Posts by Oliver Spencer
King County Bar Association Volunteer Appreciation Reception
I attended the King County Bar Association’s Volunteer Appreciation Reception this evening. Seeing so many legal volunteers working collaboratively to ameliorate societal problems is inspirational.
Read MoreKing County Bar Association Alternative Dispute Resolution Section CLE
I attended a Continuing Legal Education workshop for the King County Bar Association Alternative Dispute Resolution Section this evening regarding using mindfulness and willfulness to cultivate civility in relation to “other”-that which is different from our own experience or frame of reference. The workshop focused on developing and using this skill in the mediation context.
Read MoreSwearing 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 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 and the lowest percentage in more…
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 More