In the spring of 1995, law students at the University of Washington (UW) School of Law began work on a street youth advocacy project by volunteering at a local drop-in center to supply legal information and referrals. In 1997, the program successfully sought 501(c)(3) status and was incorporated as Street Youth Legal Advocates of Washington (SYLAW). That year, SYLAW began to provide community-based presentations on legal issues relevant to youth, a weekly class at an alternative school in a local drop-in center, and weekly information and referral centers at local service provider sites.
The educational programs were successful but students expressed a recurring frustration with providing referrals: few legal providers were equipped to take on the civil cases of street youth. In 1999, Columbia Legal Services (CLS) and SYLAW joined together and began to provide direct representation, in addition to the educational and outreach programs for at-risk and homeless youth. Due to staffing and funding changes, SYLAW is no longer directly partnered with CLS but SYLAW continues to fulfill its mission of assisting and advocating for youth in a variety of different civil legal matters, including family, housing, medical, and employment issues.
SYLAW Staff
Katie Meyer, Executive Director
Katie is extremely pleased to join SYLAW as its executive
director after volunteering with SYLAW during law school and serving on its
board for several years. Katie brings a strong background in fundraising and
program development and has worked for a variety of non-profit organizations,
focusing on homelessness, hunger, education and the arts. After graduating from
University of Washington Law School, Katie co-founded the Entrepreneurial Law
Clinic (ELC), an organization that fights poverty by providing legal and
business advice to low-income people who want to start small businesses in
their communities. Most recently, Katie worked as an attorney for Kumin Sommers
LLP, a law firm focusing on civil rights and employment discrimination. A
former Americorps*VISTA, Katie is passionate
about social justice and community service and was recognized during law school
as the C.Z. Smith Public Interest Student of the Year. In spite of her flat,
dry Midwestern roots, Katie loves mountains and water and recently
learned to sail on a forty foot sailboat in the San FranciscoBay.
SYLAW Advisory Board
Justice Bobbe J. Bridge, President and CEO, Center for Children and Youth Justice Michele Storms, Executive Director, William H. Gates Public Service Law Program Jim Theofelis, Executive Director, Mockingbird Society Casey Trupin, SYLAW Founder and Staff Attorney, Columbia Legal Services Steven Witchley, Partner, Ellis, Holmes & Witchley, PLLC Linda Mason Wilgis, Ombudsman, Office of the Family and Children's Ombudsman
SYLAW Governing Board
Corey Fitzpatrick Wood, President Alex West, Treasurer Ruth Blaw, Board Member Anne Dederer, Board Member Susie Fullmer, Board Member Megan Giske, Board Member Yuka Hayashi, Board Member Erin Shea, Board Member
Funding Partners
Thomas V. Giddens, Jr. Foundation
Make The Dash Count Foundation
Norcliffe Foundation
OneFamily Foundation
Seattle Foundation
Governor's Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee (GJJAC)
