Richard W. Pogue is a legendary Cleveland attorney and pillar of the legal community who, for decades, has served as a champion of efforts to improve access to justice across the state. A founding board member of the Ohio Access to Justice Foundation, Pogue has been instrumental to the Foundation’s success.
In his honor, the Foundation created the Dick Pogue Access to Justice Award to celebrate those who develop systemic solutions and push for justice innovation that make a measurable impact in meeting or reducing civil legal needs.
At the Ohio State Bar Association’s annual meeting on May 20, the Foundation presented the inaugural Dick Pogue Access to Justice Award to Ohio Legal Help. Launched in 2019, Ohio Legal Help improves access to legal help in critical areas like housing, family law, employment, and consumer issues. By leveraging technology and innovation to improve justice and fairness for all Ohioans, Ohio Legal Help removes barriers to the civil legal system so that all Ohioans can understand their legal options, make informed decisions, and connect to legal and community resources.
In addition to providing general legal information, Ohio Legal Help recently developed Virtual Self-Help Centers (VSHCs) in partnership with several Ohio courts. VSHCs help self-represented litigants understand and navigate the civil court system. Ohioans can fill out, edit, save, and complete court forms on their mobile phones when it’s most convenient for them.
“Ohio Legal Help is a national model for statewide legal help websites,” said the Foundation’s Executive Director Angie Lloyd. “Its leadership and impact on access to justice are substantial, not only in Ohio but across the country.”
The Ohio Access to Justice Foundation annually presents the Denis Murphy, Dick Pogue Access to Justice, Elam, Rising Star, and Voice of Justice awards to outstanding leaders. Learn more about the Foundation’s awards.