Supporting Other Artisanal Businesses through Pro Bono Work and Otherwise

Part of starting my law practice here in Port Townsend, and escaping the fast-paced and high-stress life of being a “big city” litigator in Seattle, was to give myself more time to provide legal advice and services to those who cannot afford to pay, or to pay much. In any given week, I would say that up to half of the legal work I do is either for no-charge (pro bono) or for a reduced hourly-rate or (more commonly) a flat fee. And, of course, at least one-third of my clients are non-profit organizations doing good work that I support. To give you but one example (and I will be writing about more soon), it was my pleasure to provide Meghan Mix legal advice when she was beginning her novel farming and artisanal food business, Hopscotch Farm + Cannery. I heartily encourage you to click on the link and go to Meghan’s website and read all about her great work. (I can also attest to being a HUGE fan of her canned goods and seasonings.

I am such a fan of Meghan and her projects, she grows some of her product on a property that I own, next to where I live. The previous owners had kept a horse, which I did not want to do (or have my renters do). But I did not want the land to go unused. That’s where Meghan came in. She took over caring for a big bush of aronia berries, lots of blueberry plants, and some fruit trees too. Plus, she now uses a dedicated plot of land to grow vegetables. In fact, a photo in her recent email to CSA customers (current and prospective) shows her in the process of moving a blueberry plant (that had been elsewhere on the property) to her new dedicated growing area on my property. We are even helping her get the growing area fenced to protect from deers.

So if you ever wonder whether I do more than talk about supporting artisans in our community. here’s proof.