Banner  
Ballot Sample

EJC Logo

Join us at the Capitol Campus in Olympia and do your part to help protect funding for civil legal aid. You can make the difference. We will provide talking points and all the help you need to be an effective advocate. All you have to do now is:  

 

1. Call your Legislators today for appointments to see them February 27. (Click here to find out who represents your community.) 

 

2. RSVP by calling 206-447-8168 or email eric@ejc.org (tell us if you have an appointment).

 

3. No appointment? That's O.K. You can still help by coming to Olympia on February 27th!

 

More details will follow as we get closer to this important day.

 

Sincerely,

 

Eric Gonzalez, Director 

 

Support
 ABOUT THE ALLIANCE
 
2012 Goldmark Award Luncheon to Honor Justice Gerry Alexander
Justice Alexander
The Goldmark Award was created in 1987 to recognize exceptional efforts in assuring equal access to justice; this year, the award recognizes Justice Gerry L. Alexander's commitment to secure justice that is applied equally to the weak and powerful alike. 

The luncheon will be held Friday, February 24, 2012 at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel between 12:00pm and 1:30pm.

Click here for more information on Justice Alexander's achievements and how to register for this event!

Be sure to say hello to our 2012 Goldmark Intern, Laura Hendrickson from the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law when you see her at the Goldmark Award Luncheon. 

 
A PROFESSION COMMITTED TO JUSTICE AND FAIRNESS | A Personal Request For A "No" Vote On The WSBA License Fee Roll-Back Referendum
By Jim Bamberger  | Photograph by: Eric González
  

Let me be blunt. If you are an attorney who cares about access to justice, inclusion and expanded opportunity within the legal profession and the fair administration of justice in Washington State, you will VOTE, and you will vote "NO" on the referendum proposing the roll-back of WSBA licensing fees from $450 to $325.

 

I have been a member of WSBA for more than 30 years. During this time I have watched my professional association transform itself from an insular body of insiders with a limited sense of purpose into an inclusive and mission-driven organization dedicated to the robust and effective promotion of opportunity for its members and equal justice for all Washingtonians.

 

Time was when members of our profession who were actively engaged in efforts to ensure access to the civil and criminal justice systems were just a small chorus of voices. Despite the loudest knocking, the doors to WSBA leadership seemed all but closed to us.  Thankfully, times have changed.

 

Click on the photo (above) to read the full interview.  

Related Links:

For information relating to the Referendum, please visit http://www.wsba.org/About-WSBA/Governance/Referendum 

Endowment for Equal Justice: Resolution Opposing Referendum to Roll Back Washington State Bar Association Licensing Fees 

 Access to Justice Board | Resolution of the Board in Support of Voting "NO" on License Fee Rollback Referendum 

CLEAR*Online | A Resource Available For Clients 24/7

Northwest Justice Project offers an innovative way for clients to reach the help they need through the launch of its new online application process and triage tool, CLEAR*Online. CLEAR is Washington's toll-free, centralized intake, advice and referral service hotline for low-income people seeking free legal assistance with their civil legal problems. People may now use the online portal to:

  • Submit an application 24/7 for legal assistance.  Users may submit an application for help with most problems relating to public benefits or loss of housing.  CLEAR will follow up by calling the applicant unless he/she indicates a preference to call CLEAR.  These applicants will be offered 3 time windows between 8:15AM and 4:00 PM in which to receive a callback.
  • Conduct a preliminary screening for other types of legal problems.  If it looks like the applicant will qualify for assistance (financially and problem type), he/she may electronically transfer the data to NJP so that when he/she calls CLEAR, the intake interview will take less time.
  • Find other resources related to the problem: Whether or not the applicant qualifies for assistance from CLEAR, at the end of the application we will provide publications, other organizations and web resources that may help resolve the problem.

Applicants may access the online application at: http://nwjustice.org/clear-online 

 

The online portal was developed in partnership with PSTI, creator of their case management system, Legal Server, and supported by a Technology Initiative Grant from the Legal Services Corporation. To find out more about CLEAR*Online, click on the link above. 

 

vlpco
Please Join Us In Welcoming Our New Volunteer Attorney Program Coordinators!

The group met in Seattle at the Legal Foundation of Washington for a
comprehensive overview of the Alliance for Equal Justice--the statewide network they will help support and grow in their respective communities--along with presentations by the Equal Justice Coalition, and the Campaign for Equal Justice (LAW Fund). We're very excited about the group and hope that you too can join us in welcoming them to the Alliance.

 

From left to right, Amy Peters from Yakima County Volunteer Attorney Services, Ryan Feeney from Chelan Douglas County Volunteer Attorney Services, Lori Oberlander fromKitsap Legal Services, Lori Bashor Sarancik from Cowlitz Wahkiakum Legal Aid, and Rea Hagen from Thurston County Volunteer Legal Services.

ENSURING ACCESS FOR ALL | Standards For Language Access To Courts

On February 6, 2012 the ABA House of Delegates took a major step toward ensuring access to justice for all when it adopted national Standards for Language Access to Courts. NJP attorney, Kristi Cruz and former NJP attorney and now Seattle University Externship Program Director Gillian Dutton served as consultants to the Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defendant's Task Force that developed the Standards with the cooperation and support of the National Conference of State Chief Justices and the National Conference of State Court Administrators.

 

The Standards provide practice guidance to courts to ensure that their systems and procedures are fully accessible to persons of limited English proficiency, a critical need in our ever more diverse communities. Gillian and Kristi's work on language access in Washington State played a crucial role in the process and reflects NJP's leadership and longstanding commitment to language access needs of Washington's low-income LEP community. NJP was instrumental in establishing and coordinating the Washington State Coalition on Language Access (WASCLA), a cooperative effort of court administrators, interpreters, law enforcement, advocates, and other key stakeholders in our justice system, as well offering over 50 legal information brochures in languages other than English through its WashingtonLawHelp.org web site.  

EQUAL JUSTICE IN THE NEWS