By Kendall Bodden

You lost your ID years ago and never needed it until now, what can you do? Your housing application was denied because of an old misdemeanor that could have been expunged a long time ago, what do you to do? You thought that the court date of your divorce was postponed so you didn’t go, but it wasn’t, so the judge held you in default and gave your kids to your ex, what should you do? Oh yeah, you’re also a homeless woman. Now what do you do? You go to Angeline’s Center for Homeless Women on any Thursday and sign up for the legal clinic staffed by the King County Prosecutor’s Office.

The King County Prosecutor’s Office was named KCBA 2003 Pro Bono Firm of the Year in recognition of their outstanding service to Angeline’s Center for Homeless Women. In 2003, the Prosecutor’s Office initiated, implemented and fully staffed a weekly legal clinic at Angeline’s. In the year since they started the clinic, the Prosecutor’s Office had 23 volunteer attorneys who served 179 clients with advice and consultation or brief service. This commitment is still ongoing, and every Thursday you can find Prosecutor’s Office attorneys at Angeline’s from 12 - 2 p.m. For their initiative, commitment, and valuable service to the women of Angeline’s, the King County Prosecutor’s Office is a worthy recipient of the Pro Bono Firm of the Year Award.

In January of 2003, the Prosecutor’s Office approached the KCBA’s Legal Services for the Homeless Project about starting a clinic. The Prosecutor’s Office had already identified Angeline’s as a potential site, and had begun recruiting volunteers. Because they had done so much of the groundwork already, the Prosecutor’s Office was able to quickly make the proposed legal clinic a reality. Sally Bagshaw and Lisa Lawrence spearheaded these efforts, met with the staff of Angeline’s, set up policies and procedures for the clinic, and coordinated the orientation and training of the volunteers. As a result of all this hard work, the Legal Clinic opened at Angeline’s on the first Thursday of March 2003. This clinic serves homeless women who are unable to get legal services anyplace else.

According to Sherry Gerich, Activity & Resource Coordinator at Angeline’s, the resolution of legal issues, no matter how small, allows the women at Angeline’s to take the next steps they want to take. Participating attorneys have told Sherry that the clinic is so rewarding because the need is so real. “I hope they are always here. The legal clinic is greatly welcome here and I would hate to see them leave,” said Sherry.

Sally Bagshaw, Chief Deputy, Civil Division has been a driving force behind the legal clinic at Angeline’s. “What I love is that people come to the clinic, and we can’t solve all their problems, but we can walk along side them on their journey,” said Sally. “The best part is the connections we make, the true friendships between the women and the lawyers. We are advocates, sisters and friends.” Norm Maleng, King County Prosecutor, has been very supportive of the legal clinic, and approved it immediately when Sally suggested it.

Sally was particularly moved when she was able to secure child custody for a client, Ms. X, during a messy divorce. Ms. X thought her final divorce hearing would be postponed but her ex-hus- band and his attorney appeared at the original court date. The judge held Ms. X in default and granted custody of the kids to the ex-husband. Sally was so moved by Ms. X’s story that she stayed with this case to the end. In the courtroom, before the judge granted Ms. X custody, Ms. X told Sally “I’ve never had anyone on my team before.” Sally has stayed in contact with Ms. X, and, after being reunited with her children, Ms. X went back to school, funding her studies through grants. Ms. X has even invited Sally to Christmas Dinner.

Lisa Lawrence, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, has been instrumental in organizing the Prosecutor’s Office volunteers. Lisa asks volunteers to staff the clinic once per quarter, but some attorneys sign up for more. The clinic has been so popular at the Prosecutor’s Office, that they will now be utilizing volunteer paralegals as well. Lisa has found that many of the clients want general counseling. They may have a minor legal problem, but they also need help with housing or medical issues. Sometimes they just want to talk about personal problems. If Lisa doesn’t know the exact answer to a client’s question while at the clinic, Lisa has access to contacts and resources and can provide the client a follow up answer. Lisa has drawn inspiration from her client’s stories, knowing that these women are still strong, working to improve themselves despite all the disadvantages of poverty and homelessness, and all the while demonstrating that it is never too late to take charge of your life.

Lisa commended the KCBA for the training and advice they provided to all the volunteers at the clinic. Lisa had special praise for the staff at Angeline’s “[They] are wonderful to work with. If they didn’t do such a great job running the center, we couldn’t volunteer.”

The King County Bar Association would like to recognize the following attorneys for their service with the legal clinic at Angeline’s: Marcine Anderson, Bernda Bacani, Sally Bagshaw, Carol Bryant, Cheryl Carlson, Gabrielle Dickerman, Mary Englund, Barb Flemming, Megan Goodrick, Jessica Hardung, Jacqueline Jekse, Jamie Johnston, Jannie Joly, Oma La Mothe, Lisa Lawrence, Kim McKeag, Maria Murphy, Ahn Nguyen, Kathleen O’Brien, Karen Pool Norby, Kim Schnuelle, Mary Beth Short, and Lori Smith. n