Next week, the Access to Justice Board will honor a legal organization with a passion for expanding access to justice. The ATJ Board will present its inaugural Promoter of Justice Award to Chelan-Douglas County Volunteer Attorney Services (CDCVAS). Since 2002, the Wenatchee-based nonprofit has served as a hub for volunteers in the legal community, connecting them with clients with low income and other challenges to provide free legal services and walk-in clinics.
The award recognizes people and organizations advancing equity and justice in their local community with a commitment to race equity and a capacity for achieving workable unity through collaborations in their community.
The ATJ Board will present the award to CDCVAS’s staff–Executive Director Eloise Barshes, Legal Case Manager Emily Gale, and Outreach & HJP Coordinator Rosie Gudiño–on Thursday, March 12, during the Board’s Equity and Justice Mixer in Wenatchee. ( Updated as of March 9: This event has been cancelled.)
CDCVAS’s mission is to bridge the justice gap in its community by facilitating high quality, free civil legal services to people with low-income in Chelan and Douglas counties. It’s an active presence in the community with a variety of pro bono opportunities, including legal clinics at CDCVAS and other locations throughout Chelan and Douglas counties and weekly Housing Justice Project clinics at the courthouse. The organization engages volunteer legal professionals to take on full representation in pro bono cases.
The ATJ Board invites all those in the community dedicated to an inclusive and equitable justice system to join in celebrating Chelan-Douglas County Volunteer Attorney Services at its March 12 Equity and Justice Mixer in Wenatchee ( Updated as of March 9: This event has been cancelled). It’s also a great opportunity to connect with fellow legal professionals and community partners with mutual passions and learn about the Access to Justice Board; as well as the diversity, equity and inclusion work of the WSBA, the Latina/o Bar Association of Washington, and other organizations.
