Twenty-eight-year-old Morris lived in a freezing, rat-infested basement apartment, barely making ends meet. When he lost his job waiting tables at a local restaurant, his landlord gave him a 30-day notice to move. But the very next day, Morris came home to find his belongings outside and the locks changed.

Homeless, unemployed, and desperate, Morris came to AVLF’s Saturday Lawyer Day, where he met Ballard Spahr attorney Wendy Choi. Wendy’s attempts to negotiate with the surly, aggressive landlord were fruitless – so she filed a lawsuit. On June 5, the Court awarded Morris nearly $5,000 in damages for the illegal eviction. Many thanks to Wendy and her Ballard Spahr colleagues!