August 16, 2024

Pacifica Attorney Noe Merfeld Graduates from Washington Leadership Institute

The Washington Leadership Institute trains attorneys for future leadership roles in the Washington State Bar Association and the legal profession.

Pacifica is proud to announce that attorney Noe Merfeld will graduate today from the Washington Leadership Institute (WLI), a leadership development program collaboratively administered by the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) and the University of Washington School of Law.

Established in 2004 by the WSBA Board of Governors, the WLI recruits attorneys from traditionally underrepresented communities and trains them for future leadership positions in the WSBA and the legal profession.

An associate in Pacifica’s Litigation Practice Group, Noe began her WLI fellowship in January of this year. The program includes professional development sessions with attorneys, judges, and political leaders; mentorship from WSBA leaders; and collaboration with other fellows on a community service project.

For their service project, Noe’s fellowship class partnered with Seattle Clemency Project on its Second Look Learning Symposium, which brought together stakeholders in the criminal legal system to strategize and enhance implementation of Prosecutor Initiated Resentencing (PIR). Under a new law passed in 2020 (SB 6164), PIR allows resentencing if an individual’s original sentence no longer serves the interests of justice. Noe and her WLI cohort created an overview and history of sentencing reform in Washington, and a PIR toolkit for prosecutors, defense attorneys, and pro se defendants.

All of us at Pacifica congratulate Noe on her graduation from the WLI.

Follow this link to learn more about the WLI.