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Author: ELAP

Welcome new board members

Meet our new board members

A big welcome to the four new members of ELAP’s Board of Directors: Heather Bresnahan — AuctaneBrad Goergen — HomeStreet BankRekha Thomas — Path Forward MarketingHaley Tynes — Microsoft They join ELAP’s 2026 Board: Pamela Anderson — Perkins Coie, Board PresidentRamina Dehkoda-Steele — Wong Fleming, Board Vice

News, news, news

Keeping guns out of the hands of abusers

A landmark victory in Washington’s Court of Appeals has transformed the way trial courts must handle gun surrender in domestic violence cases. ELAP is proud to have partnered with the King County Bar Association (KCBA), Northwest Justice Project (NJP), and the Sexual Violence Law Center

Bubble with the text kids can feel physical pain when they are having a lot of emotions like anxiety or fear or worry

Meet board member Tasha Murphy

“Kids can feel physical pain when they are having a lot of emotions like anxiety or fear or worry,” says Tasha Murphy, a senior research scientist who studies pain at the University of Washington. Tasha’s interest in improving children’s quality of life is one of

Seasons greetings and four pieces of art created by elap staffers' kids

Happy New Year!

We asked our children to help us express what a “helping hand” signifies to them, and this beautiful art was the result. Thank you for being our helping hand this past year. We wish you a joyful and healthy 2026! With gratitude,The ELAP Team

2025 Pro bono awards on a blue background with leaves

Meet our winners

It’s time for ELAP’s annual Pro Bono Awards! Our awards recognize outstanding contributions to meeting our community’s legal needs. Winners include attorneys, firms, community partners, and individual justice champions. It’s always an honor for our staff team to highlight individuals and organizations that champion justice

Thank you for making our work possible

Thank you!

We are so grateful to all of you for being our champions of justice. Thank you especially to our: 🧡 Donors 🧡 Volunteers 🧡 Interns 🧡 Pro bono attorneys 🧡 Board members We wish you a happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday. ~ From the staff

Photo of a man and his daughter in an outdoor setting. Text reads: Help us meet the need. Everyone deserves access to legal help.

An easy way to help

If you’re looking for an easy way to make an impact, you’ve come to the right place! ELAP is a small, community-based nonprofit working hard to respond to the rapidly changing needs of the people we serve. Our staff and pro bono attorneys help community

Why do domestic violence survivors need the legal system?

Why survivors of domestic violence need the legal system

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month—a time to stand with survivors, honor their strength, and shine a light on the challenges they face when seeking safety and stability. Escaping an abusive relationship takes courage. It also requires access to the legal protections and resources that

Headshot of retired Justice Catherine Shaffer who has short curly gray hair and is wearing black glasses

From the bench to the community

By ELAP intern Annika Hauer When Judge Catherine Shaffer retired after 23 years as a King County Superior Court judge, she wasn’t planning to take on other work. However, when the current presidential administration took office, she said, “I started looking into getting involved as

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