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Mission: Snohomish county legal services (scls)is a free legal aid program serving snohomish county residents experiencing poverty. Our staff, pro-bono attorneys and volunteers provide information, advice and legal representation to ensure meaningful access to justice regardless of individual barriers and needs. Each year, over 1,000 low income people in snohomish county receive help from the staff and volunteers of scls. Annually, volunteers give a total of over 2,500 hours of advice, pro se assistance and full legal representation.
Programs: Legal clinics - legal clinics are held weekly to provide low-income residents of snohomish county free, private appointments with an attorney. Legal advice, assistance and referrals to other community agencies, where appropriate, are offered during these appointments and by telephone.
direct representation and support - qualifying clients of the agency can obtain direct representation by volunteer attorneys before state and federal courts and administrative agencies. The attorneys and their own staff provide overall case management, including legal document preparation. Agency staff provide quality control. Full-time agency staff attorneys provide both legal representation for clients who are victims of domestic violence and non-family law legal services. A part-time staff attorney provides representation for clients with emergency evictions.
pro se assistance - participants in the divorce clinic receive assistance in completing a non-contested marriage dissolution. The agency offers classroom instruction, a forms manual, attorney services and assistance where necessary. Participants in the dove (domestic violence) project receive assistance with protection orders and protective parenting plans for minor children. A bankruptcy clinic has also been provided for clients needing those services.