LegalEase: From family court to wills, pro bono lawyers provide legal aid for low-income residents

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, September 10, 2025

Many people find themselves needing an attorney at one point in their lives. Whether it’s for a will or for a custody dispute, a lawyer’s assistance can mean so much and have a huge impact on the success of a case.

In Clallam and Jefferson counties, we have a volunteer lawyer program. Area attorneys offer consultations to low-income individuals who would otherwise have no legal advice for their civil cases, which include: family law, landlord/tenant, wills and estates, domestic violence, and bankruptcy.

Our mission: Clallam-Jefferson County Pro Bono Lawyers is committed to ensuring access to justice for low-income residents by providing civil legal aid through volunteer attorneys. Our goal is to provide equitable representation to those in need, without cost, and to promote the belief that justice should be accessible to all.

How does it work? Most commonly, clients are referred to Clallam-Jefferson County Pro Bono Lawyers (CJCPBL) after completing a screening through the Northwest Justice Project’s CLEAR line. A screening consists of a brief interview about the client’s potential legal case. CLEAR will ask about the details of the case and if there are any hearings scheduled. Sometimes the CLEAR representative can offer legal advice over the phone.

CLEAR will also ask the client about their financial situation. CJCPBL clients must have an annual income under the federal poverty guidelines to receive services. If the person qualifies for legal aid, they are referred either to the local office of the Northwest Justice Project in Port Angeles or to CJCPBL. The two agencies often have an overlap of clientele. And at times, the Northwest Justice Project helps out with CJCPBL clients, offering them representation when possible.

Volunteer attorneys offer a one-time consultation. They will review paperwork and give legal advice.

Sometimes they will write letters on a client’s behalf. Other times, attorneys help clients prepare their will and advanced directives.

Other ways to get help from CJCPBL include legal aid clinics that are held throughout the year. Some clinics are specialized, landlord-tenant clinics or the ever popular wills/estate clinics. We offer services and clinics in both Jefferson and Clallam Counties. Press releases are sent out to local newspapers, radio stations, and posted on social media. Clinics fill up fast!

Legal aid clinics

What happens at a legal aid clinic? We do our best to ensure that each person who signs up is able to talk with an attorney one-on-one. This can be in person or by telephone. Some attorneys offer consultations via Zoom. We ask that clinic attendees complete a brief intake so we can match their needs with the best-suited volunteer. For example, we match a person with a probate question with an attorney who specializes in wills and estates.

For the past few years, we have been fortunate enough to have a staff attorney who helps people with all of their pre-eviction issues. Ted Howard has been a fabulous addition to our pro bono team. He assists clients with basic questions about their lease to help answer a pay or vacate notice, and everything in between.

Help with family court

Another integral part of our team is the Clallam County family court facilitator, which is offered to the community through a joint effort between Clallam County and CJCPBL. The current facilitator, Maria Malkasian, works with people going through divorce, custody issues, and other family law issues. Maria is not an attorney and cannot give legal advice. She helps people complete paperwork and explains the court process, both of which can be intimidating.

Expungement

It’s important to note that we do not offer assistance in criminal cases. Those seeking assistance with criminal matters are referred to the Public Defender’s office or to the private bar.

With the aid of the Public Defender’s office, our agency has assisted clients who qualify in having their records expunged, and sometimes getting their legal financial obligations reduced or waived. The courts have very strict rules on qualifying for criminal record expungement. Having one’s record expunged is helpful in getting housed and employed.

If you are seeking legal assistance, the best way to get connected is to contact our Port Angeles office. The phone number is 360-504-2422. The CLEAR line can be reached at 1-888-201-1014, Monday through Friday from 9:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

If you have an immediate need for help with an eviction, the Northwest Justice Project has the Eviction Defense Screening Line, which is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

We welcome new volunteers! If you are an attorney licensed in the state of Washington and would like to assist clients, please reach out to CJCPBL. We are grateful to the many volunteers we currently have who give their time, energy, and expertise. Truly, they are all local heroes.

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Mary Margolis has been the program assistant for Clallam-Jefferson County Pro Bono Lawyers (CJCPBL) since 2018. She assists clients by matching them with volunteer attorneys, advising clients of local resources, and listening to clients in crisis.