Saul Tilden was named as a 2024 Volunteer of the Year at the Justice Gala on September 6, 2024. Saul is an attorney at Stokes Lawrence, P.S. Saul has volunteered for Central WA Legal Aid since 2020 and has donated over 40 pro bono hours to serving our clients. In 2024, he worked with Esmeralda Mora, Pro Bono Program Coordinator, to create a wills clinic where he gave a general presentation and followed up by creating wills and estate planning documents for individuals who attended the presentation. Saul was nominated for his positive volunteer spirit and his dedication to pro bono.
When we asked Saulto tell us more about himself and his motivation to make an impact at CWLA, he said:
1. What motivated you to become an attorney? Originally, I was planning to be an environmental lawyer. I wanted to make a positive difference in the world while doing work that I found engaging, and that seemed like a good way to do it.
2. What is the most challenging part of your profession? Delivering bad news to clients. You can’t win them all, but that doesn’t make it easier when you have to let a client know that you didn’t get the result you wanted or that they might not have any good options to begin with.
3. What is the most rewarding part of your career? Having the chance to get to know people in our community and then being able to put my legal training to use to help them out.
4. What does professional responsibility mean to you? Professional responsibility means that once you take a client on, their problems become your problems and you have a responsibility to them to approach their problem with the same care and effort you’d put forth if the problem were your own or that of a friend or family member.
5. What inspires you to volunteer? We have a great community, but like most communities, we have a whole lot of people in need. There is such a high barrier to access the legal services and it feels important to do what I can to help lower that barrier, when possible.
6. In what ways has volunteering for CWLA benefited you? It’s been very personally rewarding. The work I do volunteering for CWLA is without a doubt the work that makes me feel the most fulfilled and the most like I’m making a positive difference in the world. That isn’t always the case in my day-to-day work, so I’m thankful I can get that sense of satisfaction from my work with CWLA. It’s also been a great way to get to know the CWLA team and more of the Yakima Valley legal community.
7. What is your most memorable case/client while volunteering? My most memorable experience was probably helping to put on a recent Will clinic with CWLA. It was very satisfying to work with the CWLA team to help plan the clinic and see it through to the finish.
8. What do you appreciate about your community? The people and the natural environment. I moved from Western Washington to start my career here, and it was initially a pretty big adjustment. However, Yakima is full of so many wonderful people from so many different backgrounds who all come together to make it the incredibly special community that it is. It didn’t take long for it to feel like a new home. I’ll also never get tired of all the beautiful rivers, orchards, hills, and mountains.
9. What advice can you give young attorneys who are interested in volunteering for CWLA? Reach out! Volunteering for CWLA is not only rewarding but also a great way to broaden your experience as a young attorney.
10. Side question: How do you like to spend your day off? Mostly just relaxing with my wife and our two dogs, Nisa and Charlie. Other than that, depending on the season, running, biking, snowboarding, and watching the Seahawks, Huskies, and Mariners.
