The Moderate Means Program: Meet Some (and Become One?) Of the People Who Make It Happen

J Kallaway

» 3L, University of Washington School of Law

Before starting law school, J Kallaway worked for six years in Portland as a community organizer and as leader of an LGBTQ resource center at a local community college. There, Kallaway saw a “gap” where marginalized populations in the community weren’t well served and knew it was time to enroll in law school.

As a nonbinary, transgender law student, Kallaway is especially intrigued by civil rights impact litigation through various organizations, including the ACLU. Having seen a study by the Washington Office of Civil Legal Aid that documented how most people in need of a civil legal aid attorney are unable to retain counsel—the same “gap” seen in Portland—Kallaway saw an opportunity to fill that gap through the MMP while still attending law school. “Folks don’t have the ability to go elsewhere and have often tried other options but don’t qualify for CLEAR,” Kallaway notes. “Moderate Means is a really important service because it is filling the civil legal aid gaps.”

Although as a law student, communication is more with the potential clients than with the attorneys that end up taking the cases, Kallaway says that the interactions with attorneys are great, especially seeing them work so hard with Moderate Means clients, and work even harder as they have had to adapt during the COVID-19 pandemic, as various counties canceled trials or changed dockets and procedures.

Ajibola Oladapo

» Attorney, Renton

It wasn’t until Ajibola Oladapo was completing her bachelor’s degree in her home country of Nigeria that she thought about a career in law. During an internship, she saw a well-regarded Nigerian attorney handle a case, and it clicked. She came to the United States for law school and graduated from California Western School of Law in San Diego in 2007.

While in law school, Oladapo saw many people who lacked access to legal services. She was immediately drawn to the concept of “access to justice” and wanted to advocate for the less privileged in society. She wanted to work for a law firm that focused on that very topic, which is why she eventually formed her own firm, Dearbonn Law Offices PLLC. Oladapo has been a regular attorney with the MMP since she started her firm in 2011, and credits the program in part for how she was able to build her own practice.

Oladapo takes a variety of Moderate Means cases, including family law, consumer protection, bankruptcy, and landlord-tenant matters in King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties. She encourages other attorneys to take Moderate Means cases because it increases access to justice—and puts a smile on a client’s face when you are able to ease their burden and make life easier. She recalls one woman’s response to representation at a discounted rate: “Thank you so much! You are my savior! I didn’t know I could do this.” 

Irena Pia

» 3L, Gonzaga University School of Law

Irena Pia thought she wanted to be a physician. She studied health sciences at Whitworth University and thought she would then go to medical school before returning home to Oregon. Then she noticed a common problem: unequal access to health care. She decided instead to study law at Gonzaga University and will graduate in December. When she started law school she learned about another access problem: access to justice. She also heard about the MMP and saw it as a potential solution.

When Pia speaks with potential Moderate Means clients, she strives to understand their legal issues. She prepares summaries of the interviews and calls them back to ask additional questions if clarification is needed before sending the referral to an attorney. She also tries to ensure that intake interviews with the attorneys are scheduled as quickly as possible.

As Pia puts it, she doesn’t just refer clients to attorneys, she “connects” them.  Sometimes she has to contact many attorneys before she finds one who is available to take the case. At times there is no attorney able to take the case. When that happens, she connects clients to other community resources, like the Volunteer Lawyers Program, other Qualified Legal Services Providers (QLSPs), the courthouse facilitator, or washingtonlawhelp.org. When she is able to connect a client with an attorney, she loves the feeling when she can say “I found someone for you!”

Maris Hanson

» 3L, Seattle University School of Law

Maris Hanson finds fulfillment in working with Washington residents in need through the MMP. She learned about the program while doing a practice interview during her 1L year, and started volunteering with the MMP the following summer. She was trained on how to interview potential clients and analyze a case, and to carefully review the facts, applicable statutes, and relevant case law. She also learned to set reasonable expectations. She says that the training she has received has definitely helped her prepare for a career in law.

Hanson remembers her first Moderate Means case was a housing issue under the Manufactured/Mobile Home Landlord-Tenant Act. She had become familiar with basic landlord-tenant issues under RCW 59.18, but had to independently research RCW 59.20 to properly screen the potential client’s case. After doing her own research, she prepared the referral notes and was able to refer the client to an attorney who could take the case.

Hanson says that many people reach out to the MMP to consult with an attorney because they are prevented from seeing their kids or are otherwise stuck in a situation they can’t handle themselves. She recommends the Moderate Means Program as a great way to provide badly needed representation to those who cannot afford full-price legal services.

Hanson says that many people reach out to the MMP to consult with an attorney because they are prevented from seeing their kids or are otherwise stuck in a situation they can’t handle themselves. She recommends the Moderate Means Program as a great way to provide badly needed representation to those who cannot afford full-price legal services.

Kiley Anderson

» Attorney, Spokane

A 2014 graduate of Gonzaga University School of Law, Kiley Anderson practices family law at Feltman Ewing, P.S., in Spokane. Since 2015, she has included Moderate Means matters within her caseload because she likes to serve her community and give back to those who need some extra help.

Having also volunteered with the Spokane County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Program, Anderson knows that although a one-hour consultation can sometimes be all a person with a legal issue needs, more often than not a single meeting isn’t enough. She likes to see things through from start to finish, and with the MMP she gets to do exactly that. When she takes a Moderate Means case she has a paying client who is invested in the case.

One case stands out to Anderson as an example of why the MMP is so necessary: A father with a shared parenting schedule went to pick up his daughter from her mother’s house only to find the house empty. He knew he needed an attorney, but he earned too much to qualify for CLEAR and not enough to afford an attorney at regular rates. He was referred to Anderson through the MMP after being screened by a law student volunteer. Anderson knew she could help him, took his case at a reduced rate, and worked with a process server to find the mother and daughter in another state. Ultimately she was able to get the parenting plan modified for her thankful client.