Robby Southers, the Foundation’s policy & justice initiatives counsel, received the 2026 Excellence in Public Service Award from the Public Interest Law Foundation (PILF) at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law earlier this month.
PILF recognizes outstanding attorneys for their continued commitment to public interest work in the community at its annual auction, where they give the Public Interest Law Foundation Excellence in Public Service Award to Columbus-area attorneys demonstrating a sustained commitment to public interest work and community service.
Southers, who joined the Foundation in October, has devoted his career to service. Before joining the Foundation, Southers served as the director of the Franklin County Municipal Court Self-Help Center and Dispute Resolution Department, where he helped self-represented litigants access critical legal information and worked to develop and improve access to justice services throughout the Court. Under his leadership, the Self-Help Center grew from serving 300 people when he started in 2017 to over 36,000 people annually.
Southers currently serves as co-chair for the Access to Justice Network’s Court-Based Assistance Working Group, where he has helped courts around the country launch new and innovative self-help centers and navigator programs. He also serves as an adjunct professor for The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law’s Program on Dispute Resolution.
“We are immensely proud of Robby and his good work,” said Foundation Executive Director Angie Lloyd. “This honor is well deserved.”
The Ohio Access to Justice Foundation is the largest funder of civil legal services in Ohio. A gift to the Foundation supports Ohio’s legal aids.