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The legal process can be confusing and often intimidating for anyone. Unfortunately, the realities and results of military service can sometimes create additional barriers to accessing our justice system.
The Attorney General’s Office of Military and Veteran Legal Assistance was created for the purposes of promoting and facilitating civil legal assistance programs, pro bono services, and self-help services for military service members, Veterans, and their families. As part of its efforts, the Office of Military and Veteran Legal Assistance identifies programs and maintains the following registry so that military service members and Veterans have a single source of information about the various legal assistance resources uniquely available to them.
More specifically, below you will find:
The Attorney General’s Office of Military and Veteran Legal Assistance can connect volunteer attorneys and civil legal assistance programs to qualifying military service members and veterans who need help with select civil legal issues. You can request help using the button below.
Legal Service Providers & Programs
| WA Attorney General’s Office of Military & Veteran Legal Assistance |
| www.atg.wa.gov/veteran-and-military-resources |
| The Attorney General’s Office of Military and Veteran Legal Assistance works to recruit and train volunteer attorneys to help Washington’s military service members and Veterans. Through the office’s M.E.D.A.L. Program, the office can connect military service members, including members of the Guard and Reserve, to volunteer attorneys willing to help with select civil legal issues. |
| To seek help: Military service members should first contact the nearest military legal assistance office in Washington State, which can connect military personnel to application materials. |
| Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program |
| http://legalassistance.law.af.mil |
| For military personnel and their families, the Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program serves as a source of legal information, including free legal services and attorney advice. Each branch of the Armed Forces has specific regulations explaining the legal services they provide. Specific services may vary by installation based on available resources and expertise of the legal assistance attorneys. |
| To seek help: Use the link above to locate the nearest legal assistance office and its contact information. |
| Northwest Justice Project - Veterans Project |
| www.nwjustice.org/veterans |
| Northwest Justice Project (NJP), a statewide legal aid program, provides free legal assistance and representation to financially eligible individuals facing certain civil legal problems. NJP has a Veterans Project offering services focused towards the needs of Veterans. |
| To seek help: If you live in King County, call the King County Veterans Program at (206) 263-8387 and ask for an appointment with an NJP attorney. If you live outside King County, you may apply by calling the CLEAR hotline at 1-888-201-1014 (M-F 9:15 am to 12:15 pm) or by using the online application. |
| Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association |
| https://tacomaprobono.org/clinics/ |
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The Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association's Volunteer Legal Services Program offers help to Veterans, active military service members, and their families through three regular legal clinics:
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| To seek help: Call 253-572-5134 or email vls@tacomaprobono.org. |
| Washington State Veterans Bar Association |
| www.wsvba.org |
| The Washington State Veterans Bar Association (WSVBA) is a professional association of attorneys and law students who are Veterans. WSVBA advocates for the legal needs and interests of Washington Veterans. |
| To seek help: Contact the WSBVA to seek civil legal assistance online at www.wsbva.org/contact-us. |
| National Veterans Legal Services Program |
| www.nvlsp.org |
| The National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP) offers pro bono legal help to Veterans with proceedings before military administrative discharge boards, military medical and physical disability evaluation boards, military discharge review agencies, VA regional offices, the Board of Veterans' Appeals, and the courts that review the decisions of these agencies. |
| To seek help: Complete an online questionnaire to determine if NVLSP can offer assistance that is available at www.nvlsp.org/what-we-do/lawyers-serving-warriors. |
| The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program |
| www.vetsprobono.org |
| The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program provides free legal representation to eligible unrepresented Veterans on their appeals to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, and also offers assistance with discharge upgrades. |
| To seek help: Use the following link to apply for services: www.vetsprobono.org/apply. |
*Note:
While the Attorney General's Office works to connect members of the public to legal assistance, state law otherwise generally prohibits the Attorney General's Office from representing private individuals in court, whether it is to bring an action on behalf of a private individual or to defend a private individual. Similarly, while the office may answer questions of a general nature, the office is not authorized to provide direct legal advice to individuals on personal matters.
Persons needing legal representation should consult a private attorney, potentially accessed through the providers and programs listed above. If you need to talk with an lawyer but do not know an attorney in your area, you may access the Washington State Bar Association's (WSBA) Lawyer Directory to search by city. WSBA's website also include information on lawyer referral services and a reduced-fee legal help program.
While the Attorney General's Office works to connect members of the public to legal assistance, state law otherwise generally prohibits the Attorney General's Office from representing private individuals in court, whether it is to bring an action on behalf of a private individual or to defend a private individual. Similarly, while the office may answer questions of a general nature, the office is not authorized to provide direct legal advice to individuals on personal matters.
Persons needing legal representation should consult a private attorney, potentially accessed through the providers and programs listed above. If you need to talk with an lawyer but do not know an attorney in your area, you may access the Washington State Bar Association's (WSBA) Lawyer Directory to search by city. WSBA's website also include information on lawyer referral services and a reduced-fee legal help program.
Legal Information Resources
| RepWAVets.org |
| www.RepWAVets.org |
| RepWAVets.org is Northwest Justice Project’s legal information resource for Veterans and advocates, offering important information about how best to help Veterans and guidance in navigating the federal bureaucracy. |
| WashingtonLawHelp.org |
| www.washingtonlawhelp.org/issues/veterans-military |
| WashingtonLawHelp.org is an online guide providing basic information on a number of legal issues, including information specific to military service members and Veterans. In some cases, it also offers detailed instructions and forms to help Washington residents represent themselves in court. |
| Stateside Legal |
| www.statesidelegal.org |
| Stateside Legal provides legal information, including interactive forms and videos, and self-help tools for service members, Veterans, and their families. |
| Home Front (American Bar Association) |
| www.americanbar.org/groups/legal_services/milvets/aba_home_front/ |
| The American Bar Association's Home Front is an online resource to help military service members, Veterans, and their families find information about a variety of legal issues. It also features a national directory of resources and programs for military families. |
| Swords to Plowshares |
| www.swords-to-plowshares.org/guides |
| Swords to Plowshares is a California-based nonprofit focused on serving Veterans that publishes self-help guides on a number of legal issues. |
| Legal Checkup™ |
| veteranslegalcheckup.com |
| Created in partnership with the American Bar Association and others, Legal Checkup™ is a free online tool for Veterans to help them identify legal needs and offers suggestions for paths to resolving those issues. |
| Service Members Law Center |
| www.roa.org/page/lawcenter |
| The Service Members Law Center provides resources, links and information on the laws governing the relationship between service members in the Reserve components and their civilian employers. |
*Note:
The Attorney General's Office strives to keep the information above as accurate and up to date as possible. If you have questions or suggestions, please contact the Pro Bono Manager of the Attorney General's Office of Military and Veteran Legal Assistance by using the online contact form or by calling 206-464-6431.
The Attorney General's Office strives to keep the information above as accurate and up to date as possible. If you have questions or suggestions, please contact the Pro Bono Manager of the Attorney General's Office of Military and Veteran Legal Assistance by using the online contact form or by calling 206-464-6431.