Scott and Brad (right) with their Southwest Washington WSAJ Trial Lawyers Care Program team members.

On Wednesday, April 13, Partner Scott Edwards organized the Southwest Washington effort of the Washington State Association for Justice's (WSAJ) “Trial Lawyers Care” program. Scott Edwards and STJSE associate Brad Thayer worked with other personal injury attorneys and members of the legal community on a Habitat for Humanity service project in Vancouver, Washington. Scott Edwards's primary duties involved building fences while Brad was helping with hanging drywall, mudding, and taping.

“It felt really good to use my hands and get out from behind the desk,” Brad Thayer said. “Given the nature of the work we do, I feel like we are able to help people – but to help people in a new and different way was fun.”

Trial Lawyers Care is a great organization that originated as a nonprofit launched September 24, 2001, in response to 9/11. In the wake of that tragedy, members of Trial Lawyers Care provided free legal help to individuals and families devastated by the attacks.

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Since then, many trial lawyers have chosen to continue efforts to volunteer and help their communities. In Washington, for example, the Washington State Association for Justice's Trial Lawyers Care program provided free legal services to the victims of the Oso Mudslide in early 2014. In past years it has helped with victims of wildfires and similar natural disasters.

“I was honored to be asked to organize this and, although it's a small thing for us to do – it is a tangible thing we were able to make happen for someone else,” Scott Edwards said. “That's big.”