Greater Access and Assistance Project (GAAP)

A joint committee of the ATJ Board and the Washington Young Lawyers Division

Rachelle Anderson, Co-chair

Jennifer Harris, Co-chair

Mission

Establish a structure to support viable moderate means panels in Washington State

In January 2002 the Spokane County GAAP pilot site opened its doors to serve moderate-income people at a reduced rate. GAAP serves clients who fall into the "gap" in terms of financial eligibility for free legal services through a qualified legal services provider and full priced legal services. Clients are pre-screened for financial eligibility and case type and referred to GAAP by Northwest Justice Project's CLEAR hotline. 

Members of the Spokane Young Lawyers volunteer to coordinate the administrative duties and the Spokane County Bar Association provides office space for the project.  In 2004 the Spokane GAAP became a permanent program.

Early in 2007 the Snohomish County Bar Association, in collaboration with the Snohomish County Young Lawyers, implemented GAAP in that county.  Kitsap County and Whatcom County are currently in the beginning planning stages.

GAAP is a joint project and committee of the Access to Justice Board and the Washington Young Lawyers Division. The committee evaluated the Spokane pilot site and procedure manual (manual is available on request).  The Washington Young Lawyers Division has agreed to take the lead on marketing expansion to other counties in Washington state.

The committee recently completed a centralized statewide GAAP feasibility study (the study can be found under "Publications" above) and is in the process of identifying a host entity(ies) and securing funding for a centralized GAAP to coordinate administrative duties at a statewide level.