The Housing Justice Project (HJP) at the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent is proud to name Nick Gellert its volunteer of the month.
Gellert’s work for HJP has been exemplary throughout the several years that he has provided representation to low-income tenants facing eviction. At HJP, Gellert gives legal advice, negotiates with landlords or represents the tenants at eviction show cause hearings.
So far, Gellert has helped more than 50 tenants facing eviction. He has regularly taken time out from his busy schedule at Perkins Coie and made the trip down to Kent where volunteers are always in short supply.
As the former pro bono coordinator for Perkins Coie, Gellert is no stranger to volunteer work. Shortly after graduating from Georgetown in 1988, he began providing pro bono services based significantly on inspiration from his aunt, Carol Gellert, who was also actively engaged in social work. Early on in his career, Gellert handled many trials for King County’s guardian ad litem program, which is now known as CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates).
He also has devoted considerable time to working on death penalty cases, services for the poor and immigrants’ rights issues. His efforts have earned him several prestigious awards and recognition by Washington’s Law & Politics as one of Washington’s “Super Lawyers.”
Gellert states that the opportunity to provide direct representation to clients was a major motivating factor in his decision to volunteer with HJP. While he has found helping low-income tenants who are unable to afford legal services to be a rewarding experience, he also has encountered his share of frustrating moments. He has observed, for instance, that it is often too late to help clients when they first seek assistance on the day of their show cause hearings.
In contrast, when clients show up for legal assistance in the early stages of an eviction action, such as when they are served with a three-day notice to pay or vacate, Gellert believes he can serve the clients most effectively. Regardless of how the clients eventually fare, he feels satisfaction in knowing that they had somewhere to turn and that he is there to listen to them and consider their case.
Nick Gellert is gracious enough to give credit to HJP’s staff for the organization’s success over the last several years. The staff at HJP, in turn, thanks Gellert not only for his time and effort, but for his professional guidance and legal expertise, which have allowed the organization to serve its clients with the best possible legal representation.
To inquire about volunteer opportunities with the Kent HJP, contact Kim Nguyen at 206-205-8060 or email her at kimn@kcba.org.
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