Life-affirming, free legal services now offered at Willow Creek Opportunity Center
Photos and Story by Misty Bouse
Portland Community College has partnered with WorkSource Portland Metro to offer free legal services once a month at the Willow Creek Opportunity Center (241 SW Edgeway Drive) in Hillsboro. This partnership now allows individuals in Washington County to access valuable legal and employment-related services.
Martiza Ceja performs fingerprinting for expungement services.
The CLEAR Clinic/PCC Legal Resource Center provides limited-scope legal services for various issues. These services include DACA support, criminal record expungements, eviction assistance, and help with name and gender-marker changes.
J.J. Caufield, a staff attorney at the clinic, explained that they also offer Senate Bill 819 Reviews for Eligibility, a process similar to a pardon, and they can connect individuals with deportation defense services. Caufield and his team also provide eviction expungements. This is important as eviction records can appear on rental histories even if a renter did not actually lose their eviction case.
The clinic collaborates with WorkSource to provide job training and resume assistance, extending support beyond legal matters.
“We can connect folks with resources for touching up their resume after their criminal record is cleared,” Caufield said. “We can set people up with job training and occupational skills training. Even if a participant is unable to fully clear their record, for example, they can meet with WorkSource partners to plan their career and set their life back on track.
“Ordinarily, we are largely limited to assisting folks with legal issues,” he added. “But at the new Willow Creek Clinic, our sponsors at WorkSource can assist people with work issues as well.”
The Willow Creek Opportunity Center legal clinic operates on the second Monday of each month from 2-6 p.m. The remaining 2023 dates are Oct. 9, Nov. 13 and Dec. 11. Services will continue into 2024 as well.
For more information, visit https://www.pcc.edu/clear-clinic/.
About Misty Bouse
A Portland Community College public relations program specialist, Misty Bouse has been working in college advancement for more than eight years. A graduate of University of Oregon, Misty has worked as a managing editor for BUILDERNews Magaz... more »