After decades of service at the Legal Aid Society of Southwest Ohio (LASSO), Elaine Fink has seen firsthand the power of collaboration in driving systemic change. “There’s a crucial role for litigation and the threat of litigation,” Fink said. “I have also learned that at times we can achieve significant results for clients when we [...]
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 [...]
The Ohio Access to Justice Foundation was shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the sudden passing of Judge Mary Jane Trapp on April 24. On May 13, the Foundation posthumously awarded Judge Trapp the John C. and Ginny Elam Pro Bono Award. The Foundation recently took over stewardship of the Elam Award, a recognition [...]
Convenient. User-friendly. Customizable. These are just a few of the adjectives that describe Pro Bono Ohio, a new online platform from the Ohio Access to Justice Foundation that helps connect volunteer lawyers with pro bono opportunities around the state. Pro Bono Ohio centralizes and streamlines pro bono opportunities in a user-friendly database that the legal [...]
The Foundation’s newly released 2024 annual report explores how justice is a defining factor in opening doors to better jobs, more stable families, and financial security. It transforms uncertainty into security and potential into progress. Justice is more than a concept — it’s a catalyst. It fuels opportunities that ensure everyone can succeed. Access to [...]
The Greater Dayton Volunteer Lawyers Project (GDVLP) and Thompson Hine’s Dayton office have a long-standing relationship stretching back decades. When GDVLP identifies legal needs in the community, it relies on partners like Thompson Hine to provide volunteer lawyers to help low-income Daytonians resolve their civil legal challenges. One ongoing bi-monthly project — the landlord/tenant clinic [...]
Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio (LASCO) lawyer Valerie Hendrickson comes from a long line of attorneys. Her great-great-grandfather established a practice in her hometown of East Liverpool, Ohio. Her grandfather continued to run that practice until he retired at age 90. Her father and uncle are both attorneys. Now, Hendrickson has followed in [...]
For Ohioans representing themselves in court, attempting to navigate the justice system can be a daunting task. That’s why Robby Southers, director of the Franklin County Municipal Court Self Help Center and Dispute Resolution Department, is laser-focused on increasing accessibility to the legal system. At the Franklin County Municipal Court Self Help Center, Southers leads [...]
The Foundation mourns the loss of Ohio Access to Justice Foundation Board Member Thomas Chema. Chema was a founding member of the Foundation’s Board of Directors and served as Foundation Board President from 1996 to 1999. In 2010, Chema became an emeritus member. Chema had a long and distinguished career spanning over 30 years in [...]
Jesse Moses, the first recipient of the Ohio Access to Justice Foundation Rising Star Award, credits much of his success in helping clients resolve civil legal challenges to his ability to build relationships. “I'm the type of person that if I talk to you once, I want to build a genuine connection so that in [...]
