Neighborhood Legal Clinics (NLC) was founded in 1974 by three young attorneys who recognized an unmet need for access to legal advice for those unable to afford it. They believed access should be available to all, regardless of income. In partnership with the Country Dr Medical Clinic, they opened the first legal clinic in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle. Almost 50 years later, NLC is comprised of three staff members and 493 volunteers who, along with partners, staff 36 legal clinics to provide free legal consultations to eligible clients.
NLC staff, KCBA-NLC volunteer attorneys, and clinic assistants gathered on Tuesday, April 25th for an evening of good food and great company at Zeeks Pizza Seward Park. It was their first in-person gathering since the pandemic began and being together in person felt like coming out of hibernation for many. The weather could not have been more perfect, with the sun giving off a friendly glow during its golden hour. The volunteers enjoyed connecting with old friends and meeting new ones. Staff especially enjoyed being able to put faces to the names of volunteers with whom they’ve been working to serve clients throughout the pandemic.
When the pandemic first started, NLC needed to shift from in-person clinics to working remotely. Volunteer attorneys took this change in stride and ensured that clients still had an avenue to receive legal advice about their issues during these tumultuous times by providing phone or Zoom consultations. Non-attorney volunteers switched from administering clinics to conducting direct client outreach through reminder calls and client surveys, with some also shifting to help with client intake and referral. The camaraderie that formed between volunteers during in-person clinics was put on hold as everyone worked in silos. That camaraderie was out in full force at Zeeks.
With the world opening up again, NLC is hoping to create a hybrid option for some of our legal clinics starting July 2023 so that volunteers have the option of remaining remote or meeting with clients in-person as both meeting in-person and over the phone have their appeal to volunteers and clients alike. NLC is also expanding its team and hiring a fourth person to increase its client outreach capacity.
Many thanks to longtime volunteer Mike Goldenkranz for helping to coordinate this year’s volunteer appreciation party. Attendees got to sing, “Happy Birthday” to Mike, who celebrated his 70th birthday in April. Mike has spent almost 20 of his 70 years volunteering with NLC on a weekly basis. The staff at NLC are so grateful for the contributions of Mike and all these amazing volunteers, who go above and beyond to assist either clients living in King County with their civil legal needs or clients with legal issues in King County. We are excited for what more this year has in store and look forward to future gatherings.
If you would like to volunteer in-person, at noon with our Downtown General Legal Clinic (meets Thursdays) or are an immigration or family law attorney interested in volunteering with NLC, please contact NLC Program Manager Devon Stark at devons@kcba.org.
