Our History
Wynona I. Ward, Esq., Attorney and Founder of HJWT, has created an innovative, mobile, multi-service program that assists victims of domestic abuse through the legal process, from the initial interview and relief from abuse order through self-sufficiency and independence. This holistic multi-service approach to assisting rural victims often is the key to women first escaping the abuse and then moving forward to improving the quality of their lives and their children's lives. Since 1998, HJWT has provided services for more than 10,000 women and children.
Timeline
1996
Wynona I. Ward, the Founder of Have Justice--Will Travel, who grew up in poverty on a rural back road in Vermont where family violence was a common occurrence, begins to realize the need for Have Justice--Will Travel (HJWT).
As an Albert Schweitzer Fellow and a Vermont Law School student, Wynona chairs a national conference, Doctors, Lawyers and Domestic Violence at VLS. While working as a Zander Rubin Fellow at the VT Attorney General's Office, Wynona's vision that HJWT would serve both women and children is born.
1998
HJWT is formerly established with funding from a NAPIL Fellowship (now Equal Justice Works) and a grant from the Vermont Women's Fund. Wynona begins providing free legal services, in-home consultations, and transportation in a 15-year old Dodge equipped with a cell phone, laptop, printer, and CB radio.
Wynona works under the mentorship of the South Royalton Legal Clinic, the teaching and practicing clinic at VLS.
Connie Button, an HJWT client, and Wynona see the need for follow-up and supportive services for women to help them achieve independence. They plan and implement the HJWT Women in Transition Life Skills and Mentoring.
2000
Wynona receives an award from the Lyndhurst Foundation of Chattanooga, TN, and a Fellowship from Ashoka: Innovators for Public of Washington, D.C.
Wynona updates four-wheel drive vehicle with a 1996 Ford Explorer and hires two part-time secretary/paralegals. Original HJWT website is designed and online.
HJWT receives notice of a $150,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice Violence Against Women Act Office to expand services in Bennington and Windham County in Southern Vermont.
2002
Several new employees join HJWT including Johnnie Covey as administrative assistant, Robin Goodrum as a part-time paralegal, Harold Ward as business administration, and Kathyrn A.C. Kennedy as staff attorney. The first floor of the Ward home is now HJWT office space to accommodate the growing non-profit.
Wynona is the keynote speaker at the 6th Annual VT Women's Economic Conf. sponsored by Vermont Senator, Patrick J. Leahy. She is also chosen as one of four Women of the Year by Women's Day Magazine.
A story on HJWT appears in People Magazine, "Help On Wheels".
Wynona receives Lifetime Television's Acheivement Award. She received the Champion Award, the most prestigious honor.
2004
HJWT relocates its central Vermont office space from the first floor of Wynona and Harold Ward's residence to a home previously owned by Harold's grandparents. Renovations were made through donations and with the help of many volunteers.
HJWT establishes two offices in Southern Vermont; one in Brattleboro and one in Bennington.
Wynona receives two awards in 2004. The first is the prestigious "Community Impact Award" for her work against domestic violence given by the regional chapter of the American Red Cross. The second, “The Foundation for the Improvement for Justice”, gave its Paul H. Chapman Award to Wynona for her work.
HJWT continues to experience a constant struggle for funds, resources, and grants in order to serve clients. In October 2005, the Rural Domestic Violence and Child Victimization Grant is renewed by US Department of Justice Violence Against Women Office.
Wynona and Legal Intern Robin Goodrum continue to develop the Legal Empowerment Assistance Program (LEAP), which offers long-term on-going support navigating the legal system.
2006
An anonymous gift of real property is received, which allows HJWT to bring much needed services to women and children in the Northeast Kingdom area of Vermont.
The HJWT Women in Transition Life Skills and Mentoring Group is expanded into Southern Vermont.
The US Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women Rural grant is renewed until 2009.
HJWT organizes, obtains funding, and hosts a conference, "Children, Domestic Violence, and the Law" at Mt. Snow in Southern Vermont. With support from the federal Rural grant, an anonymous donor, and many local businesses, this conference was provided free to the attendees.
A television crew from California for Direct TV comes to Vermont to film a program about HJWT that is featured in their "Hometown Heroes" program.
Wynona travels to Washington, D.C. to participate in the annual Equal Justice Works gathering where HJWT was featured in their alumni video. She also met with staff from Senator Patrick Leahy and Senator Bernie Sander's office, as well as Congressman Peter Welch's office.
HJWT receives the 2009 Louis M. Brown Meritorious Recognition Aware for Legal Access from the American Bar Association Standing Committee on the Delivery of Legal Services.
HJWT suffers from the downturn in the national economy. The US Department of Justice grant is significantly reduced forcing HJWT to close its Brattleboro office and reduce the operating time for the Bennington office in Southern Vermont. The drastically reduced amount of funds received in 2009 makes it extremely difficult to keep HJWT operating.
In 2009, HJWT receives 1,098 calls from Vermonters who are desperate to have an attorney represent them in Court. The HJWT Legal Empowerment Assistance Program becomes an even more integral part of the services HJWT offers.
2010
Wynona Ward is named the first "Hero of the Week" by CNN Television during the first week of January. Over 300 calls for help from across the country are received by HJWT. Many e-mails of congratulations are received and over $3,000.00 in individual donations are received.
The Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains celebrates women of courage, confidence, and character at a "Breakfast of Champions" in Montpelier, Vermont. Wynona receives an award in the community category for making a significant difference in the community.
Global Grassroots, a nonprofit organization in Hanover, NH that supports conscious social change for women in post-conflict societies throughout the world, honors Wynona and Have Justice Will Travel with the "Inaugural Upper Valley Change Agent Award" which was presented at a LUNAFEST film festival.
The HJWT model continues to work. Only 10% of our clients return to abusers or go on to other abusive situations. This is unheard of anywhere else in the country.
2012
Each year, the Vermont Bar Association (VBA) gives the VBA Pro Bono Service Award to an attorney in the state who exemplifies an outstanding commitment to pro bono service. This award is given to Have Justice—Will Travel’s own attorney, John Lamson.
Wynona accepts an award from The Caring Institute, a Washington, D.C. organization with a mission to promote “the values of caring, integrity, and public service since 1985. Wynona was inducted into the Caring Hall of Fame at the Frederick Douglas Museum on Capital Hill.
During the Vermont Law School Alumni Association (VLSAA) reunion held on September 15, 2012 on the VLS campus, Wynona is honored to receive the Second Annual VLSAA Distinguished Alumni Award.
HJWT is proud to welcome Katie Jahne to our staff at the Bennington office. Hired under the federal Domestic and Sexual Violence Rural Grant, Ms. Jahne has extensive paralegal experience and is excited to be working in the field of domestic and sexual violence prevention.
After being an important stakeholder in the Integrated Domestic Violence Docket (IDVD) in Bennington for several years, Have Justice—Will Travel (HJWT) is pleased to now be a part of the newly developed IDVD in Windham County.
Since 2001, U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D) has worked assisting Have Justice Will Travel (HJWT) in receiving seven grants from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). The HJWT’s Southern Vermont office is delighted to hear in early August from Senator Leahy that its 2014 grant request had been approved through September 2017. Under the new grant guidelines, the office will be able to provide representation not limited to protective order cases.
2016
A special gathering sponsored by the Windsor and Orange County Democratic Committees is held at the Thyme Restaurant in White River Jct., VT on Sunday, September 24, 2017 to celebrate women making a difference in local communities. Wynona was delighted to be one of the honorees
HJWT is very proud to announce that we have received funding under the 2017 Rural Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Grant program. This program is funded through the US Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW).
From July 1, 2016, through June 30, 2017, 832 calls came into the office. Of those calls, 156 became Legal Empowerment Assistance Program (LEAP) clients and 53 received attorney representation by HJWT or a private attorney.
2018
HJWT celebrates its 20th anniversary. In the past twenty years, HJWT has served over 8,000 people. 2,409 of these clients received full representation from attorneys that provided motion writing, witness and hearing preparation, and courtroom representation for various matters.
In June we bid a fond farewell to Attorney John Lamson, who was with HJWT for 12 years.
Laura Savall is hired as a staff attorney for HJWT. She started working for Have Justice -- Will Travel (HJWT) in early September 2018 after graduating from Vermont Law School (VLS) in May. Wynona notes that Laura is one of the best VLS graduates with whom she has ever worked. She is intelligent, diligent, and well organized. Both were Schweitzer Fellows at VLS.
On May 2, 2019, The Honorable William D. Cohen, Vermont Superior Court Judge, swears in Laura Savall to the Vermont Bar.
Long time paralegal at the Bennington office, Katie Jahne, departs HJWT after 9 years.
Nexstar celebrated International Women’s Month by honoring “Remarkable Women” across the country and recognizing the great contributions that women make to our nation and our local communities. Wynona was chosen for establishing Have Justice Will Travel in Vermont.
HJWT learns how to operate during the covid-19 pandemic. The attorneys, paralegals, and staff at HJWT continue to provide free legal services while shifting services to virtual platforms.
HJWT hires a new paralegal, Elyse Kolacy, to work in our Bennington office.