For client information, please visit Community Legal Services’ Free Legal Assistance page.

Volunteer Application

Program Overview
VAPWA provides direct representation by volunteer attorneys to low income people with HIV/AIDS covering a broad array of civil legal issues. AIDS Legal Access, a part of the VAPWA program, serves clients with HIV/AIDS with both reduced fee and full fee services. VAPWA is located in Seattle and serves all of Washington State. Our volunteer attorneys offer direct representation in a number of legal practice areas and mentor newer pro bono attorneys who wish to take cases. They also conduct legal education workshops for community groups. Our staff reaches out to community groups, screens clients, and provides interpretation and support materials for volunteer attorneys.

Many of the problems are small from a legal standpoint, but of crucial importance to the client because they may affect their income level, ability to meet basic needs or ability to live free of harassment and/or discrimination, and affect the end-of-life quality.

Volunteer Positions, Expectations, and Commitment

Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteers must be comfortable working with clients with HIV/AIDS from diverse cultural, social, and economic backgrounds as well as those with mental health, cognitive impairments or chemical dependency issues.

• Direct Representation Volunteers

Each volunteer attorney is contacted about a case that matches their area of training. The volunteer may choose to take the case or not. Each case varies in length and difficulty. Once a volunteer agrees to take a case, the volunteer is expected to handle the case just as they would a paying client in their practice, including drafting a clear retainer agreement based on the scope of representation requested by the referring VAPWA staff and continuing with the case until the agreed upon assistance has been provided. Mentors may be available for less experienced attorneys in the areas of estate planning, bankruptcy, housing, and Social Security overpayments and denials. Volunteer attorneys provide direct representation in the following areas:
• Bankruptcy (Chapter 7 only)
• Consumer Issues (Contracts/Warrants)
• Criminal Records Vacation
• Debt Defense
• Employment (Job Discrimination, Requests For Reasonable Accommodation)
• Estate Planning (Will, DPOA, Healthcare Directives)
• Family Law (Custody/Visitation, Dissolution, Guardianship, Adoption, Support)
• Health (Breach of Confidentiality, Insurance, Malpractice)
• Housing (Landlord/Tenant, Evictions, Reasonable Accommodation, Habitability)
• Immigration
• Income Maintenance (Long-Term Disability Insurance Denials and Terminations, Unemployment Compensation, Labor and Industries)
• Licenses
• Public Benefits (Social Security Denials, Overpayments, Terminations)
• Tort defense
• Legal Education Workshops
  Volunteer attorneys conduct legal education workshops for people with HIV/AIDS through community groups. VAPWA staff organizes and coordinates these workshops. Volunteers prepare and present material in their area of expertise on an array of legal topics. This is an ad hoc commitment.
• Mentoring
  Experienced attorneys offer their expertise to newer attorneys who wish to extend their own pro bono work areas. By being available to answer questions, supply document templates, or coach a newer attorney through a case, senior attorneys allow more low-income clients to be served.

Training and Support
VAPWA and the Community Legal Services programs sponsor several substantive CLEs each year in practice areas relevant to working with low-income clients. These CLEs are offered at a reduced fee or free to VAPWA attorneys who agree to be on the volunteer panel and take a minimum of 1-2 cases related to the topic area a year. CLE announcements are distributed to all program volunteers via email, and a formal posting is also printed in the Bar Bulletin and on the KCBA website. Many CLEs are recorded and available in the CLS Training Library. To view up-coming training opportunities with this and other programs, visit the Free Trainings for Volunteers page.

• KCBA office space is available by appointment for client meetings when needed.
• Interpreters are provided for clients with limited English proficiency.

To view up-coming training opportunities with this and other programs, visit the Free Trainings for Volunteers page

Benefits of Volunteering
The time VAPWA volunteers spend assisting clients makes a huge difference in the lives of people living with HIV and AIDS. For each individual client, it can mean a significant improvement in their quality of life. Beyond helping the individual, the work a volunteer does can help to educate the community, a few people at a time, and move us toward a more accepting and caring society.

In addition, attorneys may earn Continuing Legal Education credits, make professional connections in the legal community, and gain experience in client interaction, negotiation, and litigation. Outstanding volunteers have the opportunity to be recognized publicly in a variety of venues.

CLE CREDITS: VAPWA attorneys receive CLE credits, as approved by the Washington State Bar Association, for all trainings they attend. In addition to these credits, volunteers can earn up to four (4) additional CLE credits by providing pro bono representation through the VAPWA program.

MALPRACTICE INSURANCE: In addition to the malpractice insurance maintained by a volunteer and/or their firm (which serves as the volunteer's primary insurance), VAPWA provides volunteers with secondary malpractice insurance for all cases referred through the program.

Ready to Volunteer?
To begin taking cases or mentoring a less experienced attorney on a case, complete and return the appropriate application (available above) to CLS@KCBA.org with the subject "VAPWA Volunteer". Be sure to note your legal area(s) of expertise and interest. You will then be notified of upcoming CLEs and be contacted about taking a case as one comes up in your area of expertise and/or interest.

For questions about taking cases for VAPWA, contact Connie at 206.267.7025 or CLS@KCBA.org with VAPWA in the subject line.

To view up-coming training opportunities with this and other programs, visit the Free Trainings for Volunteers page.

The mission of the VAPWA program is to provide civil legal representation, advice, and education to individuals living with HIV/AIDS within Washington State.