Garvey Schubert Barer | Public Service

Public Service Community Involvement

Garvey Schubert Barer Assists in Launch of Urban Indian Legal Clinic
March 18, 2008 marked the grand opening of the new Urban Indian Legal Clinic (UILC) at the Chief Seattle Club. The UILC provides free legal services to any Native American in need of assistance, thereby providing access to legal services to low income Native Americans living in the Seattle area. The UILC is sponsored by the Northwest Indian Bar Association and the Indian Law Section of the Washington State Bar Association.

When it comes to accessing legal advice, Native Americans and Alaska Natives remain an underserved segment of our community. Both cultural barriers and concerns about unique legal issues often prevent native people from taking advantage of the many neighborhood clinics already in operation in King County. By working together with the Chief Seattle Club, the new clinic promises to provide a place where native people feel comfortable seeking out legal advice.

The Garvey Schubert Barer team which helped in the development and launch of the UILC included Marjorie James, Ruth A. Kennedy, Sevilla C.P. Claydon, Lesa Olsen, Esther Sugai, Leas Corpuz, Jared Van Kirk, and Jamal N. Whitehead. Additionally, Garvey Schubert Barer, along with another Seattle law firm, will be providing logistical support to the clinic for the next 12 months.

Garvey Schubert Barer Announces 2007 Dallaire Public Service Award Winner
Gregg Rodgers, an Owner in the firm's Seattle office, is this year's recipient of the Dallaire Public Service Award. This award recognizes staff members and attorneys of Garvey Schubert Barer who have made extraordinary contributions in the area of community service or pro bono legal services. He has participated in a very significant way in the direct delivery of pro bono legal services to poor and disadvantaged clients and has also served as an exemplar to others. His pro bono clients come to him in a variety of ways, including:

Referrals by the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project; often these individuals were victims of political persecution in their home countries.
Referrals by Volunteer Attorneys for People with AIDS, a program of the King County Bar Association; these clients are typically eligible for immigration relief except for the fact that HIV or AIDS could preclude them from receiving that relief.
Through his regular staffing of the Neighborhood Legal Clinic Program of the King County Bar Association; in that way helping a third group of people with immigration problems.

Outside Garvey Schubert Barer, he serves as the Chair of the Pro Bono Committee of the Washington State Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and in that capacity is expanding the pro bono work of immigration lawyers statewide. A current project involves orchestrating a statewide Citizenship Day to take place Spring 2008. Although his primary emphasis has been immigration, he has contributed in other ways.

He has been actively involved in Lambda Legal, which works for freedom from discrimination based on sexual orientation.
He has been active in the Washington State China Relations Council, which promotes educational and cultural relationships between China and Washington State as well as commercial ties.
He serves as a mentor to law students at Seattle University, of which he is an alumnus, and also to law students at the University of Washington.

Overall, he has worked continuously and tirelessly to advance the legal rights and dignity of those who come to our country seeking opportunity. He has inspired and supported those around him to do the same.

Garvey Schubert Barer 2007 Community Service

In addition to individual community service projects Garvey Schubert Barer employees in all of our offices participated in throughout the year, the firm provided additional group volunteer and giving opportunities:

Our Seattle office adopted First Place for our Holiday Giving project - a highly successful book drive for students in pre-Kindergarten through 6th grade. First Place is a service agency devoted to educating and nurturing children whose families struggle with the risk or reality of homelessness. An additional Seattle office project was volunteering at an animal rescue group.
Members of our Portland office volunteered at the Oregon Food Bank, the hub of a statewide network of over 900 hunger-relief agencies. Our volunteer project involved organizing thousands of pounds of food into family-sized portions ready for distribution to those in need.
In addition, members of our Portland office volunteered at the 6th Annual Toys for Kids Carnival. 2007's Carnival had a western theme, and was a free day of food, games, prizes, pony rides and more, all for kids who may not otherwise get the chance to have such a fun, special time. All kids left with a handmade wooden toy as a keepsake.

Garvey Schubert Barer 2007 New York Art Expo Supports Local Artists
Garvey Schubert Barer opened its New York office in 2001. As part of our recent relocation to 100 Wall Street, we opened our doors to local artists to showcase their creations.

Click here to view the artists' work.
[545KB pdf]

The Art Expo is the most recent addition to the GSB family's strong commitment to public service in each of our five locations. Our scenic "New" York office is proud to display a unique, vivid collection of original works by artists in the tri-state area, including acrylics, oil on canvas, and mixed media.

The artists who were selected for this exciting program include those who already have established a significant presence in the art world as well as rising stars in the New York art scene.

GSB extends a special thank you to Robin Wilson Home, www.robinwilsonhome.com, a leading design and renovation firm, which created the Art Expo, contacted the artists and installed the selected artwork.

Garvey Schubert Barer Announces 2006 Dallaire Public Service Award Winner
Lori Salzarulo, an Owner in the firm's Seattle office, is this year's recipient of the Dallaire Public Service Award. This award recognizes staff members and attorneys of Garvey Schubert Barer who have made extraordinary contributions in the area of community service or pro bono legal services. In addition to her own contributions, Ms. Salzarulo has worked hard to involve the firm, its attorneys and staff in pro bono and community service work. Highlights of Ms. Salzarulo's contributions are:

Current president of the Board of Directors of Northwest Defenders Association, which provides pro bono legal services to indigent criminal defendants.
Part of team that pursued a class action against Grant County, Washington on behalf of indigent criminal defendants which resulted in a 2005 settlement requiring significant reforms to the County�s public defense system. View Press Release.
Part of team that pursued a class action against the State of Washington on behalf of homeless children, resulting in a 1997 ruling by our State Supreme Court that the Department of Social and Health Services has a duty to implement a comprehensive plan for providing services to homeless children and must provide housing assistance where homelessness is a primary factor in the decision to place or keep a child in foster care.
Pro bono counsel to a number of nonprofit organizations, including Next Step Housing, a nonprofit developer of affordable housing; Fusion, formed to alleviate the causes and effects of forced migration in countries besieged by extreme poverty, armed conflict, and inequitable and unsustainable development; and Coalition for Community Development & Renewal, a faith-based organization formed to mobilize congregations, ministries, business & community leaders to "bring wholeness and transformation" to Seattle's urban core.
Former (1996-2000) adjunct Director of the Affordable Housing Development Clinic at the University of Washington School of Law.
Former board member of Capitol Hill Housing Improvement Program, a community based developer, owner and manager of affordable housing.
Former (founding) board member of Common Meals (now FareStart), a nonprofit organization that provides comprehensive job training and placement for homeless people.
Former board member of Washington Attorneys Assisting Community Organizations, a nonprofit that promotes community development and organizational capacity-building in Washington State by assisting nonprofit organizations to obtain free legal assistance on business-related matters.
Former volunteer attorney for King County Neighborhood Clinics, which address a wide variety of civil legal issues including family law, landlord/tenant, real estate and public benefits.
Former Chair of the firm's Public Service Committee.

Garvey Schubert Barer's 2006 Community Service Day

GSB's 5th Annual Community Service Day was a big success, with members of our Portland and Seattle offices donating a total of over 160 hours on a variety of important projects to benefit our communities. This year, we increased Community Service "Day" from one to four days in order to provide additional volunteer opportunities.

Our Portland teams:

Volunteered at the 2006 Toys for Kids Carnival, a free day of fun, food, rides and games for Toys for Kids' recipient agencies and children and their families. Kids who may not otherwise get the opportunity to have this kind of day are given an opportunity to create some wonderful memories.
Volunteered at a Habitat for Humanity work site for a "Women Build" project, assisting in the construction of a duplex built entirely by women.

Our Seattle teams:

Waited tables, bussed and did dishes at FareStart's Guest Chef's Night.
Volunteered at a Habitat for Humanity work site, assisting in tearing down old homes to make room for construction of new homes for low income families.

In addition to Garvey Schubert Barer's Annual Community Service Day, members of our New York, Portland, Seattle and Washington, D.C. offices participate in individual community service projects throughout the year. We are proud to continue the September Community Service Day tradition at Garvey Schubert Barer and eagerly look forward to Community Service Day 2007.

Garvey Schubert Barer's 2005 Community Service Day

GSB's 4th Annual Community Service Day was a big success, with members of our Portland and Seattle offices donating a total of over 180 hours on a variety of important projects to benefit our communities. This year, we increased Community Service "Day" from one to three days in order to provide additional volunteer opportunities.

Our Portland teams:

Did yard work and painting for clients of Community Vision, a 501(c)(3) organization that assists disabled individuals.
Volunteered at the 2005 Toys for Kids Carnival, a free day of fun, food, rides and games for Toys for Kids' recipient agencies and children and their families. Kids who may not otherwise get the opportunity to have this kind of day are given an opportunity to create some wonderful memories.

Our Seattle teams:

Helped paint the Sacajawea Elementary School lunchroom/auditorium to further enhance the world geography focus of the school curriculum.
Did yard work at Jubilee Women's Center.
Assisted in the building of affordable housing through Habitat for Humanity.
Cleaned and painted vans at the Seattle Children's Home.
Helped organize children's toys and clean the Seattle Union Gospel Mission Women and Children's Shelter.
Waited tables at FareStart's Guest Chef's Night.

Garvey Schubert Barer Announces 2005 Dallaire Public Service Award Winners
Verna S. Griffin, a paralegal in the firm's Seattle office, and the team of Owner David L. Canary and Alumna Associate Celia A. Howes of the firm's Portland office, are this year's recipients of the Dallaire Public Service Award. This award recognizes staff members and attorneys of Garvey Schubert Barer who have made extraordinary contributions in the area of community service or pro bono legal services.

Verna S. Griffin is a founder and the board president of the Tukwila Children's Foundation and has worked extensively with the immigrant Somali and Bantu communities through the Somali Community Services Coalition Center, where she has served as a volunteer paralegal and provided other assistance. She also serves on the Tukwila Human Rights Commission, runs a Girl Scout troop, and contributes to the firm's pro bono legal service in the areas of immigration and political asylum. Under Griffin's leadership, the Tukwila Children's Foundation, in collaboration with additional community groups, launched three Family Literacy Centers on January 24, 2005 [additional details below under the heading "Community Groups Come Together to Help Boost Literacy"].

David L. Canary and Celia A. Howes are co-recipients in recognition of the outstanding results they obtained for The Clackamas Community Land Trust and the Portland Community Land Trust in matters with significant precedential impact in the State of Oregon and throughout the country. These land trusts acquire property for the construction of modest homes for low-income families. Often the homes are constructed by Habitat for Humanity or similar organizations. The land trusts retain title to the land and lease it to the homeowner at below-market rates. Multnomah County and Clackamas County began assessing the properties at full market value, leading to a substantial increase in the monthly obligation for each homeowner. The cases before Multnomah County and Clackamas County both resolved favorably. The arguments of Canary and Howes to reduce the assessed values were successful, which then reduced the related tax liabilities for the low-income families in these homes.

Community Groups Come Together To Help Boost Literacy
The Tukwila Children's Foundation was created by a group of local citizens to help meet the unmet needs that are facing many of the children in Tukwila on a day-to-day basis. It is their vision that all of Tukwila's children will:

have the experiences, opportunities and tools to succeed
grow to care about themselves and others
become involved in their communities

To that end, the Tukwila Children's Foundation, in collaboration with additional community groups, launched three Family Literacy Centers on January 24, 2005. The three new centers, which offer free reading assessment and one-on-one tutoring to children and adults, are located at two schools and in an apartment complex. Garvey Schubert Barer donated computers to the centers. GSB Paralegal Verna Seal Griffin is the current President of the Tukwila Children�s Foundation. Click here for a Seattle P-I article on the launch.

Garvey Schubert Barer Announces 2004 Dallaire Public Service Award Winners
Carolyn A. Prince and Donald B. Scaramastra are the 2004 recipients of the Dallaire Public Service Award, which recognizes staff members and attorneys of Garvey Schubert Barer who have made extraordinary contributions in the area of community service or pro bono legal services.

Prince was honored in recognition of all the pro bono work she has performed since joining the D.C. office as an Associate in 1999, but in particular for two matters on which she has worked over the last few years: acting as Guardian ad Litem for a foster child through the D.C. Superior Court and serving as his mentor; and working with GSB attorney Amy B. Jones on a custody case. Her dedication to these cases spans several years. The impact has been up close and personal for those she has helped.

Scaramastra, an Owner in the firm's Seattle office, was honored in recognition of his work in connection with two significant class action cases. He represented the Children's Alliance and served as consulting counsel with the plaintiffs, writing several amicus briefs in the case of Braam v. Washington Department of Social and Health Services, filed in 1998 by a class of current and former foster children who claimed Washington's foster-care system violated their constitutional rights. The Washington State Supreme Court adopted the plaintiffs' (and the Children's Alliance's) position that the state owed foster children a particular degree of care under the constitution, and the case subsequently settled, with the State agreeing to make significant changes to the foster-care system. He is also involved in Best, et al. v. Grant County, a class action lawsuit on behalf of indigent persons charged with felonies in Grant County seeking reform of the public defender system in Grant County.

Garvey Schubert Barer 2004 Community Service Day

Helped rehabilitate a house for a disabled client of Community Vision, a 501(c)(3) organization, doing yardwork, interior painting and carpet cleaning.
Volunteered at the 2004 Toys for Kids Carnival, a free day of fun, food, rides and games, including a petting zoo, for Toys for Kids' recipient agencies and children and their families. At the end of the day each of Toys for Kids' special children, all of whom are needy financially, medically, or in some other way, got to cash in their tickets for a beautiful handcrafted toy. Toys for Kids has an annual fundraising dinner to make this special day happen.
Volunteered at a Habitat for Humanity worksite.

Helped organize the office of PEPS (Program for Early Parent Support).
Participated in the Community Day School Association�s Afternoon of Literacy.
Ran the "Beet Hunger" booth at the Seattle Tilth Harvest Fair for Lettuce Link, a Fremont Public Association organization.
Did yard work for Jubilee Women's Center.
Worked on crafts with patients at Children's Hospital.

Garvey Schubert Barer Establishes Public Service Award to Honor Employees Who Serve the Community

GSB has unveiled the Dallaire Public Service Award to highlight the firms continuous work in pro bono and public service. The Dallaire Public Service Award recognizes staff members and attorneys of Garvey Schubert Barer who have made an extraordinary contribution in the area of community service of pro bono legal services.

The award is named after Greg Dallaire who was Managing Director of the firm until January of 2002. Prior to joining GSB in 1985, Dallaire was head of Evergreen Legal Services, a statewide legal services program. In addition to many contributions Dallaire has made to the community, he has served on the Board of the National Center of Poverty Law, as Vice Chair of the Seattle Human Rights Commission, Chair of the Washington State Judicial Conduct Commission, President of the Legal Foundation of Washington and Chair of the National Clearinghouse for Legal Services.

This year's winner, Kathleen Brown, is a business paralegal in GSB's Seattle office who has re-arranged her full-time work week so that she can volunteer a full day every Wednesday with the King County Prosecuting Attorney as a volunteer Protection Order Advocate. Brown assists domestic violence victims obtaining temporary and full year protective orders. She assists petitioners in completing the necessary paperwork and provides information and referrals to community agencies, accompanies petitioners to hearings and provides necessary emotional support to petitioners. There will be a plaque in each office commemorating the winners in the years to come.

GSB Honored with Community Service Award
The Puget Sound Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA) has honored Garvey Schubert Barer with the 2003 Community Service Award. The award is focused on the activities of the Seattle office, but many of the reasons GSB was chosen apply to the firm as a whole. In choosing to honor GSB, the ALA noted the firm's long-standing commitment to pro bono legal services. This year GSB is on pace firm-wide to provide pro bono services valued at over $2 million. Additionally, GSB Community Service Day, the recipients of which this year in Seattle were Children's Hospital, Fremont Public Association, Hopelink, and Jubilee Women's Center; the participation by staff on the firm's Public Service Committee; and the participation by groups within the office in activities such as the AIDS Walk, the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, and Adopt-A-Family for the holidays through Operational Emergency Center are noted as contributors to winning the award. GSB's ALA award will be displayed in the reception area with the Chihuly cup, which honors GSB for the second year in a row as the winning corporate team in the Downtown Seattle YMCA Partners With Youth Campaign.

Garvey Schubert Barer 2003 Community Service Day

By all accounts, GSB's Second Annual Community Service Day was a successful event. Participants from our Portland and Seattle offices enjoyed the spirited camaraderie while working with each other and felt good about the projects they worked on.

Members of our Portland office volunteered their time at non-profits. Eight attorneys and staff helped at the 2003 Toys for Kids Carnival. They helped set up booths, oversee the petting zoo, the rides, the games and helped serve cotton candy and snow cones. More than 100 severely challenged children were bused in from various agencies and our job was to put smiles on their faces. Each of them received a beautiful hand-made wooden toy as they left the carnival.

Other members of our Portland office helped create a raised garden area for a disabled individual and built a storage shed for her.

Members of the Seattle Office volunteered at a variety non-profits. Team Children's Hospital made cards (birthday, get well, general) with patients and their families. Team Fremont Public Association had a great time working in the Marra Farm Garden. Marra Farms provides fresh produce to local families in need.

Other Seattle office members worked very hard painting the offices of Hopelink's Bothell Center. Hopelink provides housing for homeless and low income families, food-bank services, childcare, and job training. Another Seattle group volunteered at Jubilee Women's Center painting an entire apartment to prepare it for occupancy. Jubilee Women's Center is a transitional housing program for women who are homeless or at risk for be coming homeless.

In all, approximately 50 of our GSB employees in our Portland and Seattle offices committed their time and energy to assist those less fortunate. Thanks to all of you who shared your time and energy to help others less fortunate than ourselves September 20 or 21. We do make a difference.

YMCA's Corporate Cup: For the Second Year in a Row...
Charles C. Robinson, Gary J. Strauss

The law firm of Garvey Schubert Barer has been awarded the Corporate Cup by the Downtown Seattle YMCA Partners With Youth Campaign. Gary Strauss, Chuck Robinson and John Bundy led the corporate team raising over $33,000 in six weeks. Ninety-three cents of every dollar raised goes directly to support programs.

Nationally renowned glass artisan, Dale Chihuly, donated a Macchia vase (Italian for "spotted") valued at $25,000 to the downtown Seattle YMCA which rotates each year to the winning corporate team during the annual YMCA Partners With Youth Campaign. Garvey Schubert Barer is displaying the glass artwork in its office lobby.

The competition, which raises funds for the Partners With Youth Program, is in its second year. GSB also won the 2002 Corporate Cup.

"We are very proud to have been a part of this effort," said Gary Strauss, an owner at Garvey Schubert Barer. "Many firm members and firm alumni, as well as numerous friends and colleagues, contributed generously to the YMCA's Partners With Youth Campaign as a way of acknowledging the significant role the YMCA plays in our local community."

Epilepsy Foundation
Matthew R. Schneider

The Managing Director of our D.C. office, Matt Schneider, serves on the National Board of Directors of the Epilepsy Foundation. He also chairs the organization's Committee on Dispute Resolution and has been active in its Chesapeake Region.

Community Vision, Inc.
Richard Baroway

Community Vision provides independent living and other support for the profoundly disabled. Rick Baroway provides pro bono legal assistance.

FareStart (formerly known as Common Meals)
Lori Salzarulo

The firm's lawyers have long supported FareStart, which transforms the lives of homeless people through job training and placement in the food service industry. Lori Salzarulo was a founding board member and served on FareStart's Board from 1992 to 1996 (including a term as Board President).

YMCA 2002 Partners with Youth Campaign
Charles C. Robinson, Gary J. Strauss
Gary Strauss has served on the Board of Managers of the YMCA's Downtown Seattle Branch since 1993, including a year as President of the Board. He also chaired the Branch's remodeling effort and provided leadership in the "Step Up For Kids" Capital Campaign and the annual Partners with Youth Campaign, among other activities. Gary has twice been recognized as Volunteer of the Year.

In 2002, the Garvey Schubert Barer Corporate Team, headed by Chuck Robinson, John Bundy (of Glacier Fish) and Gary Strauss won the coveted YMCA "Chihuly Cup" for the coming year. The Chihuly Cup is given each year to the corporate team that raises the most money for the Partners with Youth Campaign.