Francis Adewale is one of the attorneys that helped establish Spokane Community Court. Francis commitment to community lawyering is epitomized by his work on several community based board and activities in Eastern Washington. He has served as chair of Refugee Connections Spokane, co-chair of Spokane Homeless Coalition, Spokane County Regional Law & Justice Council’s Racial Equity Disparity Committee, member/trustee of Spokane County Bar Association and the Volunteer Lawyers Program. He is current chair of Access to Justice Board and member of Washington State Supreme Court’s Interpreters Commission and Board member of Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP). He has been founding member of the Washington Statewide Reentry Council having been reappointed thrice by Governor Jay Inslee. Francis is the elected WSBA 5th District Governor for Eastern Washington.
Francis is a distinguished H. George Frederickson Honors Graduate of Eastern Washington University and adjunct faculty at Whitworth University. Francis was admitted to the Washington State Bar in June 2000 and has since practice as assistant public defender for the City of Spokane. A Fellow of Washington State Bar Association Leadership Institute (WLI) and ATJ Equal Justice Leadership Academy. He is also a recipient of City of Spokane Human Rights Award, Washington Criminal Defense Lawyers’ President Award and Spokane County Bar Association Smithmoore P. Myers Professionalism Award. Francis, along with other team members of Spokane Community Court are recipient of 2018 WSBA Apex Award. He is the 2021 recipient of the Washington Defenders Association’s President Award.