Our Process

Submitting your intake to Tacomaprobono Community Lawyers does not guarantee legal services or representation from an attorney. Legal representation does not begin until a signed representation agreement is returned to our office, or in the case of eviction proceedings in court, until the court appoints our Housing Justice Project to represent you through the Appointed Counsel program.

Outside of appointment by the court, here is our typical intake process:

Contact us by submitting an online intake form, coming to the office in person during open intake hours (621 Tacoma Ave S Suite 302 for general intake, 601 Tacoma Ave S for all housing intake), or calling 253-572-5134 when our phone lines are open. We can also complete an intake for you at one of our Legal Aid Pop-Up events if appropriate. Please check our ‘contact’ page on this website for current walk-in and phone hours and the Events Calendar on our home page for the pop-up schedule. Our online intake form is the quickest way to receive a call back! After you submit your intake form, we will contact you  to complete a phone intake. Please note that it is not possible to leave a voicemail on our main line. 

If your online intake form is incomplete, an intake specialist will contact you for additional information.

PLEASE NOTE that we are unable to guarantee immediate assistance for time-sensitive matters.

During your phone intake, a paralegal will gather detailed information about your case and possibly request that you email documents about your case before scheduling an appointment with an attorney.  Providing accurate information and documentation allows us to  process  your case faster. The phone intake lasts 10-15 minutes. Prepare for your phone intake by being ready with items such as:

• Court case number(s)
• Name of the opposing party
• A timeline of events with dates
• Relevant documentation and evidence (e.g., photos, a copy of your lease, eviction notice, parenting plan, etc.)

If we have the resources to schedule you, an appointment will be arranged for you to

meet with an attorney over the phone or in person.

During the appointment, the attorney will meet with you privately to talk about your case. Depending on your issue(s), the attorney may provide you legal advice and counsel, or request a limited representation agreement which will allow the attorney to take action on your behalf.