On May 13, legal aid attorneys, board members, and staff gathered at the Ohio Statehouse for Legal Aid Day, an event hosted by the Ohio Access to Justice Foundation that helps educate legislators about legal aid’s impact.
Since the first Legal Aid Day in 2013, Ohio’s legal aids and the Foundation have strengthened relationships with Ohio legislators, championing support for legal aid and its critical role in improving the safety, stability, and financial security of low-income Ohioans.
In addition to Legal Aid Day, Foundation leaders joined the Ohio State Bar Association at the Statehouse to celebrate excellence in the legal profession. The Foundation was pleased to recognize three outstanding advocates. Thompson Hine was recognized with the Presidential Award; Judge Mary Jane Trapp was recognized posthumously with the John C. and Ginny Elam Pro Bono Award; and Matt Damschroder, director of the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services (ODJFS), was recognized with the Voice of Justice Award.
As the director of ODJFS, Damschroder has been a champion for the well-being of all Ohioans. Director Damschroder has created departmental efficiencies, spearheading innovations that improve access to the agency’s services for low-income Ohioans.
Director Damschroder and his team have developed system improvements that better serve Ohioans. They have grown initiatives to help Ohioans find work and to help employers hire the skilled workers they need, ensuring that Ohio has a future-ready workforce. Most importantly, ODJFS, under Director Damschroder, is committed to treating Ohioans with dignity and respect.
“Director Damschroder is an amazing leader who has taken very seriously the idea of service,” said the Foundation’s Executive Director Angie Lloyd. “He’s done everything you’d want a public servant to do to ensure that an agency that was set up to serve Ohioans does just that. We are delighted to recognize him with the Voice of Justice Award.”
The Ohio Access to Justice Foundation annually presents the Denis Murphy, Elam, Presidential, Rising Star, and Voice of Justice awards to outstanding leaders. Learn more about the Foundation’s awards.