BY ERIKA LONGANECKER AND BARBARA POTTER
Benton Franklin Legal Aid’s (BFLA) hybrid pro bono program, Domestic Violence Attorney Program (DVAP), was created in the name of access to justice.
DVAP provides free attorney services in the Tri-Cities area to domestic violence survivors seeking protection orders. What makes the program unique is its hybrid model: Attorneys volunteer their time and BFLA reimburses their law firms for the hours paralegals and other staff spend assisting clients. Each year, on average, DVAP pays out approximately $86,000 in paralegal and staff costs and receives approximately $236,250 in pro bono attorney hours.
Since the inception of DVAP in 2024, BFLA has accepted 234 domestic violence survivor clients into the program. Volunteer attorneys have successfully secured protection orders for more than 93 percent of cases that went to a full hearing. This is significantly higher than the 54 percent average success rate for domestic violence protection orders in Benton and Franklin counties thus far in 2026.
How DVAP Got its Start
DVAP was born out of necessity. BFLA has worked closely with Domestic Violence Services of Benton and Franklin County (DVSBF) for many years. More and more victims were applying for legal assistance for their protection order cases, and the programs in place were not always well suited to help. The options available for direct representation required victims to meet the same criteria as other clients applying for things like family law or housing assistance. They had to qualify under household income requirements and be able to submit proof of income. The opposing party also had to be represented by an attorney. Even if a client was able to meet the requirements, the time it took to go through the qualification process was often too long for the type of hearing involved. (Domestic violence cases often go to a full hearing within 14 days of filing an initial petition.) If a client did get an attorney assigned, it often resulted in at least one request for a continuance to the court, which is disfavored by statute. The existing system was not reaching domestic violence victims in a meaningful way.
BFLA leadership engaged in discussions with DVSBF, another local social services agency called Support, Advocacy & Resource Center (SARC), and local police, who were expressing the need for assistance and resources for victims of domestic violence. Then in 2023, at a local meeting for Benton-Franklin Housing Continuum of Care (CoC), a federal program that provides funding with the goal of ending homelessness, BFLA connected with someone who would help launch DVAP: Toni Lehman.
Lehman is the Tri-Cities administrator for two federal grant programs: Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships American Rescue Plan (ARP). While ARP funds often go to housing assistance, they can also be used to assist individuals “fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking or human trafficking.”11 www.hudexchange.info/programs/home-arp/overview/. Not only did Lehman confirm that ARP funds could be used to cover paralegal costs and other case expenses for domestic violence survivors, they could also cover deposits to help survivors move into safe housing. It was an ideal partnership in the making.
Final logistics for DVAP came together with the help of DVSBF, SARC, the victim advocate for Benton County who worked with local police and Northwest Justice Project, Pronto Process Service in Kennewick, and local family law attorney Kari Hayles-Davenport.
How DVAP Works
DVAP officially launched in 2024. Potential clients initially work with advocates at DVSBF to file their petition and secure an immediate protection order. After that, clients are assisted in filing an online application to DVAP. A document review, conflict check, and client interview are then conducted. A volunteer DVAP attorney is then assigned to the case. The DVAP volunteer attorney will meet directly with each client, file a limited notice of appearance, and prepare for the hearing. The attorney accompanies the client to the hearing, often appearing remotely with the client to avoid the necessity of in-person contact with their abuser. The attorney addresses the court and advocates for the client during argument. Clients often are not required to speak at all during their own hearings.
The time from application to placement with an attorney went from more than a week in the old system (if the client even qualified for placement) to just 24-48 hours for almost all clients who applied.
The success and increasing need for a program like DVAP quickly became clear. In 2024, DVAP received 72 applications for attorney placement. In 2025, DVAP received 98 applications. As of July 31, 2026, DVAP has received 87 applications.
The time from application to placement with an attorney went from more than a week in the old system (if the client even qualified for placement) to just 24-48 hours for almost all clients who applied.
One of the domestic violence survivors assisted through DVAP is M.A.M., a victim client who fled from Virginia to Washington with her one-year-old child to escape her abusive husband. M.A.M.’s family and support system are here in Washington; however, the child was born in Virginia, and the client resided with her husband in Virginia. The client endured physical, verbal, and emotional abuse as well as coercive control over finances, her cell phone, and even at times her access to their child. Once the client was able to travel to Washington with her child, she sought assistance through DVSBF, where a volunteer helped her complete her petition for a protective order and apply for DVAP. Upon review, it was clear that immediate attorney placement was needed. The cross-state travel with the child created a jurisdictional issue that needed to be addressed. The restrained person hired an attorney and sought to have the child returned to Virginia. After many filings and hearings, the court granted the client’s request for a protection order, citing that Washington could exercise emergency jurisdiction over the child. Both M.A.M. and her child remain in Washington with the protective order in place. This may very well not have been the outcome if the client did not have the representation and advocacy of an attorney through DVAP.
The Need for Volunteers and Funding
Since its launch in 2024, DVAP has added three attorney volunteers in addition to Kari Hayles-Davenport: Don Schirm Jr., Alyssa Lindburg, and Rebecca Saitz; and one employee, Erika Longanecker.
DVAP’s hybrid model is a selling point for volunteers. They know they can recoup paralegal time and some case expenses, which eases some of the burden for folks who want to advocate for survivors but also need to contribute to their firm’s bottom line. DVAP volunteers also receive CLE credits, malpractice insurance, and a potentially expanded client base for future referrals. In addition, volunteers say they appreciate the opportunity to do direct pro bono representation without the longer-term commitment that comes with most family law cases.
Because the HOME-ARP funding will no longer be available after 2026, DVAP is looking for funding partners to help continue this very important work. This program is succeeding, and the need is only increasing.
Victims face many challenges when seeking a protective order without legal support. They need to be knowledgeable about the rules of procedure for gathering evidence, preparing statements, and submitting evidence to the court. They need to be aware of how to provide that evidence to the opposing party. They must be courageous enough to share details of their abuse with the court, in front of their abuser, and often in a courtroom full of strangers. Facing their abusers is often retraumatizing. Court dockets may consume entire mornings or afternoons, resulting in lost earnings and/or significant child care expenses. It is not uncommon for victims to seek an immediate protective order only to abandon their request mid-process because of circumstances beyond their control.
It has taken time, dedication, and a lot of community support to make this program happen. It is a testament to the strong relationships built between BFLA and the local legal community that this program was immediately embraced and put on the path to success. We at DVAP believe this program is filling a very important need in our community, and we look forward to seeing it grow.
SIDEBAR
DVAP volunteers and staff share their thoughts:
I have always been a strong proponent for pro bono service and have witnessed firsthand the positive impact legal support and advocacy makes in the lives of these victims and their families. These cases are short and intense. The outcome can have great influence on not just their current situation, but any related family law case as well. The choice to leave an abusive relationship is a dangerous one. It has been very satisfying to be able to help these individuals through what is likely the most difficult time of their lives.” –Kari Hayles-Davenport, Attorney
I felt compelled to volunteer for DVAP as I believe that access to justice can be a roadblock for victims of domestic violence. During my time in this program, I have advocated for 31 individuals who have been subjected to domestic violence. These clients come to me from all walks of life, many with no familial support. I have met the children who are affected by domestic violence, received hugs and tearful thank yous from mothers, and have been told that I was their last hope in receiving help to sever these abusive relationships. These clients deserve advocacy, and their inability to pay should not bar them from receiving it. That is why I continue to champion this program and give my time.” –Alyssa Lindburg, Attorney
This program offers these women a person in their corner who believes them and advocates for them when their voices have been historically dismissed. The women in our program have already done the hard part—survive. The work we do allows us to support these women and fight to secure them the protections they need so that they can move forward with greater safety and stability, and most powerfully of all, hope. It grants them freedom of choice, knowing that their worst days do not have to define their next days, and that they have the support to define their future on their own terms.” –Taylor Noonan, Paralegal
A DVAP client shared this after her final hearing:
This program has made a tremendous difference for me during one of the most difficult and vulnerable times in my life. Having someone willing to listen, provide guidance, and help me navigate the process has been invaluable. I am incredibly grateful for your support and for everything you do for women in these situations. Thank you for believing in this program and for being such an important part of it. The compassion and assistance you’ve provided have meant more to me than I can adequately express.”
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Erika Longanecker worked as a paralegal/office manager in the area of family law from 2001 to 2025 and as the DVAP coordinator for BFLA since January 2026. She enjoys the opportunity to use her professional experience to assist victims in need of guidance and advocacy through the court process.
Barbara Potter has served as the BFLA executive director since 2006. Through her leadership, BFLA has grown from one employee to six, and from a few attorney volunteers to 75-plus.
NOTE
1. www.hudexchange.info/programs/home-arp/overview/.