Author: Northwest Justice Project

30 Years In, a Fresh Look for the Work Ahead

Our new look and website are more accessible, welcoming, and transparent, so every Washingtonian can find the help they need, and our communities, funders, and policymakers can understand the breadth, depth, and impact of our work.

Building Farmworker Power: The Women of WP Packing

NJP’s Farmworker Unit has one underlying goal: to build farmworker power. And that means supporting the leadership of Latina farmworkers who organize, speak up, and create change. Litigation can support that mission, but farmworker power does not begin with lawyers or lawsuits. It begins with workers.

James’ Story: More Than Your Lifetime

James Cooke, a member of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, wanted his family’s Indian trust land to pass to his wife and children without losing its protected status. Working with NJP’s Native American Unit, he put an estate plan in place that secures the land and their home for the next generation.

“You’ll Never Forget”: A Family Fights Job Displacement

NJP sued Cornerstone Ranches on behalf of 8 workers fired without warning and replaced by temporary foreign workers, and alerted the State Attorney General (AG). NJP won a substantial settlement for each of the eight workers, and the AG investigation produced more than $1 million in relief for similarly displaced Yakima Valley farmworkers.

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Skagit Motel Mass Eviction Case Moves Forward

NJP just cleared a major hurdle in Millerd v. City of Sedro-Woolley — our federal civil rights lawsuit over the City’s mass eviction of more than 40 households from the Skagit Motel. This ruling keeps the case alive and gives NJP a roadmap for future litigation.

After 5 Years of Advocacy, Thurston County Expands Court Access

Since COVID, Thurston County Superior Court’s only option for important and urgent civil matters—like fee waivers or stopping illegal evictions—was a limited phone line open just 30 minutes a day. Starting in 2021, Olympia field office and Olympia Eviction Prevention Unit (EPU) staff flagged the issue, and began pushing for change, such as rule changes, proposed along with our partner Sound Legal Aid, in both 2025 and 2026. EPU’s on-the-ground experience working to prevent evictions was crucial to that advocacy.

NJP: Celebrating 30 Years

We interviewed Pat “Mac” McIntyre, NJP’s founding Executive Director to reflect on NJP’s first 30 years. NJP has provided free legal information and services in low-income communities, protecting housing, income, safety, and stability for millions.

Diagnosis, Discovery, and a Veteran’s Fight for Justice

After Craig drew #8 in the Vietnam-era draft lottery, he enlisted in the Coast Guard. He
spent much of the next eight years doing search-and-rescue work, marine
environmental protection, and port safety assurance — work that would come to define
his life in ways he couldn’t have predicted.