PURPOSE
ABAW is dedicated to educating and empowering the Asian/Pacific Islander community in Washington. In supporting this goal, the ABAW operates the weekly International District Legal Clinic, supports a monthly in-person legal clinic in the Rainier Valley, and will host quarterly Pro Bono Service Days in 2026. The purpose of the weekly International District Legal Clinic, monthly in-person legal clinic in Rainier Valley, and ABAW's Pro Bono Service Days is to reduce the cultural and linguistic barriers faced by members of the Asian/Pacific Islander community in their efforts to participate in and access the legal protections of the American justice system.

SERVICES 
The clinics provide pro bono legal counseling sessions with ABAW attorneys and professional interpreters and legal workshops that target the Asian/Pacific Islander community. For current volunteer opportunities, check out: https://abaw.org/Pro-Bono-Opportunities 

SPONSORS 
The clinics are co-sponsored by: the Asian Bar Association of Washington; the Chinese Information and Service Center (www.cisc-seattle.org);  the King County Bar Association and its Neighborhood Legal Clinics Project (www.kcba.org); and the Asian Counseling and Referral Service (https://acrs.org/). If you or your employer are interested in sponsoring an ABAW Quarterly Pro Bono Service Day, please contract Pro Bono Co-Chairs Gabriela Dionisio and Monica Keo-Newton. 

PROSPECTIVE CLIENTS 
Clinic services are provided free of charge. If you are looking for legal help, please call the number listed below to schedule an appointment with CISC. Interpreters must be requested in advance and are provided free of charge.  When coming to the appointment, please bring all paperwork that relates to your case or legal question, including all contracts, letters, court papers etc.  Please bring a pen and paper in order to take notes on the advice, suggestions and referrals you may receive. CISC contact information is: (206) 624-5633 and info@cisc-seattle.org. 

PROSPECTIVE VOLUNTEERS
Thank you for your interest in volunteering for the pro bono clinics! It is a rewarding experience and an opportunity for you to use your skills to make a difference! To volunteer, please see below or contact the Pro Bono Co-Chairs. 

The International District Legal Clinic is our weekly virtual clinic in partnership with CISC and KCBA. This clinic typically hosts 3 attorney volunteers who see 2-3 clients in a 2-hour session every Tuesday evening from 5:30pm to 7:30pm! Volunteers can sign up for as many sessions as they desire in a calendar quarter (one session every 2-3 months or more depending on your availability). This clinic also provides law students with the opportunity to practice their legal analytic skills and develop practical lawyering skills through our student volunteer program. This program pairs law student volunteers with a supervising attorney to work through the intake process and dive into determining the client's legal issue while shadowing the attorney providing legal advice. 

The Rainier Valley Legal Clinic is our monthly (soon-to-be bi-monthly) in-person clinic in partnership with ACRS and KCBA. This clinic typically hosts 2 attorney volunteers who see 2-3 clients in a 2-hour session every third Wednesday evening from 5:00pm to 7:00pm! Volunteers can sign up for ACRS will have translation machines for the volunteers and clients. Law students are welcome to shadow these consultations. 

MCLE CREDIT REPORTING

Volunteering at the International District Pro Bono Clinic and the Rainier Valley Pro Bono Clinic will qualify all volunteer attorneys for MCLE credits with the WSBA! To self-report your pro bono service hours and obtain MCLE credits:

1. Log in to mcle.wsba.org
2. Click the blue “Add Credit” button that is below your summary of credits earned on the Dashboard
3. Select the "Select Activity Type" and click the "Next" button.
4. Select "Pro Bono Service"
5. Fill out the relevant information (i.e. QLSP = King County Bar Association, Pro Bono Services; Comments & Communication = Name of clinic you attended, year attended, and number of hours for each session).

6. Submit credit for review; record the activity ID number for your records. It will be listed as “Pending Review” until approved.

7. Check your MCLE roster page periodically. If more information is needed, the activity will be flagged as “Incomplete” and it will appear at the top of your MCLE Dashboard. Click on the Activity ID number and review the “Comments & Communication” panel to view instructions from the MCLE Team.

8. You should receive an email titled “WSBA – MCLE: Activity Approved” once the CLE submission has been reviewed and added as credit to your MCLE dashboard.