The King County Bar Association's involvement in organized pro bono activities dates back to 1939 with the formation of the Legal Aid Bureau.
The more recent pro bono work began in 1974 with the founding of the Neighborhood Legal Clinics by the Young Lawyers Division. In 1978 a Pro Bono Committee was formed which resulted in the establishment of Volunteer Legal Services (VLS) and Self Help Plus as staffed programs in 1982. There are currently six King County Bar Foundation programs for low income clients - Volunteer Legal Services (VLS), Housing Justice Project, Self Help Plus, the Family Law Mentor Program, Kinship Care Solutions,and the Neighborhood Legal Clinics.
These programs are part of the King County Bar Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, and are managed through a contract by the King County Bar Association. The programs receive funds from the Legal Foundation of Washington (IOLTA), King County Bar Foundation, Cities of Seattle, Kent, Renton and Federal Way, the Seattle Foundation, KCBA Young Lawyers Division, and KCBA general funds.