TeamChild Receives WSBA Pro Bono Award

Seattle, Washington, September 13, 2001 — TeamChild, a legal services program for high-risk youth, will receive the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) Pro Bono Award today in Seattle. This award is presented annually to a lawyer, nonlawyer, law firm or local bar association for outstanding efforts in providing pro bono services to the poor. It is based on cumulative efforts, not just pro bono hours or financial contribution.

Started in 1995, TeamChild is based on the premise that juveniles can be diverted from delinquency and other trouble if their basic needs are met. The program is a unique partnership between legal services and the public defender associations, bridging a gap between the juvenile justice system and the community. Working exclusively with youth in trouble, TeamChild staff and volunteers help young people secure their basic rights to education, health care and social services. The program works closely with schools, social workers, probation officers, juvenile court judges and others to help youth get the support they need to succeed.

TeamChild was started in Washington as a collaboration of Columbia Legal Services, the King County Public Defender Association, and Washington Defender Association. Since that time, it has expanded to a total of five offices in Washington, and this innovative model of advocacy is being replicated all over the country. The impact of TeamChild's approach is seen not only in individual lives, but also in the savings of taxpayer dollars. The Washington Institute for Public Policy examined the cost effectiveness of the program and determined that for every child receiving full service, nearly $4,000 was saved.

The Washington State Bar Association is a private, nonprofit organization authorized by the Washington Supreme Court to license the state's 26,500 lawyers. The WSBA both regulates lawyers under the authority of the Court and serves its members as a professional association — all without public funding. As a regulatory agency, it administers the bar exam, provides record-keeping and licensing functions, and administers the lawyer discipline program. As a professional association, the WSBA provides continuing legal education for attorneys, in addition to numerous other educational and member service activities.