This page includes local and national resources to assist legal aid providers and other partners as they respond to our rapidly changing community needs in response to COVID-19. We will update this page regularly as we identify resources. If you have a resource to list here that will be beneficial to Alliance for Equal Justice providers, please email atj@wsba.org.

To find upcoming events and trainings regarding legal aid’s response to COVID-19, visit the Alliance events calendar here and select the event type “Covid-19 Legal Aid Response.”

If you are an individual seeking legal advice or representation, please see our “Get Legal Help” page here.

Covid-19 Legal Needs Checklist

The Covid-19 Legal Needs Checklist is an easy-to-navigate form to help people identify problems where they could benefit from the assistance of a lawyer, and could be utilized by members of our community don’t have ready access to technology. The checklist is available in the languages below.

• Nepali
• Oromo
• Portuguese
• Punjabi
• Russian
• Samoan
• Spanish
• Swahili
• Tagalog
• Tamil
• Telugu
• Thai
• Ukrainian
• Urdu
• Vietnamese
• Somali

Webinars and Trainings

Adaptive Leadership Series: Nimble Leadership for Uncertain Times (free webinar series)

JustLead Washington, Majors Leadership, and Reverb DEI are offering a free, virtual Adaptive Leadership Workshop Series, created to support equity and justice organizations with resources and tools to navigate COVID-19 times of volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. Visit JustLead Washington’s on demand webinars page to find this leadership series as well as other relevant leadership trainings.

Stay in touch, virtually, with JustLead Washington and the Washington Race Equity and Justice Initiative through their recently launched blog here.

Remote Working for Legal Services in Washington

The Legal Foundation of Washington hosted this webinar on providing legal services remotely.

Eviction Defense for Volunteer Lawyer Programs and Housing Justice Projects

View the recorded Eviction Defense CLE, which was presented in collaboration with the Pro Bono Council and Northwest Justice Project.

Resources from the Alliance for Equal Justice

Washington State Bar Association

The Washington State Bar Association’s COVID-19 resource page is updated frequently with resources, information, and tools to offer support and assistance to attorneys as they navigate these changing times. Resources include member support, law firm management, and the Practicing During a Pandemic CLE webinar series. The CLE recently included Unemployment and COVID-19: What You Need to Know, which will be available for free through the Public Service Library.

Washington State Pro Bono Opportunities

The Washington State Bar Association is also developing a list of pro-bono opportunities arising out of the coronavirus pandemic and consequential economic impacts. Check back for updates as the WSBA will update this list as they learn of additional resources.

WALawHelp COVID-19 Response

WALawHelp provides legal resources to individuals who cannot afford a lawyer. The website is updated regularly with information to assist low-income people addressing legal problems because of COVID-19.

Northwest Health Law Advocates (NoHLA) COVID-19 resources for Health Care Access in Washington State

NoHLA is maintaining a webpage with available resources for coronavirus-related health expenses and other resources.

Benefits Information for People without Immigration Status

Columbia Legal Services has developed a resource on benefits, specifically for people who lack U.S. immigration status and do not have access to other aid programs. It can be viewed in English and in Spanish.

Legal Voice COVID-19 Resource List

Legal Voice has developed a comprehensive list of resources and advocacy efforts to support each other and our communities as we navigate these uncertain and challenging times together. You’ll find links to information on reproductive health care, gender-based violence, economic justice, LGBTQ+ communities, and Racial Discrimination, Racial Disparities, and Community Power.

The Northwest Consumer Law Center

NWCLC is continuing its webinar series: How to Survive the Financial Impacts of COVID-19. Each Wednesday at 6 p.m., they will host free webinars for the public on different consumer protection issues. NWCLC is regularly updating their COVID-19 resource webpage and Facebook page as each week’s topics are announced. The webinars will be recorded and posted on our website afterwards.

Legal Foundation of Washington COVID-19 Resource Page

The Legal Foundation of Washington’s COVID-19 resource page includes information on how you can financially support legal aid during this pandemic as well the latest news on how the legal aid community is responding.

Office of Civil Legal Aid – Volunteer Opportunity for COVID-19 Unemployment Insurance Claims

OCLA seeks to recruit up to 100 attorneys willing and able to accept a minimum of 20 claimant referrals between May 15, 2020 and June 30, 2020. Because UI appeals are conducted telephonically, these cases offer excellent opportunities for remote lawyering. Cases will be screened prior to referral; the substantive law and legal processes are relatively uncomplicated; cases do not require extensive amounts of attorney time; and excellent training and support resources have been developed. Learn more and volunteer here.

Communities Rise

Communities Rise fosters movements to build power in communities impacted by systemic oppression. To create an equitable system, we pursue cross-sector collaboration, and provide capacity building and legal services for community organizations and microenterprises. Communities Rise is providing a range of resources and support for organizations and small businesses during the COVID-19 crisis.

Legal Counsel for Youth and Children (LCYC) COVID-19 Resources

LCYC has COVID-19 resources and information, including resources specific to King County and Walla Walla County.

Eastside Legal Assistance Program

As a response to current events with Covid-19, ELAP is now conducting weekly webinars. Please see ELAP’s page (www.elap.org/webinars) for the recordings of these webinars, along with transcripts and further resources. If you are interested in a particular topic, please email Chris Lovings – ELAP’s Community Engagement Manager – at chris@elap.org.

Unemployment Law Project 

The Unemployment Law Project has created a page of resources and webinars to assist people seeking unemployment benefits and addressing other unemployment needs.

TeamChild 

Education in the wake of COVID-19 Know Your Rights Manual in English and Spanish

TeamChild staff members created this Education in the wake of COVID19 Know Your Rights Manual to address some of the new difficulties youth and families face because of the changes in circumstances surrounding education due to COVID-19. Topics include Attendance & Truancy during School Closures, Grading, Technology Access, Students Disciplined before Crisis, Students Experiencing Homelessness, Special Education – Following IEPs, Special Education – Temporary Changes, English Language Learners (ELL) and Supporting Non-English Speaking Families.

Si está interesado en obtener más información sobre los derechos de educación durante Covid-19, siga este enlace para acceder a La educación tras el COVID-19 Manual para Conocer sus derechos.

Please note that things are changing rapidly during this time of uncertainty, and this manual may be updated and new issues may be added to address what communities are facing.

Resources from National Partners

ABA Coronavirus (COVID-19) Task Force

The ABA’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Task Force’s webpage provides relevant national and local resources about COVID-19 and the delivery of legal services. Multiple resources touch on practice tools and remote work, court access and rules changes, legal needs, public benefits, pro bono mobilization, and COVID-19 legal media/new.

ABA Center for Pro Bono COVID-19 Response

The ABA Center for Pro Bono webpage has resources for pro bono providers and management in response to COVID-19.

Self-Represented Litigation Network COVID-19 Resources

The Self-Represented Litigation Network (SRLN) has a webpage dedicated to supporting self-represented litigants during COVID-19.

Probono.net Remote Legal Services Guide

Pro Bono Net, the Immigration Advocates Network, and partners announced the publication of Remote Legal Support: A Guide for Nonprofit and Pro Bono Innovation.

Washington State Court Updates and Orders

WA State Courts COVID-19 Response

The WA State Court’s COVID-19 response webpage includes relevant Court orders in response to COVID-19 as well as court closures and modifications.

News and Other Resources

• “Coronavirus will overwhelm our civil legal-aid system”: Seattle Op-ed, dated April 14
• Proclamation, dated April 16: Evictions
• Proclamation, dated April 13: High-Risk Employees – Workers’ Rights

• Proclamation, dated April 10: Protection Orders and Personal Service