The King County Bar Association’s Community Legal Services Committee recognizes Jeaneane St. John as August’s Volunteer of the Month.
Jeaneane has been volunteering 15 hours a week with the KCBA Family Law Programs since January. Working with the Family Law Mentor Program, Self-Help Program and the Revision Squad, Jeaneane has conducted numerous client intakes and interviews, drafted pleadings and motions, and even appeared in court at hearings.
In addition, Jeaneane has taken on direct representation of a domestic violence survivor in her dissolution case and her protection order case. After the initial meeting with the client and an interpreter, Jeaneane immediately went into court to help the client obtain an ex parte restraining order.
Jeaneane’s legal career started in law school when she and her husband co-founded “WildTangent,” an online game publisher. Jeaneane went on to manage the business development and legal affairs for some software companies. Following that, she co-founded Madison St. John, a business consulting firm.
According to Jeaneane, she fell into high-tech before she graduated from law school and she wanted to take a step back to determine what type of law she would do if she could pick. She said that she found the idea of helping domestic violence survivors navigate the court system compelling. Also, Jeaneane wanted to gain some in-court experience.
“This is the most rewarding pro bono work that I have ever done,” said Jeaneane. “The clients are so appreciative.”
Presently, Jeaneane is the managing partner at Madison St. John. She also is the vice president of finance on the national board of the Educational Foundation of the American Association of University Women (AAUW), a scholarship and grant fund for graduate women.
According to KCBA family law attorney Susan Chua, “Jeaneane is invaluable as a volunteer. She is fearless and an amazingly quick study. She came in with no family law background and was quickly able to start drafting motions and briefs for us on a variety of issues, and has appeared in court to represent a client in protection order and temporary order hearings. She is now the right arm of the family law team here. We do not know what we would do without her.”
Congratulations to Jeaneane for being selected as the August Volunteer of the Month and many thanks for her continued dedication to serve clients who cannot afford legal representation.
For information about the Family Law Mentor Program or other pro bono panels, please contact Kimberly Todaro, managing attorney for the Family Law Mentor Program, at 206 267-7020.
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