AUGUST 8, 2022 – Jessica Peyton Roberts and Rose McCarty, both associates in the Seattle office of Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, have been selected by the Washington State Bar Association's Young Lawyers Committee (WYLC) as recipients of the 2022 Public Service and Leadership Award.
The award annually recognizes four lawyers from across the state who have made a meaningful difference through public service. Lawyers that have been admitted to practice for fewer than five years, or are under the age of 36, are eligible.
"Jessica and Rose exemplify our firm's culture of public service," said Pete Johnson, Seattle partner-in-charge at Davis Wright Tremaine. "They're tenacious. They're excellent at identifying systemic challenges that need to be addressed. And they set high goals for doing good. Their dedication to legal excellence and commitment to helping underserved communities has inspired all of us and we're thrilled to see them recognized."
Roberts practices in the firm's business and tax group, assisting clients with financing, M&A, corporate governance, and other complex transactions. A member of the Cherokee Nation, she has developed particular expertise in Indian Law and has helped create and present CLEs on Indian Law topics such as real estate transactions, Indian Child Welfare Act, and Indian boarding schools. Roberts also serves on the Northwest Indian Bar Association's Governing Council and is a board member of the Indian Law Section of the Washington Bar.
Roberts' pro bono work has included assisting with Indian trust and estate issues, conducting research for an Alaska Native policy institute, and advising a Yakama member-owned business on tax matters. Before practicing law, she ran a consulting business centered on helping students and nonprofits develop competitive funding applications. She also served as an academic advisor for the Office of Indian Education in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
McCarty is a member of the firm's litigation practice group, representing diverse clients in commercial disputes. She also serves on the firm's Pro Bono Committee, helping move Davis Wright's nationally recognized pro bono and social impact programs forward. In addition, she co-chairs the Pro Bono Committee of the Federal Bar Association of the Western District of Washington, where she helps recruit attorneys to represent pro se civil litigants in district court.
In her own extensive pro bono practice, McCarty has done significant work helping domestic violence survivors attain protection orders that keep them and their children safe. She also volunteers at a temporary shelter for children entering the foster care system, served on TeamChild's investments and partnerships committee, and ran monthly intake sessions at the New Horizons Youth Shelter as a Center for Children & Youth Justice volunteer.
McCarty is also playing an integral role in Davis Wright litigation to combat voter suppression in Georgia.
"Jessica and Rose prioritize putting their hearts and their exceptional skills to work for our community," said Joanna Plichta Boisen, Davis Wright's chief pro bono and social impact officer. "They represent the very best of our industry's next generation and we couldn't be more proud of them."
This is the second consecutive year that the Young Lawyers Committee has honored a Davis Wright attorney for public service. Last year, intellectual property lawyer Jack Chang received the award.
About Davis Wright Tremaine
Davis Wright Tremaine LLP is an AmLaw 100 law with approximately 600 lawyers representing clients based throughout the United States and around the world. The firm has been widely recognized as a legal industry leader in pro bono, social impact, and DEI. For more information, visit www.dwt.com.