myWSBA myWSBA

Every month there are 3,000 new foreclosure filings in Washington. Every day Washington residents are losing their homes. Every active lawyer in Washington can help preserve homes and neighborhoods. Sign up now!

The Need
The foreclosure crisis was slow to hit Washington State, but its impact has been staggering. Washington ranked 10th highest in the nation for total foreclosed properties in October 2010, up from a ranking of 24th highest in 2009. Western Washington has been hit especially hard. In the third quarter of 2010, this area registered the sharpest increase in foreclosure filings nationally — 71% — over the same period in 2009. There are now more than 5,000 new foreclosure filings every month in Washington. Washington lawyers can help alleviate this crisis by signing up to participate in the Home Foreclosure Legal Aid Project today.

A Call to Action and Service
A partnership of the Washington State Bar Association and the Northwest Justice Project, this statewide volunteer lawyer project provides an opportunity for lawyers to provide meaningful and much-needed assistance to homeowners in need. Participating lawyers can access free online training. Ongoing support from fellow members of the Bar who are experienced in housing and foreclosure matters are also be available. 
We have designed the project so that lawyers who want to volunteer can give a little or a lot of time. We want to make it as easy as possible for lawyers to be of service to their communities, and fulfill aspirational pro bono obligations. Lawyers are in a unique position to serve and make a difference.


The Results
Since the Home Foreclosure Legal Aid Project began recruiting lawyers in May 2009 and accepting clients in June 2009, staff and pro bono attorneys provided assistance with 544 cases which impacted 1091 adults and 612 children. These efforts resulted in more than $12.6 million in property value preserved and more than $1.2 million in equity saved. Thanks to a generous cy pres grant from the Washington Attorney General, the project has expanded and will continue to serve Washington homeowners through June 2013.

How to Get Started
If you a lawyer licensed in Washington all you need to do is fill out the online volunteer form below. To access our free online CLE and training materials click on the link below.
We also recommend reading through our Frequently Asked Questions and our e-newsletter archives to get sense of what’s involved in volunteering. If you have additional questions please feel free to contact Catherine Brown, at (206) 733-5905 or email catherineb@wsba.org.

Volunteer Form for Lawyers

Training Videos and Resources

Foreclosure Prevention Online Resources

Archived Project Newsletters

More Information for Lawyers