Top Volunteers Honored for HJP Work
The King County Bar Association is pleased to recognize the efforts of Thomas Armstrong and Steven Corey as its Community Legal Services Volunteers of the Month for September 2005.
Armstrong and Corey, who both work for Boeing in its Intellectual Property Business Unit, volunteer at the Housing Justice Project Clinic in Kent. Although Armstrong and Corey do not practice law outside of their work at HJP, they have shown a strong commitment to applying their legal skills and talents toward assisting low-income tenants facing eviction and homelessness.
Armstrong began volunteering at the Kent clinic in 2004 and has been very resourceful in helping tenants in need. He works well to prepare the best solution and thoroughly explain the situation to clients within the short timeframe available. Armstrong says he gets “a lot of satisfaction from helping tenants who most definitely need the help and would probably not get it otherwise.” His positive attitude and willingness to team with the Kent clinic staff and fellow volunteers is appreciated.
Corey began volunteering at the clinic in June 2003. He has consistently helped tenants obtain positive outcomes and provides valuable advice to clients about the legal process. He enjoys educating clients about their legal rights and sorting through the complexities of their cases. Corey’s preparation and thoroughness are a great model for the clinic staff and other volunteer advocates to emulate.
The Kent HJP is a homelessness prevention project managed by the KCBA’s Community Legal Services program. It assists low-income residents of South King County who are facing eviction, offering eligible clients counsel and advice on housing issues, referrals, negotiated settlements and representation at show-cause eviction hearings.
The work at HJP requires volunteers to assess a client’s case quickly and engage in negotiation and representation at contested eviction hearings all in the same morning. Armstrong and Corey successfully meet these challenges. Without such volunteers, the Kent HJP Clinic would not be able to support the needs of its clients and offer them access to legal advice and representation.
Required training is provided by HJP either “live” twice a year or by videotape/CD-ROM. HJP volunteers can earn CLE credits for the training and for representing clients. HJP volunteers also can attend other CLE training programs sponsored by the KCBA’s Community Legal Services programs for free.
The HJP program coordinator and/or volunteer legal assistants are present every morning to screen clients for eligibility and to assist the volunteers as needed. HJP will provide the volunteer attorneys with conflict information the day before they are scheduled to be in court to avoid any conflicts of interest.
Although not present at the courthouse every morning, the HJP staff attorney also is available by phone to mentor volunteers and to answer any questions that arise. New HJP volunteers are paired with more experienced volunteers for the first three volunteer sessions.
A basic commitment is to staff the clinic one morning per month; however, individuals are free to volunteer more time if they would like. HJP opens at 8 a.m. and cases generally are wrapped up by 10:30 a.m. The project office is located in room 1281, down the hall from the ex parte courtroom at the RJC.
To inquire about volunteer opportunities with the Kent HJP, contact Judy Lin at 206.267.7023 or email her at judyl@kcba.org. The next CLE will be held at the RJC on Friday, October 7. To sign up, contact Bob Gougeon by phone at 206.205.8060 or by email at bobg@kcba.org. n
