Barbara Harper, M.A. Psychology 1984

At the Oct. 8, 2009 annual conference dinner of the 22nd American Bar Associations National Conference for Lawyer Assistance Programs, Barbara Harper, Director of the Lawyers Services Department for the Washington State Bar Association, was presented with the Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs’ (CoLAP) Distinguished Service Award. This is only the second time in the CoLAP’s 22-year history that it has bestowed this award.

In presenting the award, CoLAP Chair, Judge Robert L. Childer’s shared the following introductory remarks:

“As director of the Lawyer Services Department of the Washington State Bar Association, Barbara oversees the Law Office Management, Professional Responsibility, and the Lawyers’ Assistance Program. She has been with the Washington State Bar since 1987 and is a psychotherapist, state-licensed in both mental health counseling and marriage and family therapy.

“Her background includes serving on the Commission on Lawyers Assistance Programs for three years from 2002 through 2004, the Advisory Commission for a three-year term and as Chair of the Annual CoLAP Conference in both 2003 and 2004. She has also served on the CoLAP Annual Conference Planning Committee for many years, including 2009.

“As the quintessential LAP Director, she has chaired many committees and task forces, including the Director’s Work-Life Balance and the Senior Lawyers Committees. She was also one of the creators of the Directors’ Day over nine years ago. In addition, she has authored articles and presented trainings on LAP-related topics and has traveled the country helping other directors with their programs. Her peer counselor trainings continue to serve as an excellent model for other LAPs to follow.

“For so many years she is the one we have turned to, as she has consistently been ahead of her time and has never failed to be successful at whatever was asked of her. For over twenty-two years, she has been dedicated to lawyer and judges’ assistance work, in addition to her other Lawyer Services responsibilities. During her tenure as Director of the Lawyer Services Department of the Washington State Bar, she has been a leader, an advocate, an educator, an innovator, and a great support system to us all.

“We are fortunate to have our honoree for so many years. Without question, her trail-blazing work will live on long after she has moved on to other challenges.”