Pacifica Law Group attorneys Anita Khandelwal, Scott Ferron, Matt Segal, and Greg Wong will present this week at the Washington State Association of Municipal Attorneys (WSAMA) 2026 Spring Conference.
The twice-yearly WSAMA conferences bring together city attorneys from across the state to learn about and discuss legal issues and other challenges facing municipalities.
At this year’s Spring Conference, Pacifica attorneys will cover the following topics in their presentations:
Public Defense Caseloads—Complying with Court Rules and Keeping the System Running
Anita and Scott, who are members of Pacifica’s Litigation Practice Group, will discuss the new appointed‑counsel caseload standards adopted by the Washington Supreme Court and explore the practical implications of those limits. Anita will draw on her experience as a former director of the King County Department of Public Defense as she and Scott discuss options for developing case‑weighting systems and explore strategies municipalities can use to manage public defense costs while remaining compliant and ensuring the continued functioning of public defense systems.
Protecting Privacy in the Public Sphere
Greg and Matt will focus on how privacy rights apply to public servants and members of the public in today’s digital environment, in which rapid technological change has increasingly blurred the lines between public and private life. Both are members of Pacifica’s Public Law and Finance Group and former public servants. Greg is a former deputy mayor of the City of Seattle, while Matt is a retired King County superior court judge. Matt also currently serves on the WSAMA board of directors. In their presentation, Matt will address the historic and evolving distinctions between the public and private spheres. Greg will leverage his recent experience in the mayor’s office of Washington’s largest city to examine the legal, policy, and political considerations shaping the privacy, security, and data‑governance decisions facing Washington municipalities. The presentation will also address current hot‑button issues including surveillance technologies, data breaches, ownership and access to biometric and sensitive data, and AI‑related risk, with a focus on practical strategies to help municipalities navigate this rapidly evolving area of law and policy.
For questions regarding municipal services, privacy issues, or to learn about Pacifica’s work advising and representing Washington municipalities on a range of constitutional and statutory issues that affect the work of municipal entities, please reach out to our attorneys or visit the Municipal Law section of our website: https://www.pacificalawgroup.com/practice-areas/municipal-law/
