Perkins Coie's Marc Boman to Receive Award of Merit

SEATTLE (September 13, 2006) – Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Seattle Litigation partner Marc Boman has been named the recipient of the Washington State Bar Association's (WSBA) 2006 Award of Merit. First given in 1957, this is the WSBA's highest honor. The Award of Merit is most often given for long-term service to the Bar or the public, although it has also been presented in recognition of a single, extraordinary contribution or project. It is awarded to individuals only—both lawyers and non-lawyers.

"We are pleased that Marc is receiving this prestigious honor from the Bar," said Tom Boeder, chair of the the firm's national Litigation practice. "His commitment to advancing the legal profession is reflected in his service to the Bar as well as the outstanding work he does for our great clients."

Boman is being recognized for his service toward improving public defense in the state of Washington and his career-long commitment to professionalism. Serving as co-chair of the WSBA Blue Ribbon Panel on Criminal Defense, Boman worked tirelessly to achieve systematic, lasting improvements in public defense services statewide. The panel's report was instrumental in passing state legislation, which Boman helped draft, that required state funding for trial-level public defense.

Throughout his career, Boman has been dedicated to serving the legal profession, holding positions with a number of organizations including the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission, as president of the King County Bar Foundation, the King County Bar Association Task Force on Minority Lawyers in the Profession, the WSBA Committee on Public Defense, the Public Defense Executive Committee and chair of the Educational Subcommittee.

"Marc's distinguished work as a litigator at Perkins Coie, his decades of public service, and his pivotal role in investigating public defense in Washington state and in effectively advocating for public defense improvement are a model of consistent dedication to the best traditions of the legal profession," wrote Joanna Moore, director of the Washington State Office of Public Defense in her nomination of Boman.