The Neighborhood Legal Clinics (NLC) meet at a number of locations and provide King County residents with an opportunity to meet individually with a volunteer attorney for up to 30 minutes of free legal advice and consultation. The attorneys will not represent you in court or “take your case”. (If you wish to hire an attorney for representation, please contact Lawyer Referral Service at 206-267-7010.) NLC is open to all King County residents regardless of income. The clinics meet mostly in the evenings and provide advice on civil issues. ASL interpreters will be provided when requested. Foreign language interpreters will be provided pending availability of funds.

Columbia Legal Services (CLS) is a not for profit organization employing lawyers and legal workers who provide legal assistance to low-income and special needs people and organizations in Washington. CLS provides legal representation for eligible clients in a variety of arenas including advice and education, court proceedings, litigation and rulemaking before administrative agencies and legislative advocacy. CLS works closely with others throughout the state to provide a network of providers for those who cannot afford legal assistance.

206-464-5933

101 Yesler Way, Suite 300
Seattle, WA 98104

CCS is an outreach of the Catholic Church in Western Washington. It provides a broad spectrum of community services, including a Legal Action Center.

206-464-5933

101 Yesler Way, Suite 300
Seattle, WA 98104

www.ccsww.org

The ACLU works to extend rights to segments of our population that have traditionally been denied their rights, including Native Americans and other people of color; lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and trans-gendered people; women; mental-health patients; prisoners; people with disabilities; and the poor.

705 2nd Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104

Complaint line:
206-624-2180

Access to Justice (ATJ) provides access to the justice system for low-and-moderate income people. The Washington State Bar Association administers the ATJ Board.

206-398-4173
206-623-2551
888-201-1014

Lutheran Community Services (LCS) offers multiple programs to provide assistance to refugees through its Multicultural Community Services Seattle Office. These programs include a Reception & Placement Program to welcome refugees at the airport, arrange accommodations, provide food and furniture, and orient the refugees to daily life in their new home. Case managers—able to speak the refugee’s language—help newly-arrived refugees process paperwork and secure governmental assistance, enter employment programs, attend ESL classes, and generally find solutions to any problems that arise in the resettlement process; an Immigration Counseling and Advocacy Program (ICAP) to provide low-cost immigration counseling to Seattle’s refugee and immigrant populations. ICAP counsels refugees and immigrants about their rights and responsibilities pertaining to their immigration status, helps clients with all immigration forms and applications, and represents clients before the INS. ICAP staff also provides translation and interpretation services; public notary services; attorney referrals; immigration and passport photos; and fingerprinting services. In addition, ICAP engages in advocacy for the preservation of immigrants’ rights in the legal system at all levels of government; the Social Services Project provides social services to refugees who have resettled in the Puget Sound region. These services include free immigration assistance (especially green card applications after one year of residence), assistance in applying and qualifying for low income housing programs and advocacy for refugees with health clinics, public schools and other public and private agencies. The project also provide mental health counseling for families who may have difficulty adjusting to life in the US, and assist families in locating resources for childcare; the Holiday Gift Program, on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, LCS coordinates a gift giving program, in which the neediest refugee families can receive gifts of furniture, household items, clothing and food. Families let LCS know what their greatest needs are, and they find individuals, organizations, churches or businesses that are willing to provide these items in new or good condition.

Horn of Africa Services (HOAS) is a multi-lingual, multicultural nonprofit organization offering individual and family counseling and referral services. They respond to health, employment, housing and educational needs within communities from Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, and neighboring countries who are living in the Greater Seattle area. HOAS provides services by bilingual staff speaking in Amharic, Oromo, Tigrigna, and Somali.

Horn of Africa Services conducts 'Job Readiness' workshops, monthly legal clinics, and an annual gift giving program for needy families. In addition, Horn of Africa Services has successfully produced seven citizenship videos in four major East African languages to disseminate information and help prospective individuals prepare for U.S. naturalization testing. The organization has programs including information and referral, advocacy and counseling, citizenship classes, ESL, Outreach, a legal immigration clinic, job training and placement, youth services and an East African Self-reliance Project.