FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 10, 2009         

Judith Berrett
Director of Member and Community Relations
206-727-8212; judithb@wsba.org

Free Legal Services for Low-Income Storm Victims; Washington Lawyers Activate Hotline

(SEATTLE) — A toll-free legal aid line is now available for victims of recent storms in Washington. The service, which allows callers to request the assistance of a lawyer, is a partnership involving the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA), the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, and the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA).

Storm victims needing legal assistance are advised to call the Disaster Legal Services line toll-free at 1-866-519-7099 and leave a message. Lawyers willing to volunteer legal services for storm victims should also call the hotline.  

WSBA staff will monitor the line daily. A volunteer lawyer will contact the caller to gather more information, and match storm victims with volunteer attorneys. The WSBA activated the hotline following a federal major disaster declaration (FEMA-1817-DR) in Benton, Clallam, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, King, Kittitas, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston, Wahkiakum, and Whatcom counties.

In the aftermath of the December 2007 storms and floods, WSBA volunteer attorneys successfully assisted more than 100 individuals and families – primarily resolving renters' insurance matters, and legal issues involving businesses destroyed in the storm.

Legal Assistance Available
The type of legal assistance available includes:

• Assistance with securing FEMA and other government benefits available to disaster victims.
• Assistance with life, medical, and property insurance claims.
• Help with home repair contracts and contractors.
• Replacement of wills and other important legal documents destroyed in the disaster.
• Assisting in consumer-protection matters, remedies, and procedures.
• Counseling on mortgage-foreclosure problems.
• Counseling on landlord/tenant problems.
• Help with home repair contracts and contractors.
• Preparing powers of attorney.
• Help with guardianship and other similar legal papers.

FEMA's Disaster Assistance for Individuals Program
FEMA's Disaster Assistance for Individuals Program can help eligible applicants with temporary housing assistance; uninsured personal property; medical, dental, and funeral expenses caused by the disaster; and other serious unmet needs. Those who suffered serious damage from the storms are encouraged to register by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the hearing or speech-impaired from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week, or to register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov. Washington-specific information, including the locations of Disaster Recovery Centers, is available at www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=47378. Information is also available on the Washington Law Help website.

Background
When the U.S. President declares a major disaster, FEMA, in cooperation with the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, establishes a toll-free number for disaster victims to request legal assistance. Funding for the toll-free line comes from FEMA under the authority of Section 415 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Public Law 100-707). The American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division in turn partners with state bar associations and other legal organizations to recruit volunteer lawyers in affected areas to handle victims' cases. Victims should be aware that there are some limitations on disaster legal services available.

Partnership Members
The following organizations have joined forces to establish a toll-free phone line for Washington storm victims to request free legal assistance, and to provide volunteer attorneys to handle cases arising from recent storm damage.
 
American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division (ABA YLD). The American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, composed of approximately 147,000 members, is the home of young lawyers. The Division is committed to assuring that the legal profession reflects the society it serves and to providing the tools and opportunities that young lawyers need to succeed both professionally and personally.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror. Through an agreement with the American Bar Association, FEMA underwrites the cost of operating toll free legal assistance lines for victims in areas designated as federal disaster sites.

Washington State Bar Association (WSBA). The WSBA is part of the judicial branch, exercising a governmental function authorized by the Washington State Supreme Court to license the state's 32,700 lawyers. The WSBA both regulates lawyers under the authority of the Court and serves its members as a professional association – all without public funding. As a regulatory agency, the WSBA administers the bar admission process, including the bar exam; provides record-keeping and licensing functions; and administers the lawyer-discipline system. As a professional association, the WSBA provides continuing legal education for attorneys, in addition to numerous other educational and member-service activities.

The governance of the WSBA is vested in its Board of Governors. There are three governors from the seventh congressional district; one from each of the other eight districts; and three at-large, one of whom represents the Young Lawyers Division. The president is Mark A. Johnson, of Seattle. The president-elect is Salvador A. Mungia, of Tacoma, and the immediate past-president is Stanley A. Bastian, of Wenatchee. The Board meets regularly (every six weeks) at various locations around the state, and its meetings are open to the public. Much of the work of the Bar is carried out through its numerous standing committees, 27 sections, and a Young Lawyers Division with its many committees.

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