By Eric B. Martin

KCBA’s Community Legal Services held its Volunteer Recognition Evening on May 20 at the Museum of History and Industry. Allen Schauffler of KING 5 news and host of “Legally Speaking” (which airs on Thursdays during the 6:30 news) emceed the event. Daniel Gandara, President of the King County Bar Foundation, and Thomas E. Kelly, Jr., President of the King County Bar Association, welcomed the attendees. The Honorable Anne L. Ellington of the Washington Court of Appeals presided over the Recognition and Awards portion of the evening.

The event honored the hundreds of volunteers who donate time to the seven programs administered by KCBA Community Legal Services. These programs assist clients in need of advice, brief service, or direct representation and help to fill a vital need in the community.

Volunteer Attorneys for Persons with HIV/AIDS (VAPWA) is a group of over 220 attorneys who have a particular commitment and sensitivity to individuals impacted by HIV in our local communities, and who have expertise in areas of concern to such individuals. In addition to legal assistance, VAPWA attorneys provide legal education to individuals and community organizations.

VAPWA recognized Bob Hedrick of the Hedrick Law Firm for his tireless advocacy, his ability and willingness to sit down with clients and clearly explain legal issues, and his expertise in the area of HIV/AIDS confidentiality.

Volunteer Legal Services (VLS) provides direct representation to low-income King County residents with a broad range of legal problems, including consumer finance, bankruptcy, housing, public benefits, estate planning, special education, guardianship, and tort defense. VLS screens clients for eligibility, merit and program priorities, and then matches the clients with volunteer attorneys.

VLS recognized Cynthia Hennessy of AT&T Wireless for her enthusiastic and tireless organization of attorneys and legal assistants at her office. The AT&T Wireless team represented low-income tenants who were denied subsidized housing, faced termination of these benefits, or were having difficulty enforcing their civil rights. Cynthia spent over a hundred hours representing several tenants and assisting other attorneys and legal assistants on their cases. Cynthia also recruited and organized a group of attorneys and legal assistants from AT&T Wireless to assist low-income tenants by staffing the Housing Justice Project once a month at the Seattle courthouse.

Legal Services for the Homeless pairs law firms with homeless shelters in King County and offers direct representation to residents in shelters who would otherwise have very limited access to legal services. Firm volunteers visit their paired shelters at least once a month to meet with residents and discuss any legal concerns. These firm attorneys represent clients whose concerns are of legal merit. To reach shelters not paired with a law firm, the project utilizes a panel of volunteer attorneys to provide direct representation.

Legal Services for the Homeless recognized Lisa Hayes, of Riddell Williams. Lisa has been volunteering with Legal Services for the Homeless since August 2001 when her firm became involved with the project and began a legal clinic at the William Booth Center, which is a transitional housing and emergency shelter for men. Lisa was recognized for her commitment to making legal services accessible to the residents of the William Booth Center. Lisa stands out as a volunteer for her consistency in providing services and her approachability to the clients. Out of all the volunteers, Lisa has volunteered the most at the clinic this year. Lisa also makes herself accessible as a resource for the staff. The consistency with which Lisa approaches her volunteer work at the center is crucial to providing quality services to this population.

The Newcomers Resource Project provides access to legal services for newcomers, immigrants and refugees through providing legal clinics, legal education workshops and direct representation. In order to provide effective programs, the project builds partnerships with area agencies and organizations that serve newcomer communities.

The Newcomers Resource Project recognized Graham Black for his involvement and eagerness in representing newcomer and immigrant clients with wage claim cases and ensuring that, regardless of employee immigration status and language, employers are not successful in taking advantage of newcomer workers. Graham has volunteered with Newcomers Project since March 2001 and since then agreed to represent six individuals. He has never turned down a case and in fact when he is done with a case he often calls to say “send another wage claim case my way.”

The Family Law Mentor Program provides pro bono representation for low-income clients in contested dissolution of marriage or parentage cases where children are at risk because of domestic violence, child abuse, drug/alcohol abuse, or other factors. Volunteer attorneys new to family law receive free training, a comprehensive practice manual, and a Mentor attorney for support throughout the case.

The Family Law Mentor Program recognized Timothy Butler, of Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe and Brian Muchinsky, of Nold & Associates, PLLC for their dedication and tenacity in continuing to fight for the client and safety of the children. Each volunteered at different stages of an extremely difficult and hotly contested custody case. Brian was a protŽgŽe with the Family Law Mentor Program and represented a domestic violence survivor in a contested trial where the residential schedule was at issue. Against all odds, the abusive father was given unsupervised visitation with the children. Timothy agreed to file a motion to re-open testimony to get before the court more evidence of the father’s abuse and the dynamics of domestic violence, which was denied. Timothy appealed the denial and won. Timothy is currently representing the client back before the trial judge.

The Housing Justice Project (HJP) provides assistance to tenants who would otherwise appear pro se at their eviction Show Cause Hearings. Attorneys volunteer once a month at the King County Superior Courthouse for approximately three hours each morning. HJP provides tenants with a range of services, including information and educational materials, legal advice, negotiation, limited representation and referrals.

HJP recognized Kaustuv “KM” Das, of Davis Wright Tremaine and Christine Young. KM Das was recognized for bringing great enthusiasm, passion, and dedication to his volunteer work with the Housing Justice Project. KM has negotiated favorable settlements for tenants and helped tenants assert their rights to safe and habitable dwelling units. KM has assisted some of those clients most difficult to reach--those with mental health issues, language barriers, and victims of domestic violence.

Christine Young was recognized as a shining example of how to contribute to the community and local legal services as a non-attorney. Although a volunteer legal assistant with the Housing Justice Project only since last September, Christine has made an impact on how well HJP is able to meet its clients’ needs. Guided by a desire to learn and make a difference, she’s shown impressive flexibility, determination, a continuous willingness to do more than expected, and a considerable sense of humor.

Special thanks went to co-chairs of the Community Legal Services Committee, Julia Parsons Clarke of Perkins Coie, and Julie Orr, of Davis Wright Tremaine and the Community Legal Services staff, especially director Val Carlson. Additional thanks go to the event sponsors, Davis Wright Tre-maine, LLP, Karr Tuttle Campbell, Stoel Rives LLP, Talking Rain, and Hale’s Ales.