Volunteer Legal Services in Washington

							  Closing the Justice Gap
       in Washington

The Alliance for Equal Justice
2009 Federal Poverty Guidelines
2003 Civil Legal Needs Study
Report Commissioned by the Washington Supreme Court


3 out of 4 low income people
face at least one critical civil
problem each year.

Of those...




                                     Today, we meet less
                                     than 20% of the need.
There is a Justice Gap
in Washington
  Due to a lack of resources, at least 80%
  of low income families and individuals in
  Washington face legal crises without any
  legal assistance.
What is Washington Doing to
Close the Justice Gap?

    • Alliance for Equal Justice

    • Vision & Planning

    • Public-Private Partnership
Civil Legal Aid Makes the Difference:
   The Alliance for Equal Justice is
Washington's statewide network of civil
 legal aid providers and supporters.

   AllianceforEqualJustice.org
Finding Help from the Alliance

    CLEAR                   2-1-1
  Statewide hotline        King County
every county but King      Community
  (888) 201-1014        Information Line



                Self-Help
      www.washingtonlawhelp.org
Alliance Members - Providers
Doing the work on the ground, legal aid providers offer
legal education, advice, and representation to those
who otherwise could not afford legal counsel.

• Staffed Legal Aid Offices

• Volunteer Attorney Programs

   Northwest Justice Project, Columbia Legal Services,
    Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, TeamChild,
 Unemployment Law Project, Legal Action Center, Seattle
    Community Law Center, Solid Ground, and many
          local Volunteer Attorney Programs
Alliance Members - Supporters
Help facilitate client service via:
•   Public Education
•   Financial Support & Accountability
•   Fundraising
•   Strategic Planning
•   Technological Improvements
•   Effective Communications
•   Legislative Advocacy

 Access to Justice Board, Legal Foundation of Washington,
    Campaign for Equal Justice, Equal Justice Coalition,
 Washington State Bar Association, Local Bar Associations,
Office of Civil Legal Aid, Courts, Legal Services Corporation
The Access to Justice Board
• Mission: achieve equal access to the civil justice
  system

• Coordinates & guides the efforts of the Alliance
  through the work of its board and 12 standing
  committees

• Administered by the WSBA

• wsba.org/atj
Committees of the ATJ Board
•   ATJ Conference Planning
•   Communications
•   Equal Justice Coalition
•   Greater Access & Assistance Project (with WYLD)
•   Impediments to Access to Justice
•   Law School Relations
•   Nominating & Leadership Development
•   Pro Se
•   State Plan Oversight
•   Statewide Website Advisory
•   Technology
The Hallmarks
• Poverty should not be an impediment to Justice.

• Those in poverty have an equal right to justice
  regardless of who they are, where they live, or
  the language they speak.

• The right to justice must remain constant
  regardless of changing social, political, economic
  or other conditions in the country, state and
  communities where low income people live.
The State Plan
.
A Blueprint for Delivery of Civil Legal Aid to
Low Income People in Washington

    • Ensure availability of equal services for all low
      income people in need.
.

    • Address gaps in service - let no one fall through the
      cracks.
.

    • Invest scarce resources equitably & effectively.
.

    • Coordinate activities toward common goals.
.

    • Support the needs of programs serving clients.
Public-Private Support

• IOLTA - Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts - to the Legal
  Foundation of Washington

• Private Giving to the Campaign for Equal Justice

• Federal Funds to the Legal Services Corporation (LSC)

• State Funds to the Office of Civil Legal Aid

• Local & Other Funding Sources

• Volunteer Lawyers Giving Time
2007 Revenue




   IOLTA   Federal   State   Private
2008 Revenue




   IOLTA   Federal   State   Private
2009 PROJECTED Revenue




   IOLTA   Federal   State   Private
Legal Foundation of Washington

  LFW grants IOLTA revenue,
  cy pres awards, private
  contributions from the
  Campaign for Equal Justice,
  and other available
  resources to over 20 legal
  aid providers throughout
  Washington.
IOLTA Revenue for 2006-2009
1,000,000


 900,000


 800,000


 700,000


 600,000


 500,000


 400,000


 300,000


 200,000


 100,000
                                          2009         2008    2007        2006
        0
            Jan   Feb   Mar   Apr   May   Jun    Jul    Aug   Sept   Oct   Nov    Dec
Campaign for Equal Justice

• Unified, Statewide Annual Charitable Giving Drive

• Team Effort Benefiting Every Alliance Program &
  Equalizing Access to Resources
Legal Services Corporation - Federal
  $450
  $400
  $350
  $300
  $250
  $200
  $150
  $100
  $50
   $0
         1976 1981 1982 1995 1996 2000 2003 2007 2008 2009
Office of Civil Legal Aid - State
 1. State Legislature appropriates funds to
    OCLA.
 2. OCLA contracts with Northwest Justice
    Project.
 3. Northwest Justice Project subcontracts
    some funds to support legal aid programs
    throughout the state.
                              State Funding by Biennium
                      $25.0


                      $20.0
Dollars in Millions




                      $15.0


                      $10.0


                       $5.0


                       $0.0
                              1995-97 1997-99 1999-01 2001-03 2003-05 2005-07 2007-09 2009-11
Equal Justice Coalition

 The EJC educates
 policymakers and the public
 about the importance of civil
 legal aid to our communities
 and advocates for increased
 public funding for legal aid in
 Washington.

  YOU are our secret weapon.
     We need your help.
        Join Us Today!

          EJC.org
Questions? Contact Us!

       Judge Steven González
       Steven.gonzalez@kingcounty.gov

       Nell McNamara
       nell@ejc.org
       206.447.8168

       Kellee Spangenberg
       kspan@spokanebar.org
       509.462.3701