Without equal access to the law, our system deprives the poor of their only protection and gives those who can afford representation one of the most powerful tools ever invented. Unlike in criminal matters, there is no constitutional right to counsel in civil cases. Without civil legal help, too many domestic abuse victims don’t find safety, predatory lenders increase bankruptcy and homelessness, illegal evictions cause families to move from place to place—all of which create greater demands on limited private and governmental services.
 
Washington attorneys are providing a solution. Legal aid programs and local bar associations statewide united to create the Campaign for Equal Justice, an annual giving drive benefiting all of our state’s legal aid programs that gives each of us the opportunity to make legal aid available to those in need.

Amidst the unprecedented funding crisis for legal aid programs statewide, exceptional leadership and teamwork in our community is helping provide relief to families in our state struggling with the impact of the economic crisis. The swift and coordinated response to the recession by the Washington State Bar Association and its members, the legal aid community, Campaign for Equal Justice supporters, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is helping meet the urgent legal needs of thousands more of our most vulnerable neighbors during this difficult time.