This month, SGB attorney Elizabeth Hanley was officially sworn in as president-elect of the Washington State Association for Justice at the organization’s annual convention, held from September 20-22 in Vancouver, B.C.

Hanley becomes the third female SGB attorney to hold the position, following Becky Roe and Janet Rice.

Hanley, who first joined WSAJ just out of law school, said she’s always found the organization to be warm and welcoming, and looks forward to serving WSAJ in a new way this year.

“When I was in law school doing informational interviews around town, I heard of many excellent women trial attorneys and this organization, the trial lawyers’ association, came up,” she said in an interview with WSAJ’s publication Trial News. “And so I went to a meeting that was open to law students. Vicky Vreeland and Lorena González were speaking, and I met Angela Macey-Cushman and Patty Willner, and I thought it was the most amazing group of women professionals."

"Throughout my career, WSAJ has always been the place where I knew that I was welcome, that all good ideas were appreciated," Hanley added. "So, I became involved in WSAJ before I even had my license."

Now, Hanley will spend the year shadowing and supporting WSAJ president Colleen Durkin Peterson.

"I think it’s really exciting to have two female Presidents back-to-back," Hanley told Trial News. "And I think Colleen is an exceptional trial attorney and person, so I’m really excited to be supporting her presidency. I think those things can coexist well: learning and supporting at the same time."

Hanley is stepping into her role as WSAJ president-elect on the heels of several professional accomplishments she recently garnered on behalf of her clients, including a significant employment law verdict in a disability discrimination case, another jury verdict in a separate case that was affirmed by the Court of Appeals, and a settlement of a class action against Home Depot benefiting 3,200 Washington workers.

Read the full profile on Elizabeth in September’s Trial News.