Vashon’s anti-domestic violence organization, the DoVE Project, recently expanded its services to offer a free legal clinic for survivors of domestic violence.
“Every person who contacts DoVE has a legal question, so this is important,” said DoVE’s director, Betsey Archambault. “It’s one of the top things that our clients ask about.”
The goal of the clinic is to provide legal guidance to those who need it in a private and safe environment. Archambault said that while there has been a monthly free legal clinic at the Vashon Senior Center for some time, DoVE clients haven’t been using it due to privacy concerns.
The new clinic, which was offered for the first time in November, will be held once a month for the time being, with an eye toward growing it if the nonprofit can bring more attorneys on board.
Getting the ball rolling for DoVE’s latest endeavor is attorney Tracy Reid.
Reid left a successful practice in Minnesota to move to Vashon late last summer. After starting her career with the Legal Aid Society, representing primarily victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, she and a colleague decided to set up their own practice in Minnesota.
Reid noted that 70 percent of family law litigants have no attorney because they can’t afford one.
“We went into business to represent that population, and the majority of that community was the domestic violence (DV) community,” she said.
When Reid moved to Vashon, she was quick to offer her services to help DoVE and its clients. At the first clinic last month, Reid said that every time slot was full.
Archambault noted that the new clinic has several attorneys lined up to volunteer their time, enough to hold at least one clinic per month for the next year. They’ll offer clients advice and direction, but won’t perform actual legal services.
“This isn’t about hiring a lawyer,” she said. “It’s giving our clients a chance to ask questions in an environment they can feel comfortable in.”
DoVE will also make advocates available to those who use the clinic, to help with follow up and next steps, as many clients find the process overwhelming.
Aside from volunteering her services once a month to DoVE, Reid has already started another law firm to serve low-income clients in need of a family law attorney. Called Affordable Law Office, the practice is based in Seattle, but Reid will also meet clients on Vashon.
The DoVE free legal clinic is held from 6 to 8 p.m. the third Tuesday of each month and is available by appointment only to DV survivors and existing DoVE clients. Appointments are 30 minutes long and can be made by contacting DoVE at thevashondoveproject@gmail.com or calling 462-0911. The next clinic will be on Tuesday, Dec. 16.
