The Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) presented Poulsbo attorney Lt. Cmdr. Anthony Hinson with its 2016 Professionalism Award. The award is in recognition of his career of legal service to the U.S. Navy. WSBA President Bill Hyslop presented the award at the WSBA Annual Awards Dinner on Sept. 29, 2016, at the Sheraton Seattle.

Hinson is in private practice with Hinson Law Firm, PLLC of Poulsbo, where his practice focuses on estate planning, tax planning, business planning and probate. For over eight years, he worked with the Internal Revenue Service as an estate tax attorney, auditing complex estate, gift, and fiduciary income tax returns.  Since 2015, Hinson has also served as an operational law attorney with the Legal Reserve unit attached to Commander, US Pacific Fleet.

After receiving his law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Hinson entered Naval Justice School. Graduating as the Honors Graduate of his NJS class, Hinson reported to Naval Region Legal Service Office Mid-Atlantic, where he served as defense counsel, legal assistance attorney, training department head, and Staff Judge Advocate for Commander, Amphibious Squadron Six. He served with the Naval Region Legal Service Office Northwest as a legal assistance attorney and legal assistance department head, assisting wounded and ill sailors and Marines as they navigated the medical disability and retirement system. He also served with the Navy Reserve as a staff judge advocate for the commander-in-chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Hinson is the recipient of seven U.S. Navy Commendation Medals for “distinguishing oneself by heroism, meritorious achievement or meritorious service.” He is the recipient of both the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal related to his post-9/11 service and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, related to his service supporting U.S./United Nations efforts in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Hinson is deeply involved in the Poulsbo and Kitsap County community. He serves on the board of North Kitsap Fishline, a charity that provides food, housing, and emergency services for individuals in need. He has also served as treasurer for the West Sound Academy, a private preparatory school in Poulsbo, and is on the board of the Kitsap Humane Society.

“[Hinson] has literally been responsible for the legal well-being of thousands of service members, and the feedback from these clients has been uniformly positive,” said Capt. Michael Boock, JAGC, USN (ret.). “Tony has over the years served as a mentor for those more junior judge advocates who have crossed his path…. His advice and counsel has been sought by many judge advocates throughout their careers in the Navy.”

“Tony Hinson’s career can be described as a lifetime of meaningful service to his country, the legal profession, and to his community,” said Eric Pedersen, 2014 WSBA Award of Merit Winner. “His contributions to these areas have been both significant and exemplary.”

The WSBA is part of the judicial branch and is authorized by the Washington Supreme Court to license the state’s 37,789 lawyers and over 1,000 other legal professionals. In furtherance of its obligation to protect and serve the public, the WSBA both regulates lawyers and other legal professionals 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, to ensure the integrity of the legal profession, and to champion justice.