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    Washington

    The ABA Directory of Children's Law Programs is compilation of children's law programs across the country.

    Center for Children & Youth Justice

    Lawyers Fostering Independence (LFI)

    615 2nd Avenue, Suite 275
    Seattle, WA 98104
    Telephone: (206) 696-7503
    Website: https://ccyj.org/

    Does Not Use Volunteer Attorneys

    Since 2008, LFI has served the civil legal needs of youth and young adults aged 17-25, and is focused on serving youth who have experience in foster, group, or kinship care or who are or are at risk of being homeless. LFI currently operates out of King County (greater Seattle Area), Washington, but it is in the process of expanding throughout the state.

    LFI serves to address a multitude of civil legal barriers affecting its clients’ ability to obtain housing, employment and education (e.g., juvenile records, identity theft, public benefits, family law, credit/debt, landlord-tenant disputes). Prospective clients access LFI through one of its four monthly drop-in legal clinics held at local social service centers – e.g., homeless youth and youth service providers – or by calling to do intake by phone. Clients may also be referred to LFI through our extensive set of partnerships with service providers and/or governmental agencies. Clients’ issues will either be resolved by working directly with one of LFI’s two staff attorneys, one of our many volunteer attorneys, or they will be referred to one of LFI’s to another resource better suited to serve their needs.

    In addition to direct service, LFI provides know-your-rights presentations for young people participating with its social service partners. And LFI provides substantive training for its current and prospective volunteer attorneys, which includes training on trauma-informed representation.

    Children and Youth Advocacy Clinic

    University of Washington School of Law

    P.O. Box 85110
    Seattle, WA 98145-1110
    Telephone: (206) 543-3434
    Fax: (206) 685-2388
    Email: [email protected]
    Website: www.law.washington.edu/Clinics/Child

    100% Children's Law
    Could Use Volunteer Attorneys

    The Child Advocacy Clinic began in 1996 as a multidisciplinary program of the University of Washington schools of law, social work and medicine. The Clinic's primary focus is child advocacy and the development of a holistic legal program for children and youth. Twelve students take the class "Child Advocacy" in order to participate in the clinic, and with the supervision of one staff attorney and the assistance of students from other disciplines, they handle approximately 19 cases a year as both attorneys and guardians ad litem. The Clinic receives cases from juvenile court and from the CASA program. Although the Clinic does not currently utilize volunteer lawyers, they may be able to in the future and interested attorneys should contact the director. The Clinic does not accept calls from the public seeking legal information, however they do accept calls from children. The clinic has handled some impact litigation.

    The Clinic also provides a home for a Court Improvement Training Academy (CITA), beginning in 2008. CITA provides interdisciplinary training for judges, lawyers and other key players in the child welfare system, using an innovative, grassroots approach to local leadership known as the Tables of Ten.

    Children and Youth Project

    Columbia Legal Services

    101 Yesler Way, Ste 300
    Seattle, WA 98104
    Telephone: (206) 464-1122
    Website: https://columbialegal.org/advocacy-issues/

    The Children and Youth Project (CYP) works to improve opportunities for Washington's children and youth to have safe and stable families and homes, quality education, health care, and economic security. CYP is prioritizing its advocacy and focusing its resources in four main areas that affect thousands of children and youth in Washington state: Foster Care Conditions, Youth Homelessness, Access to Education, and Juvenile Records.

    National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association

    100 W. Harrison St.
    North Tower, Ste. 500
    Seattle, WA 98119
    Telephone: (800) 628-3233
    Website: www.nationalcasa.org

    The Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program began in 1977, when a Seattle Superior Court Judge named David Soukup was concerned about trying to make decisions on behalf of abused and neglected children without enough information. He conceived the idea of appointing community volunteers to speak up for the best interests of these children in court. He made a request for volunteers; 50 citizens responded, and that was the start of the CASA movement.

    The National CASA Association supports the growing number of CASA programs who are serving abused and neglected children in 50 states. CASA volunteers interview the child, parents, teachers, doctors and relatives to find the information necessary to help judges make more appropriate placement decisions – taking into account the special needs of each individual child.

    Street Youth Legal Advocates of Washington

    PO Box 95956
    Seattle, WA 98145
    Telephone: (206) 384-6378
    Fax: (206) 382-3386
    Website: www.sylaw.org

    95% Children's Law
    Does Use Volunteer Attorneys

    Street Youth Legal Advocates of Washington (SYLAW) began in 1996 through University of Washington law school and then became a non-profit organization. SYLAW primarily serves youth under 21 who are homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless. SYLAW's mission is to eradicate the civil legal barriers that homeless youth and youth at-risk of homelessness face which prevent them from becoming self-sufficient.

    SYLAW provides information and education to homeless and at-risk youth in the areas housing, education, employment, family law, consumer law, and public entitlements. SYLAW has several drop in clinics. SYLAW is currently without paid staff and is a volunteer-run program.

    Teamchild

    1225 S. Weller St., Ste. 420
    Seattle, WA 98144
    Telephone: (206) 322-2444
    Fax: (206) 381-1742
    Email: [email protected]
    Website: www.teamchild.org

    100% Children's Law
    Does Use Volunteer Attorneys

    TeamChild began in 1995 as a collaboration between the public defender and civil legal services. TeamChild addresses the underlying causes of juvenile delinquency by advocating for education, mental and medical health services, safe living situations and other supports. Attorneys and social workers in five different counties handle cases for children in the juvenile justice system in order to help them receive their basic rights to education, health care and other social services. The office utilizes volunteer attorneys, law students and other professionals. Trainings are provided as needed for mandatory CLE credit. Volunteer lawyers handle cases, assist with research, writing, trainings and fundraising. Volunteers handling cases are assigned a mentor to provide support and check in regarding cases. Lawyers who would like to volunteer should send a letter or an email to the director.

    Washington Medical-legal Partnership for Children

    4800 Sand Point Way NE
    Seattle, WA 98105
    Telephone: (206) 987-5942
    Email: [email protected]
    Website: http://www.washingtonmlp.org/

    The Washington Medical-Legal Partnership for Children was launched in 2008 through a partnership between Odessa Brown Children's Clinic, Harborview Children and Teens Clinic, and the Northwest Justice Project, with the support of Seattle Children's Hospital.

    Legal aid lawyers and pro bono lawyers address health related legal issues, the most prevalent of which are Education and Child Care; Family Law; Healthcare Insurance Issues; Immigration; Public Benefits; Other Income Supports Issues.