Agency Details:

Legal Voice

Legal Voice secures and protects women's legal rights. Our drive for justice improves the lives of mothers, daughters, aunts, sisters, nieces & grandmothers in our region. A vital, active force in the community, we make substantive, lasting changes through legislation, self-help resources and litigation with a far-reaching public impact.

Description:
Legal Voice is the only organization in the Northwest providing broad-based legal advocacy services on virtually every issue that affects women. We operate throughout WA, OR, AK, ID and MT. Legal Voice has three programs: Self Help, Impact Litigation, and Legislative Advocacy. We rely on the commitment of a large corps of dedicated volunteers and a small staff to accomplish our mission.

The Legal Voice Self Help Program assists the ever-increasing number of low-income women who cannot find legal representation in matters critically affecting them and their families. Almost two-thirds of our callers fall into this category: of the rest, we are able to refer some to attorneys and help some resolve their issues informally. Primarily, we focus on practical one-on-one assistance to women who may not be able to find full representation. The program is implemented by our Lead Paralegal and a Self Help Committee.

Legal Voice's Impact Litigation Program covers a wide range of issues affecting women and girls throughout the Northwest. Legal Voice staff attorneys, along with our Policy Workgroups and numerous partners, coordinate efforts to provide representation in cases raising important women's rights issues both as counsel and as amicus curiae (friend of the court). Our staff attorneys also provide technical support and legal advice to countless attorneys and organizations advocating on behalf of women's rights. While these cases do not appear on our case docket, they allow Legal Voice to share its expertise, leverage its resources and multiply the number of women helped each year.

The Legislative Advocacy Program responds to proposed legislation at both the state and federal levels. Legal voice's lobbyist, staff attorneys, and Policy Workgroups work with coalition partners around Washington State and the other four northwestern states to defeat harmful bills and support those that would help women and their children.

History:
Legal Voice was founded as the Northwest Women's Law Center in 1978 to advance legal rights for women. Our first case was a Title IX case: Blair v. Washington State University, to require equity in athletic opportunities for women. In the 25 years since that first case, Legal Voice has been involved in groundbreaking lawsuits and legislation in family law, relationship recognition, reproductive freedom, education discrimination and domestic violence.

Contact people:

Volunteer Coordinator, Volunteer Coordinator, (phone), (email) Kelli Maguire, Director of Administration and Events, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (206) 682-9556

Address:

907 Pine Street, Suite 500 Seattle, WA 98101-1818 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.nwwlc.org

Directions:

From I-5 South: Take the Stewart St exit 166 to Denny Way Continue straight on Stewart St to 9th Turn left on 9th There are parking lots on your the left on 9th The entrance is to the left of the main Paramount theater. . . (more)   Nearest Bus Stop: http://transit.metrokc.gov/

Miscellaneous Information

Liability
	No
Does your organization welcome court-ordered community service volunteers?
	Yes
Does your organization have volunteer positions for youth 12-18?
	No

Last updated on April 1, 2009