The King County Bar Association’s involvement in organized pro bono activities dates back to 1939 with the formation of the Legal Aid Bureau.
The more recent pro bono work began in 1974 with the founding of the Neighborhood Legal Clinics by the Young Lawyers Division. In 1978 a Pro Bono Committee was formed which resulted in the establishment of Volunteer Legal Services (VLS) and Self Help Plus (SHP) as staffed programs in 1982. There are currently 9 King County Bar Foundation programs for low income clients – Volunteer Legal Services (VLS), Housing Justice Project (HJP), Self Help Plus (SHP), the Family Law Mentor Program, Volunteer Attorneys For Persons With HIV/AIDS (VAPWA), Legal Services for the Homeless, The Newcomers Resource Project, Consumer Education and Training Services (CENTS), Kinship Care Solutions Project, and the Neighborhood Legal Clinics (NLC).
These programs are part of the King County Bar Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, and are managed through a contract by the King County Bar Association. Direct oversight is provided by the Community Legal Services, Neighborhood Legal Clinics, and the Homeless Task Force committees. The programs currently receive funds from the Legal Foundation of Washington (IOLTA), King County Bar Foundation, City of Seattle, KCBA Young Lawyers Division, and KCBA general funds.
MISSION
The mission of Community Legal Services is to promote social justice by ensuring equal and non-discriminatory access to our services for all individuals. We provide volunteer-based, client-focused legal services to primarily low-income residents of King County who would not otherwise receive legal assistance.
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