Page 39 - Pierce County Lawyer - July August 2025

PRO BONO NIGHT PRO BONO NIGHT
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2025
5-7 p.m. - Tacoma Art Museum
Pat Demarco - Assistant Attorney General (retired),
Washington State/Volunteer attorney with
Tacomaprobono Community Lawyers
A graduate of UPS Law School, Pat DeMarco recently
retired after 35 years as an Assistant Attorney General
for the State of Washington; during her distinguished
career she worked in corrections and workers’
compensation. She has been a strong supporter of
Tacomaprobono Community Lawyers for many years
and has served as a board member for the Tacoma-
Pierce County Bar Foundation, the predecessor to our
current non-profit organization. When she retired, Pat
made it her mission to keep working but vowed to do
that work for Tacomaprobono as a volunteer. She has
more than made good on her promise, volunteering
regularly for the Volunteer Legal Program’s Third
Thursday Family Law Day and General Law Clinic.
As a resident of Key Peninsula, she is a cornerstone of
our twice-monthly visits to community organizations
on the Peninsula which bring legal aid to one of the
most isolated areas of our county; she thoroughly
enjoys and appreciates the challenges and rewards of
this work and the vital role our organization plays in
providing essential services to the most vulnerable in
our community.
Ash Meer - Nexus Legal Counsel, Attorney
Ash is a passionate advocate for justice with a unique
background in storytelling, design, and trial advocacy.
He earned his J.D. from Seattle University School
of Law, where he focused on plaintiff-side litigation
and access to justice. During law school, Ash gained
hands-on legal experience at the Attorney General’s
Office (Torts Division), the Northwest Justice Project,
Tacomaprobono’s Housing Justice Project, Connelly
Law, and Schauermann Thayer. He was president of
the Middle Eastern and South Asian Law Students
Association and was awarded a Washington State
Association for Justice Summer Fellowship for his
dedication to client-centered advocacy.
Before becoming an attorney, Ash had a 25-year career
in advertising and media, working as an animator,
designer, and director across the U.S., Europe, and Asia.
Ash holds a B.A. in Philosophy from Emory University
and has pursued graduate studies at Temple University,
American University, and the Atlanta College of Art.
Ash’s media work has been featured at the Whitney
Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, and film festivals
around the world. He also contributed graphic design
to 99%: The Occupy Wall Street Collaborative Film,
which premiered on HBO. Just before entering law
school, Ash completed editorial work on a feature
documentary about Seattle artist Charles Krafft.
Sponsorship opportunities are available! Pro Bono Night is a free
informal annual event featuring food, drink and great company.
A short program will include volunteer recognition, inspirational
remarks and opportunities to donate to support our work.
Approximately 150 attendees from the legal, business, government
and nonprofit communities will appreciate your commitment to
equal justice and support of our mission as a sponsor.
Contact Communications Director Laurie Davenport, laurie@
tacomaprobono.org, to get your name on the event early for
maximum marketing effect. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
Consider becoming a volunteer and working directly with our
clients! You can join others in participating in existing clinics or
develop your own volunteer opportunity – we will support you.
Contact Melissa Wolkenhauer, Manager, Volunteer Legal Program:
melissaw@tacomaprobono.org.
Contact information for Tacomaprobono
Community Lawyers:
Melisa Evangelos, Executive Director/CEO:
mevangelos@tacomaprobono.org
Laurie Davenport, Communications Director:
laurie@tacomaprobono.org
Melissa Wolkenhauer, Manager, Volunteer
Legal Program: melissaw@tacomaprobono.org
J u l y /A u g u s t 2 0 2 5 | P I E R C E C O U N T Y L A W Y E R 3 9