VLPs Win 2020 APEX Awards!

The Washington State Bar Association APEX — (Acknowledging Professional Excellence) — Awards honor exemplary members of the legal community, including legal professionals, judges, and members of the public.

In 2020 Thurston County Volunteer Legal Services and Clark County Volunteer Lawyers Program took home two of the eleven awards!

Thurston County Volunteer Legal Services (TCVLS) received the “Pro Bono Public Service Award.” TCVLS coordinates volunteer lawyers in Thurston, as well as Mason, Lewis, Grays Harbor, and Pacific counties. In 2019 TCVLS provided 1,550 consultations with 126 volunteer attorneys and another 43 pro-bono representations. The nomination application states that: “The staff and team of volunteer attorneys at TCVLS represent the best and the highest ideals of the legal profession. They give people who have virtually no resources, but who face serious legal challenges or needs, a fighting chance.”

Clark County Volunteer Lawyers Program received the “Legal Innovation Award” for their Latinx Legal Day.

The committee was impressed with the collaborative efforts made to hold a law clinic that creates a safe space specifically for the underserved Latinx community in Clark County. The Latinx Legal Day clinic has been held quarterly since 2016, and over 650 clients have been served. Latinx Legal Day is a collaborative effort between SW WA LULAC, YWCA Clark County, Latino Community Resource Group and Clark County Volunteer Lawyers Program.

Read more on the WSBA Website here: https://www.wsba.org/about-wsba/apex-awards