NJP clients Anita Belcher and Alan Myers, Sen. Patty Murray,
NJP Exec. Director Abby Daquiz.
On May 7, Senator Patty Murray visited Northwest Justice Project's Seattle office to hear directly from legal aid attorneys and clients about what is at stake as federal funding for civil legal aid again faces the prospect of significant cuts.
Sen. Murray, Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, spoke to the importance of ensuring that access to justice does not depend on the ability to pay.
"Our courts and laws are meant to be a great equalizer, but we can only live up to that promise of equality when cost is not a barrier to justice," she said. "The funding from the Legal Services Corporation helps organizations like Northwest Justice Project keep that promise — helping tens of thousands of people every year."
The Legal Services Corporation receives federal funding that it dispenses it to 130 legal aid organizations around the country. NJP is the only LSC-funded organization in Washington state.
NJP Executive Director Abigail Daquiz framed the importance of this funding: "Federal funding for civil legal aid is the foundation for our ability to serve our communities — to ensure that a mom facing eviction has someone in their corner, that veterans who have served this country can access the benefits they have earned, and that safety is possible for survivors of domestic violence."
The roundtable brought together NJP Executive Director Abigail Daquiz, Managing Attorney Karla Carlisle, Legal Services Corporation Vice President and General Counsel Will Gunn, veteran’s attorney Jennifer Budinick, volunteer attorney Dave Tarshes and three NJP clients: Christy, Alan Myers, and Anita Belcher, whose cases illustrate the range of people and cases legal aid serves — and what they stand to lose without it.
Clients Share Their Stories
Three clients from around the state shared how they navigated the legal system with NJP’s help. Christy, a survivor of domestic violence who fled an abusive partner with her two young children, described what NJP's help meant to her: "I am here today to say thank you. Thank you for giving me my life back. Because of NJP, I am not just a survivor; I am a mother with a home, a future, and a fresh start."
Alan Myers, a veteran who served for 25 years and sustained life-altering injuries in the Army, had been told he did not qualify for benefits. With NJP’s help, he received a 50% disability rating. "NJP did what I couldn't do alone," he said. "These weren't 'handouts' — they were the benefits I had earned over decades of service."
Anita Belcher, a grandmother whose paycheck was suddenly garnished 50% without notice based on a fraudulent debt collection judgment, described the outcome: "It still blows my mind that I was able to be represented by great attorneys and actually get a favorable outcome. It was amazing. Truly amazing."
NJP is Washington State's only recipient of Legal Services Corporation funding and the state's largest publicly funded legal aid organization. In 2025, NJP's direct legal services benefited 31,206 Washington residents and our online public law library saw more than one million visitors. Close to one million Washingtonians qualify for legal aid services.