The May 2018 issue of Multnomah Lawyer, the magazine of the Multnomah Bar Association, highlighted DWT and its work with Outside In, a Portland nonprofit. DWT has staffed a legal clinic at the facility for more than a decade. Outside In’s mission is to help homeless youth and other marginalized people move towards improved health and self-sufficiency.
As the magazine reported, one or two DWT attorneys spend about two hours at the Outside In office every two weeks. “The clinic is set up as a limited engagement, with no ongoing attorney-client relationship,” the magazine said. “The main goal of the clinic is to help identify problems and suggest resources that might be available to address those problems.”
Portland associate Christopher Weathers summarized his experience working in the clinic for the magazine: “Although our primary mission is to serve homeless youth, marginalized people from all walks of life come to the clinic,” he said. “There is no typical day at the clinic and we have no advance notice of how many participants will arrive or what legal issues will be presented. I find that work at the clinic is both taxing and rewarding. So many of our clients have endured severe hardship, poverty, abuse, or have significant mental or emotional health issues. When a client lacks a cognizable legal claim, I feel like the only help I’m able to provide is to be an attentive and empathetic listener. Other times I’m presented with issues for which I can provide concrete assistance.”
In addition to Christopher, lawyers participating in the clinic include: Evan Christopher, Tim Cunningham, Alan Galloway, Nicholas Kampars, Alicia LeDuc, and Caitlin Shin.