Other LanguagesThis news release was distributed by the Washington State Bar Association
SEATTLE — The Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) presented Tacoma attorney David W.
Huey with the 2012 Angelo Petruss Award for Lawyers in Public Service. Named in honor of the late
Angelo R. Petruss, a senior assistant attorney general who passed away during his term of service on the
WSBA Board of Governors, this award is given to a lawyer in government service who has made a
significant contribution to the legal profession, the justice system, and the public. The award is in
recognition of Huey’s career-long commitment to protecting vulnerable consumers and promoting ethical
business practices. WSBA President Stephen Crossland presented the award at the WSBA Annual
Awards Dinner on Sept. 20, 2012, at the Hyatt at Olive 8 in Seattle.
“David Huey is a tremendous asset to the consumers of our state,” said Governor Chris Gregoire, who
previously served as attorney general. “From the Household International settlement when I was attorney
general in 2003 to the most recent multistate-federal mortgage settlement, David’s expertise has helped
attorneys general from both parties negotiate ground-breaking deals to protect homeowners and to hold
predatory lenders accountable.”
“David Huey is a national leader in negotiating historic settlements bringing billions of dollars of relief to
consumers in Washington and across the nation,” said Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna.
“His expertise and strong passion for consumer protection make him a formidable negotiator and a strong
ally for families facing foreclosure, those struggling with their mortgage payments and those who have
already lost their homes. He truly deserves this honor and recognition for the time and personal sacrifice
he has put into public service throughout his life.”
After serving in the U.S. Navy’s submarine fleet from 1965–68, Huey earned his undergraduate degree in
economics from the University of North Dakota, and his law degree from the University of Minnesota
Law School. He worked in private practice from 1979–87, and from 1987–2000 was an assistant attorney
general at the North Dakota Attorney General’s Office. Since 2001, Huey has been an assistant attorney
general of the Washington Attorney General’s Office; in 2011, he was designated senior counsel.
Huey is an active member of the legal community. He is a member of the Pierce County Asset Building
Coalition’s Predatory Lending Committee, and volunteers with the Tacoma-Pierce County Volunteer
Legal Clinic. He has served as a board member of the Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association and as
president of the Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association Volunteer Legal Services Committee.
Huey was a chief negotiator for the Attorney General’s multistate working group and the joint
federal state task force engaged in forming a historic $26-billion-dollar national settlement involving
federal financial regulators, attorneys general from all 50 states, and leading financial service institutions.
These cases have generated over $9 billion in consumer relief nationally, including hundreds of millions
of dollars in relief directed to Washington consumers. He has worked on historic resolutions and
settlements involving Household Finance Corporation, Ameriquest, Bank of America/Countrywide, and
Wells Fargo/Wachovia. In addition to direct consumer relief, Huey’s work on the Bank of America and
Wells Fargo financial services matters resulted in $1.9 million of settlement recoveries being made
available to the Washington State Housing Finance Commission to fund HUD-certified counselors and to
the WSBA for its Home Foreclosure Legal Aid Project for homeowners facing foreclosure.
“While with the Washington AGO, I have been privileged to work for two of the state’s finest elected
officials, Chris Gregoire and Rob McKenna,” Huey said. “Though they represent different parties, they
both share my passion for consumer protection. I owe this award their leadership and support.”
About the Washington State Bar Association
The WSBA is part of the judicial branch, exercising a governmental function authorized by the
Washington State Supreme Court to license the state’s 34,800 lawyers. The WSBA both regulates
lawyers under the authority of the Court and serves its members as a professional association — all
without public funding. The WSBA’s mission is to serve the public and the members of the Bar, ensure
the integrity of the legal profession, and to champion justice.
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Contact:
Stephanie Perry
Communications Specialist/Publications Editor
206-733-5932; stephaniep@wsba.org
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