Post written by Matt Cantrell, former HJP Kent volunteer legal assistant
Volunteering at King County’s Housing Justice Project is an experience I highly recommend. Few positions will give a recent law school graduate, or a current third year student, more practical experience while at the same time providing much needed aid to families facing immediate difficulties. As a volunteer I became proficient with client interviews, spotting issues and defenses, and got to experience firsthand show cause hearings all while making valuable contacts with practicing attorneys.
For someone studying for the bar exam, volunteering at the HJP has proven to be a boon of information, tips and guidance on landlord/tenant issues. Most of the cases I encountered while at the HJP match many of the essay problems used in previous Bar exams. The volunteer attorneys and staff attorneys have provided so much useful guidance regarding these issues that I feel there isn’t anything the exam could throw at me which I am not prepared for. For any recent law school graduates, nothing will help you gain a better understanding of the issues to look for on the landlord/tenant portion of the Bar like volunteering at the HJP.
My time at the Housing Justice Project has been a satisfying time filled with experiences I can bring with me throughout my career. The attorneys I’ve met and worked with are not only references who can attest to my knowledge and work ethic, but are friendly resources I can turn to for advice in the future. So if you’re in your third year of law school or just recently graduated, and are looking for an opportunity to serve your community, gain valuable experience in the practical daily practice of law, or meet and work with a wide variety of attorneys, then I highly suggest volunteering at the HJP.
