Page 39 - Pierce County Lawyer - September October 2024

1980 – With the advent of the Reagan Administration, legal services organizations were substantially defunded, including the PSLAF, which lost three attorneys and five paralegals. In 1980 or 1981 the TPCBA launched a new pro bono program, called ‘Pro Bono Publico’. The program served approximately 200 clients in 1981. A newspaper article at that time quoted Howard Graham (then Executive Director of PSLAF) on the justice gap, stating that PSLAF received 250-300 calls each week for legal assistance, of which only 30 could be helped by PSLAF. It was hoped that the TPCBA Pro Bono Publico program could help fill the gap.
1982 – By 1982 there are records of a Committee for Legal Education program sponsored by the TPCBA Pro Bono Committee and the Puget Sound Legal Assistance Foundation. It is likely that PSLAF, the TPCBA, and possibly UPS Law School provided some funding and staffing for this pro
bono program. Among other things this program handled dissolution matters for low-income people. Volunteer participants included Michael Jordan, Martha Eller, Jennifer Schramm, Jan Levine, John Krilich, Terry McCarthy and Don Thompson. The King County Bar Association established its Volunteer Legal Services Program in 1982. By 1982, federal cuts to the Legal Services Corporation had shut down eight of fifteen legal services programs in Washington, amounting to a 50% loss of legal services attorneys.
1984 – The Washington State Supreme Court passed the IOLTA rule, establishing the Legal Foundation of Washington to administer IOLTA funds.
1984 – present – Stay tuned - coming in our next issue! Expanding Our (Out)Reach to
Prevent Homelessness
During 2024 Tacomaprobono Community Lawyers has continued to expand its regular outreach schedule to bring the legal office into the community and meet people where they are – the program now has 4 Resource Navigators working
to provide wraparound services to our clients facing housing insecurity and participating in outreach to communities
who would not otherwise have the opportunity to access our program’s services. Pictured from left at the Tacoma Rescue Mission’s main campus on South Tacoma Way are Resource Navigators Molly Golanka and Katee Myer, Communications Director Laurie Davenport and volunteer attorney Kerry Brink, who has been working with residents at Tacoma Rescue Mission for years – we thank Kerry for working with our program and TRM’s staff to bring this monthly clinic together! Curious about our Legal Aid Pop-Up schedule with Tacoma Libraries, Pierce County Libraries and community organizations like Tacoma Rescue Mission? The schedule is
always up to date on our home page at www.tacomaprobono. org. The pop-ups are first-come, first-served and require no appointments or screening.
RSVP for Pro Bono Night 2024 NOW –
Interested in becoming a sponsor? Contact laurie@ tacomaprobono.org for more information about this year’s sponsorship opportunities.
More about this year’s distinguished Pro Bono Night speaker, Vonda Sargent: Ms. Sargent is the proud recipient of the
2021 Excellence in the Law Award from the Loren Miller Bar Association. She has been recognized as a “Super Lawyer” every year since 2014. In 2018 the Washington Association
of Justice awarded Ms. Sargent the Carl Maxey Award. In
2017 she was inducted into the elite American Board of Trial Advocates. In 2007, Ms. Sargent graduated from the Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College where she is now an instructor. She has been an Adjunct Law Professor of Pre-Trial Advocacy at Seattle University School of Law and is a guest lecturer at the University of Washington School of Law. Ms. Sargent has been a King County District Court Judge Pro Tempore for several years. During law school Ms. Sargent was a member of the William B. Bryant American Inn of Court. She is a founding member of the William Dwyer’s Inns of Court where she also served as its President. Ms. Sargent is a frequent guest legal commentator on CourtTV. Come celebrate with us on 10/16!
Laurie Davenport is the Director of Development & Outreach for Tacomaprobono.
September/October 2024 | PIERCE COUNTY LAWYER 39