A Law Day Celebration

National Law Day is May 1st every year, this is a day to celebrate the role of law in our society and to cultivate a deeper understanding of the legal profession. Clallam-Jefferson County Pro Bono Lawyers hosted more than 60 lawyers and judges at Kokopeli’s Grill in Port Angeles today to greet keynote speaker Dean Annette Clark (of Seattle University School of Law) and celebrate Law Day!

This annual luncheon is designed to recognize all of the local legal professionals who donate hundreds of hours of their time every year to ensure that those who are unable to afford legal representation have access to legal services. Lawyers rendering pro bono services do so without pay to help low and no income people who are experiencing problems with consumer issues, wills & estates, family law matters, unlawful foreclosures, bankruptcy and so forth. They do so under the umbrella of the Clallam-Jefferson County Pro Bono Lawyers, a non-profit corporation assisted by Shauna Rogers McClain its executive director, located in Port Angeles.

Dean Clark addressed the 2018 Law Day theme “Separation of Powers: a Framework for Freedom” to a record turnout. The American Bar Association notes the following about the 2018 theme “The U.S. Constitution sets out a system of government with distinct and independent branches—Congress, the Presidency, and a Supreme Court. It also defines legislative, executive, and judicial powers and outlines how they interact. These three separate branches share power, and each branch serves as a check on the power of the others.

Additionally, the Clallam & Jefferson County Bar Associations collaborate with CJCPBL to choose two local attorneys to receive CJCPBL’s Volunteer of the Year award. This year the honor goes to attorneys Nat Jacob of Jefferson County and Carl Gay of Clallam County. Both Mr. Jacob and Mr. Gay have demonstrated tireless dedication to improving access to justice and continually do an amazing job servicing low-income and vulnerable clients in need of civil legal aid services.

The outstanding success of this event can be measured by the best attendance ever in recent years coupled with the amount of funds raised that will directly towards providing essential legal services. Thank you all that attended and thank most of all to those who sponsored this event and support legal aid!

Urquia Law, Greenaway, Gay, Medina & Myers, McMenamin & McMenamin, Kurlin & Rimson
Johnson, Rutz & Tassie, Wolfley Law Office, Payne Law, J. Richard Manning Seattle Northwest Mediator & Arbitrator Services, Kostelec Law, James Doros, Linda L. Walden, Steve Moriarty, Ariel Speser & Nat Jacob, Ruth Gordon, Eileen Baratuci, Doris Hardyman, Mark Nichols, Cathy Marshall, Gary Williams, Kristin Glenn, Rebeca Glasgow, Mindy Walker, James Kennedy, Stephanie Hyatt & Waypoint Law.