AC Anecdotes: Opening Doors, Changing Lives

When a young man came to the Federal Civil Rights Legal Clinic seeking help with a legal case, Tracy Morris saw more than the circumstances that brought him there. He was experiencing housing instability and other personal challenges, but as the two talked, Morris recognized his potential. She encouraged him to think beyond his current circumstances, suggesting that he might consider attending law school someday. It was a small moment in a larger struggle, but it reflects how Morris approaches the people who come through her doors. “Even when we cannot provide a legal solution, sometimes just listening to someone and helping them find a different path forward can make all the difference,” Morris said.

As the Founder and CEO of Legal Gateway, a Seattle-based nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to justice, Morris has spent nearly two decades helping people navigate the federal legal system through the Federal Civil Rights Legal Clinic. But for her, the work has never been solely about legal questions. It's about listening to people, understanding their circumstances and making sure they feel heard.

That perspective began taking shape long before Morris became a lawyer. While in college, she volunteered as a tutor for underserved communities in Los Angeles. The experience introduced her to the difference that individual attention and encouragement could make in someone's life. She carried that understanding into law school at the University of Washington, where she helped young parents understand their legal options. After working in both private and corporate practice, Morris found herself drawn back to the direct, personal support that had first inspired her.

In 2006, she founded the Federal Civil Rights Legal Clinic as a pilot program in Seattle, creating a space where people could receive free legal advice on federal civil rights matters, including employment,  housing discrimination, and police misconduct claims. What began as a small volunteer effort eventually expanded to Seattle and Tacoma supported by almost 30 volunteers. In 2025, Morris established Legal Gateway, a nonprofit dedicated to sustaining and expanding the Clinic's work while supporting other court-related access-to-justice initiatives.

“Our mission is really to move everyone one step further than when they walked in the door.”

Sometimes that means helping someone understand a complicated legal document or identify their legal options. Other times, it means simply listening to someone who has spent months searching for help. Even when Morris can't solve someone's legal problem, she believes taking the time to listen can make a meaningful difference. It's this understanding of what people need beyond immediate legal assistance that connects Morris to A Curiae. Although the two organizations serve different populations, Morris recognizes a shared belief in giving people the knowledge and resources they need to move forward. For individuals returning from incarceration, those resources can make the difference between feeling overwhelmed by unfamiliar systems and having a path toward rebuilding their lives.

“I think education is the common thread that runs through both of our organizations. We both empower people through knowledge.”

Morris sees particular promise in A Curiae's ability to connect people with opportunities they may not have known existed. Whether through mentorship, employment support or community partnerships, she believes the organization offers something that can be difficult to find when navigating reentry: someone willing to help identify a way forward.

Drawing from her own experience with federal court programs, Morris sees opportunities for A Curiae to make an impact beyond its existing work. She hopes organizations like A Curiae can become more integrated into the federal justice system, helping individuals access housing, employment and mental health resources at different stages of their involvement with the courts. While Morris thinks about how organizations can grow, she hasn't lost sight of the individual interactions that make the work meaningful. Despite the responsibilities of running Legal Gateway, she continues to volunteer directly with clients. Those conversations remind her that people are rarely defined by the challenges that brought them through the door.

The young man she encouraged to consider law school is one example of that belief. Today, he has stable housing and is enrolled in an advanced paralegal program. Morris couldn't solve every challenge he faced, but she could offer something that might have been just as important: a different way of seeing himself and his strengths. It's the same kind of possibility she hopes A Curiae can help create for people rebuilding their lives after incarceration. Morris encourages others to volunteer whenever they can, believing that sharing time and knowledge can make a difference in someone's life while bringing greater purpose to your own.

“I hope that more people can find ways to volunteer and contribute because giving back in this way not only changes other people's lives, it changes your own.”