Posts by Oliver Spencer
Swearing In Ceremony
I attended the swearing in ceremony for King County Superior Court Judges Jason Poydras and Matthew York today. This was a great opportunity to see the lighter side of the judiciary branch.
Read MoreDeath With Dignity
Will Congress let Mary Klein decide how to die? Yahoo News Lisa Belkin Mary Klein hopes the government will hurry up and let her die. It’s not that she wants her life to end. To the contrary, she says, she is doing absolutely everything she can to live. That includes surgery to cut the cancer…
Read MoreHousing Recovery
The Housing Recovery Is Leaving Out Most of America Bloomberg Patrick Clark For further evidence of the uneven recovery among U.S. housing markets, how’s this: In the 10 most expensive U.S. metropolitan areas, median home values have increased by 63 percent since 2000, after adjusting for inflation. In the 10 cheapest metros, median values…
Read MoreCelebration for Dean Kellye Testy
I recently attended an event celebrating the achievements of Dean Kellye Testy, the outgoing Dean of the University of Washington School of Law. Everyone in the U.W. School of Law community wishes her well. She has been a terrific Dean.
Read MoreRetirement Dinner
I recently attended a retirement dinner for Carole Grayson, my old boss at University of Washington Student Legal Services, who has also served as the head of the Senior Lawyers Section of the WSBA. I thank Carole for her patience with me as a legal intern, and for the many powerful lessons she imparted to…
Read MoreIncrease In Renters In U.S. Cities
Renters Now Rule Half of U.S. Cities Patrick Clark Thu, Mar 23 2:00 AM PDT Detroit was once known as a city where a working-class family could afford to own a home. Now it’s a city of renters. Just 49 percent of Motor City households were homeowners in 2015, down from 55 percent in 2009…
Read MoreSpoke In U.W. School of Law Small and Solo Practice Class
I spoke again today at University of Washington School of Law in the Small and Solo Practice Class about a variety of topics related to solo and small firm practice. Presenting in this class and hearing from the students and instructors always gives me new ideas about how to improve my practice.
Read MoreMentor-Mentee Reception
I had the privilege of attending the mentor-mentee reception at U.W. Law School again. It was great to meet so many new law students. I always feel like the caliber of law students continues to increase, which makes me hopeful for the future of the legal profession and of the world.
Read MoreNew Rules for Clear Outs
Councilmembers Rob Johnson, Lisa Herbold, Mike O’Brien and Kshama Sawant unveiled legislation today that would revamp the City’s current practice of encampment sweeps, allowing for clear outs after the City fulfils certain conditions. The legislation was developed with the goal of protecting public safety and connecting the unhoused with permanent housing options. Councilmembers intend for…
Read MoreTenants’ Rights Legislation
“Today’s vote is a significant step towards increasing fair access to rental housing,†said Councilmember Lisa Herbold. According to Seattle’s Renting Crisis Report from the Washington Community Action Network, “48% of individuals who pay for rent with Social Security Disability Insurance or Social Security retirement income said that discrimination prevents them from having successful rental…
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