| Last updated on July 24, 2007 |
Washington Appleseed Center for Law in the Public Interest is the local chapter of the non-partisan, non-profit Appleseed Foundation, an organization made up of a network of public interest law centers working to identify and address injustices in their communities.
Description:
Washington Appleseed works to build a just society through education, legal advocacy, community activism and policy expertise, addressing root causes and producing practical solutions. As one of the nation's largest legal pro bono networks, Appleseed Centers work both independently and collectively, bringing their own experiences to create local solutions that are nationally relevant. We connect the top private practice lawyers, corporate counsel, law schools, civic leaders and other professionals to tackle problems locally, at their root cause.
History:
In 2004, the national Appleseed Foundation approached major law firms in Washington State about founding a local chapter. The founding board of directors accepted control of the nonprofit on June 6, 2005. The new Washington State chapter of the Appleseed Foundation shares the national mission, promoting systemic policy change, using the joint power of citizen advocates and pro bono attorneys.
The Board of Directors is currently comprised of representatives of major law firms, the public sector and lawyer-activists with strong public policy experience. Sue Donaldson serves as executive director. The board is being expanded to increase major law firm representation and to broaden ethnic and occupational diversity. While the scope is state-wide, the start-up effort focuses on Puget Sound (King County). Local objectives and strategies are as follows:
LOCAL OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES: Washington State has a history of outstanding efforts to increase legal services to indigent or underrepresented populations and of social policy reform. Washington Appleseed works in ways that are supportive of existing legal services providers, focusing on policy solutions to local social and civic problems. By changing the policy environment, we hope to reduce the need for legal services in some sectors.
Appleseed chapters are also focused on finding new ways for attorneys to participate in pro bono work. The changing nature of legal practice, and the continued move toward more specialization, means that many attorneys continue to have difficulty in finding meaningful pro bono work that meshes with their work schedules. We work with major law firms to find pro bono work that not only adds social value but also meets the needs of today's attorneys. We also hope to raise the profile of law and policy as mechanisms for social justice.
Contact people:
Address:
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1900 N. Northlake Way, Suite 215
Seattle, WA 98107
This location is NOT handicap accessible
(See a map) |
Web Site: http://www.waappleseed.org
Miscellaneous Information
| Liability |
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Yes
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| Does your organization welcome court-ordered community service volunteers? |
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No
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| Does your organization have volunteer positions for youth 12-18? |
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No
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