Legal Aid of Western Ohio’s (LAWO) new Executive Director Brent Thompson arrived at the nonprofit this summer with experience leading a rural legal aid program in South Dakota and an urban program in Florida. His wide-ranging background proved ideal to lead LAWO, a legal aid that serves 32 Ohio counties spanning major cities and small [...]
Earlier this summer, the Department of Children and Youth awarded the Foundation a contract to lead a new collaboration to improve Ohio’s child welfare system by enhancing the quality and quantity of attorneys practicing child welfare law in Ohio. The project calls for collaboration with multiple partners, including the Ohio State Bar Association, Ohio CASA, [...]
Eric Warman is the new staff attorney for the Ohio Justice Bus. Warman is an Indiana University Maurer School of Law graduate and holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio. Prior to joining the Foundation, Warman served as a law clerk at the Michigan Poverty Law Program and [...]
Big changes are happening at the Ohio Justice Bus. Sophia Chang, pro bono director at the Foundation and managing attorney for the Ohio Justice Bus, has transitioned to lead the Bus full-time, becoming its new director effective July 1. In this role, Chang will lead strategy and direction, working to expand Ohio Justice Bus clinics [...]
When an Ohioan suffers from a substance use disorder (SUD), civil legal issues can arise not only for the person living with or recovering from addiction, but also for their family. The Ohio Access to Justice Foundation funds a grant program supported by state General Revenue Fund dollars to address legal issues related to SUD. [...]
The Ohio Access to Justice Foundation Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of new board members. The Board of Directors supports the Foundation’s mission of ensuring that Ohioans who are low-income or who lack access can fully and fairly participate in civil systems that produce just outcomes. Nicholas A. DiCello, partner, Spangenberg [...]
The Ohio Access to Justice Foundation is taking a bold step in pursuing its mission to promote access to justice by leading a new collaboration to improve Ohio’s child welfare system by improving the quality and quantity of attorneys practicing child welfare law in Ohio. The Department of Children and Youth (DCY) awarded the Foundation [...]
A culture of pro bono service is a core value at BakerHostetler, one of the largest law firms in the U.S. The firm reported 3,719 pro bono hours on the Supreme Court of Ohio and the Foundation’s annual Pro Bono Survey, a result that ranked among the top firms statewide for 2025. Karl Fanter, a [...]
Deciding to pursue a career in public interest law is a big decision. For law students selected for the Foundation's Justice for All Summer Clerk Program, a hands-on experience at civil legal service providers in Ohio helps make the decision easier. "Summer clerks really get an inside view of what it's like to work in [...]
On May 20, Foundation leaders joined the Ohio State Bar Association at the Ohio Statehouse to celebrate excellence in the legal profession. The Foundation was pleased to recognize three outstanding legal advocates: state Sen. Paula Hicks-Hudson with the Voice of Justice Award; Ohio Legal Help with the inaugural Dick Pogue Access to Justice Award; and [...]
