We are excited to announce this year’s Pro Bono Award Winners.
ELAP’s annual Pro Bono Awards recognize outstanding volunteer contributions to our community’s legal needs. Our winners include attorneys, firms, judges, community partners, and individual justice champions.
Congratulations to our winners:
Pro Bono Attorney: Max Goins
Max is one of ELAP’s few volunteer attorneys who consistently accepts pro bono cases, doing so on a regular basis. He works in depth with ELAP clients, even representing them in hearings. Additionally, he is a dependable and dedicated volunteer in our clinics.
Public Service: Judge Rania Rampersad
Judge Rampersad, a King County Superior Court judge, is a champion of legal aid professionals including ELAP’s staff. She hosts gatherings of legal professionals and arranges tours of the court. She is a wonderful partner of the nonprofit legal aid community.
Community Partner: Vine Maple Place
Nonprofit Vine Maple Place is working to end homelessness in underserved Southeast King County by supporting single parents. ELAP attorneys have clients who are served with crucial social services by Vine Maple Place, making this nonprofit partnership very impactful.
Law Firm: Perkins Coie
Perkins Coie attorneys have been consistent volunteers in ELAP clinics for several years. Approximately 12 of the company’s attorneys volunteered with ELAP in 2024. In September Perkins Coie hosted an in-person ELAP Wills/Estate Planning Clinic at their Bellevue office. This law firm is a great example of a corporate-nonprofit partnership working together to increase access to legal aid.
Lifetime Achievement: Bruce Gardiner
Bruce has been a faithful, regular pro bono volunteer in ELAP legal clinics for more than 20 years! He takes his commitment to ELAP’s pro bono work to heart as one of our most reliable volunteers. Bruce also steps in to help when other volunteers have a conflict. We are so pleased to honor his dedication to pro bono work.
