Sarah Monkton’s dedication and passion for helping each individual client makes her an easy choice for ALSC’s October Volunteer of the Month! Sarah regularly lends her talents to ALSC’s clients and for the Early Resolution Project. Check out our interview with Sarah below:

Why did you choose to volunteer with ALSC?

I hold a strong belief in the importance and value of community service, and in particular in the need for lawyers to offer some of their time to those with limited access to legal assistance. In addition, I knew that my work with ALSC clients would provide valuable professional experience for me in areas of law I am interested in.

What are some of your experiences at ALSC that have made a positive difference in the lives of others?

I’ve had the pleasure of helping a family become completed through the adoption of two brothers, assisting a very deserving senior to access much needed pension funds following a default divorce, and drafting simple but essential estate planning documents for military veterans.

How do you think your experiences with ALSC will benefit you in the future? 

In each case I gained significant practical experience that enriched my legal practice and quite simply made me a more knowledgeable attorney. In addition, working with clients from diverse backgrounds broadens my perspective, allowing me to offer better advice in all my cases. I also find these cases very personally rewarding. While each client has expressed gratitude for my work, I feel grateful for having had the opportunity to work with each one, and to learn from their experiences.

What do you do when you are not volunteering with ALSC?

I have two school-age sons who keep me up-to-date on the best knock-knock jokes, and we get outside as much as we can to enjoy Alaska. I also serve as the Vice President of Professional Mediators of Alaska, and we are working to expand the use of mediation as an alternative means of conflict resolution in our state.