washington. WCBA exists to promote the administration of justice, to cultivate goodwill among its members and the community, and to support the continuing education goals of its members.
The Bar Association holds meetings the first Wednesday of each month, featuring keynote speakers, CLEs, and historically social events, see the Whatcom County Bar's Facebook page. You can also recieve announcements and the Whatcom County Bar Journal by emailing wcbamembership@gmail.com and ask to be added to our emial list.
Members of the bar association receive the Whatcom County Bar Journal each month, containing meeting news, court information, editorials, feature articles, and advertisements. To find out about joining contact one of the current officers.
WCBA offers Continuing Legal Education seminars developed specifically to meet the needs of the local legal community. Our CLEs are presented at reduced rates to members.
TO REQUEST A LEGAL NOTICE OR ANNOUNCEMENT BE SENT OUT TO OUR EMAIL LIST, PLEASE EMAIL YOUR REQUEST TO WCBAMEMBERSHIP@GMAIL.COM AND COPY OUR CURRENT YEAR'S SECRETARY (EMAIL LISTED BELOW IN THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE PROFILES).
2024 Officers:
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Adam Engst, President Brett McCandlis Brown & Conner, PLLC 200 W. Chestnut St. Bellingham, WA 98225 (360) 714-0900 Aengst@brettlaw.com |
 Ian McCurdy, Vice President Faber Fairchild McCurdy PO Box 5158 Bellingham, WA 98227 (360) 671-6565 Imccurdy@ffmlawfirm.com |
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Caroline Whitener, Secretary Faber Fairchild McCurdy PO Box 5158 Bellingham, WA 98227 (360) 671-6565 Secretary email: WCBAmembership@gmail.com Cwhitener@ffmlawfirm.com |
Jacob Holland, Treasurer Hathaway Holland 3811 Consolidation Avenue Bellingham, WA 98229 (360) 788-4810 Treasurer email: Whatcomcountybar@gmail.com Jacob@hathawayholland.com |
Join our email list:
This option is for non-members who wish to receive our email updates. Members are automatically added to our email distribution list.
Information:
The Whatcom County Bar Association holds lunch meetings quarterly in March, June, September, and December, on the first Wednesday of each month. The meetings are held at the Bellingham Yacht Club, located at 2625 S Harbor Loop Dr, Bellingham. Lunch is included for members and guests. We hold a short business meeting, followed by a speaker presentation or social hour. See the Event Calendar for more information.
WCBA meetings are open to anyone interested in the goings-on of our legal community or a particular presentation or speaker. Non-members please bring $20.00 cash or check to cover lunch.
Social Media
Facebook: Click here to connect to our Facebook Page.
CLE Programs
The Whatcom County Bar Association sponsors 2-3 CLEs per year, for a total of 3-5 CLE hours. See the Event Calendar for more information.
WCBA Bylaws.
The existing articles of incorporation with the bylaws drafted in 1983, and revised in 2013, are posted here. WCBA Bylaws Adopted 12.06.23.pdf
WCBA History.
This information was compiled and updated by Rajeev D. Majumdar on January 1, 2023, with great assistance of many local attorneys, especially from Betsy Brinson, Hugh Lewis, Doug Shepherd, Doug Hyldahl, and Dan Rass. Any errors or omissions are unintentional, and input is welcomed to complete the record.
The WCBA came together in an earlier era, and by the 1960s was going strong as an unincorporated association. Every lawyer practicing in the County was a 'member' and we got together once a month at a restaurant of the President's choosing. There was a picture in the District Court of the 1970 members, all 35 of them men.
The Articles of Incorporation were prepared in May of 1983 and passed at that bar meeting, filed in June of 1983, and signed by local attorneys Doug Shepherd, Kevin Downs and Diane Emmons who also drafted said document.
The Volunteer Presidents thus far recorded with the records we have on hand in 2023:
1981 - Jake Smith
1982 - Dan Rass
1983 - J. Kevin Downs
1984 - L. Diane Emmons
1985 - Dave Anderson
1986 - Mark Boyson
1987 - ?????
1988 - ?????
1989 - ?????
1990 - ?????
(John Erickson, year?)
(Jack Ludwigson, year?)
(Elizabeth Balas, year?)
(Pete Visser, year?)
1991 - Steve Adelstein
1992 - Steve Hager
1993 - Doug Shepherd
1994 - Jim Doran
1995 - Wendy Bohlke
1996 - Hugh Lewis
1997 - Bill Knudsen
1998 - Karlene Weiland
1999 - Timothy Carpenter
2000 - Dick Platte
2001 - Dave Nelson
2002 - Larry Daugert
2003 - Chase Van Gorder
2004 - Laughlin H. Clark
2005 - Elizabeth Li
2006 - Jeffrey A. Lustick
2007 - Tom Fryer
2008 - Steve Chance
2009 - Katti Esp
2010 - Betsy Brinson
2011 - Douglas Robertson
2012 - Deborra Garrett
2013 - Jim Britain
2014 - Paula McCandlis
2015 - Mark Kaiman
2016 - Tom Lyden
2017 - David Brown
2018 - Lisa Saar
2019 - Nick Fay
2020 - Matt Conner
2021 - Phil Buri
2022 - Jennifer Slattery
2023 - Genissa Richardson