This is a public event and will include a short program. Attendees will learn about the importance of civil legal aid from Washington State Supreme Court Justice Barbara Madsen, Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Lindquist, and Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) attorney Camila Maturna.

If someone cannot afford an attorney in a criminal case, our Constitution mandates one is provided to them. But in civil cases, there is no constitutional requirement for legal assistance. Civil legal aid serves low-income families with issues such as domestic violence, wrongful eviction, wrongful termination, insurmountable healthcare debt, consumer fraud cases, and helps veterans, seniors, and people with a disability access necessary assistance.

Proceeds from the event benefit Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Volunteer Legal Services Program, NWIRP, TeamChild, and the Legal Foundation of Washington’s Campaign for Equal Justice. The Campaign for Equal Justice funds civil legal aid for low-income families in Pierce County and statewide. Last year, the Legal Foundation made grants to more than 30 nonprofit legal aid providers in our state and funded legal aid for 30,000 low-income families.

Campaign for Equal Justice is our state’s only coordinated, annual fund drive for civil legal aid, and the fundraising arm of the Legal Foundation of Washington. For more information, visit legalfoundation.org/the-campaign-for-equal-justice/.