Before 2001, Yakima County Volunteer Attorney Services was a program that was run under the YWCA Yakima. In 2001, a founding board of attorneys and judges formed a separate 501(c)(3) organization: Yakima County Volunteer Attorney Services. The goal was to mobilize attorneys in the community to donate pro bono time to increase access to justice for all people in the community, not just those who had the ability to pay an attorney.
Until 2019, the program was led by part time executive directors with no additional staff. In January 2019, Quinn Dalan became the first full-time executive director. In the years to follow, the program has grown and there are now 6 full time employees of YCVAS.
The founding Board of Directors:
Judge Michael Schwab
Shawn Murphy
Lori Jordan Isley
Diane Hehir
David Trick
Don Kinney
Judge John Rossmeisl
Board Members:
Aryn Masters, President
Yakima Municipal Court Judge
Ellen Jackson, Vice President/Treasurer
Stokes Lawrence
Marieke Beck-Coone, Secretary
Northwest Justice Project
Shawn Murphy
Thorner, Kennedy, Gano & Murphy
Commissioner Shane Silverthorn
Yakima County Superior Court
Beth Wehrkamp
Yakima County Department of Assigned Counsel
James Boyer, YCBA Liaison
Abeyta Nelson
Miriam Saavedra
YWCA Yakima
Dan Clark
Yakima County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Civil Division
Tamerton Granados
Stevens Granados PLLC
David Hazel
Mediator
Tonilynn Savage
Savage Family Law
Teresita Tamez
Yakima County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Criminal Division
STAFF:
Executive Director:
Bilingual Pro Bono Program Coordinator:
Bilingual Housing Justice Project Manager:
Right to Counsel Staff Attorney:
Erika Rutter
Family Support Staff Attorney:
Wendy Winfield
Eviction Defense Staff Attorney:
Lisa Eichler