Due to the current economic climate, many people cannot afford legal services; similarly, many attorneys ability to take on pro bono cases has significantly decreased. This means that many people who need legal help are not getting it, economically being denied access to justice.
A recent study by the American Bar Association showed that at least 40% of households with a low to moderate income experience a legal program each year; however, only 20% of these legal needs are met through collective pro bono civil aid. The severity of legal problems ranges from custody disputes to foreclosures to employment termination cases.
Despite the downturn in the economy, Washington State continues to have an above average pro bono reputation. According to Washington State Bar Association study, Washington attorneys volunteer as much or more pro bono hours than attorneys in other states.
Free legal services are usually offered to clients with little or no resources to cover the costs of the case. Some organizations, such as Legal Voice, target specific clients. Located in downtown Seattle, aims to primarily help female clients with domestic violence, family law, or employment discrimination issues. Similarly, TeamChild provides legal representation and counsel to youth. Additionally, because of Seattle’s port location, Seattle is home to multiple immigrant rights pro bono organizations. These organizations deal with everything from immigration issues to domestic violence against immigrants.
Hopefully, Washington State can maintain its reputation as having a legal community dedicated to volunteering hours, as the need for legal services continues to grow. Pro bono organizations in Seattle and counties around the State expect to see continued growth and demand for pro bono legal services, despite the recession being declared over.
If you have limited resources or are qualified low income and have a legal matter beyond what The Filutowski Law Firm handles, we encourage you to consult with an appropriate pro bono organization listed below.
KING COUNTY ORGANIZATIONS
Chaya:
Phone: (206) 568-7576
Email: sarah@chayaseattle.org
Website: www.chayaseattle.org
Eastside Legal Assistance Program:
Phone: (425) 747-7274
Email: Judith@elap.org
Website: www.elap.org
Family Law CASA of King County:
Phone: (206) 748-9700
Email: cddavis@familylawcasa.org
Website: www.familylawcasa.org
King County Bar Association Pro Bono Services:
Phone: (206) 267-7100
Email: tovolunteer@kcba.org
Website: www.kcba.org/pbs/volunteers.aspx
King County Dependency CASA Program:
Phone: (206) 296-1120
Email: janet.harris@kingcounty.gov
Legal Action Center:
Phone: (206) 324-6890
Open Door Legal Services:
Phone: (206) 682-4642
Email: dmace@ugm.org
Seattle Community Law Center:
Phone: (206) 686-7252 ext 104
Email: alex@seattlecommlaw.org
Website: www.seattlecommlaw.org
Seattle University School of Law Peterson Law Clinic:
Phone: (206) 398-4000
Website: www.law.seattleu.edu/academics/law_clinic.xml
Solanus Casey Legal Services:
Phone: (206) 223-0907
Solid Ground:
Website: www.solidground.org
University of Washington School of Law Federal Tax Clinic:
Website: www.law.washington.edu/clinics/tax
Volunteer Advocates for Immigrant Justice:
Phone: (206) 359-6200
Email: Juliann@vaij.org
STATEWIDE ORGANIZATIONS
ABA/FEMA Disaster Legal Assistance-ABA Young Lawyers Division:
Phone: (425) 493-5000
Email: kari@carsonlawgroup.com
ABA Military Pro Bono Project:
Phone: (312) 988-5783
Website: www.militaryprobono.org
Columbia Legal Services:
Website: www.columbialegal.org
Legal Voice (women’s law):
Website: www.nwwlc.org
Northwest Immigrant Rights Project:
Website: www.nwirp.org
Northwest Justice Project:
Website: www.nwjustice.org
TeamChild:
Website: www.teamchild.org
Unemployment Law Project:
Website: www.unemploymentlawproject.org
Washington Attorneys Assisting Community Organizations:
Website: www.waaco.org
Washington State CASA:
Website: www.washingtonstatecasa.org
Washington Defender Association:
Website: www.defensenet.org
Copyright 2011 The Filutowski Law Firm, PLLC. Disclaimer: This page is intended for general information purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice or legal opinions on any specific facts or circumstances. An attorney-client relationship is not created or continued.