Statewide Moderate Means Program Now Accepting Applications
The Statewide Moderate Means Program (MMP) is a joint venture between the Washington State Bar Association and the three Washington State law schools with Seattle University School of Law launching it this semester. The goal of the program is to increase access to civil legal services by people of moderate means who cannot afford an attorney but make too much money to qualify for traditional legal aid services. The program will focus on the areas of Family, Housing and Consumer law.
Law students serving as MMP volunteer interns will interview potential clients by telephone to collect information and evaluate their cases. Qualifying cases will be referred by the MMP interns to participating attorneys who have agreed to represent MMP clients for a reduced fee.
Benefits to students:
- Hands-on experience interviewing clients
- Training in substantive legal issues and issue-spotting
- Instruction on how to use the Legal Server database, which is used by most of the civil legal aid organizations in Washington State as well as the SU Law Clinics
- Supervision and mentoring by experienced attorneys
- Possible opportunities to work with MMP attorneys on cases they have referred (e.g., research)
- Satisfaction of helping moderate income individuals who otherwise might not receive any legal help at all
Application: You may apply to be an MMP intern by submitting a resume and cover letter to Clay Wilson, MMP Attorney at ATJI at wilsoncl@seattleu.edu no later than Monday, January 24, 2011. Five to ten interns will be selected to start in mid-February. For more information, click here.
Training: Anyone interested in the Moderate Means Program should plan to attend all of the following trainings on substantive civil legal issues. Others may also attend the trainings as room permits. These trainings will be presented by practitioners and are intended as practical introductions to the areas of law that the Moderate Means Program will focus on.
All trainings will be held in Room 110. If you wish to attend a training session, please RSVP to Clay Wilson at wilsoncl@seattleu.edu. All trainings will be videotaped and available to watch on Media Law.
Friday, January 21
Residential Evictions 10 AM to Noon
Mark Chattin: Legal Action Center, SU Law Adjunct
Residential Foreclosures 1 PM to 3 PM
Rory O’Sullivan: Northwest Justice Project, SU Law Adjunct
Friday, January 28
Divorce in Washington State 10 AM to Noon
Leslie Savina: Northwest Justice Project
Friday, February 4
Domestic Violence 10 AM to Noon
Leslie Savina: Northwest Justice Project
Friday, February 11
Debt Collection and Bankruptcy 10 AM to Noon
Fred Corbit: Northwest Justice Project
