News at Community Legal Aid

Community Legal Aid Receives $5,000 grant from the United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio

bbyrd@communitylegalaid.org (Bonnie Byrd) — Fri, 10 May 2013 13:26:05 +0000

Community Legal Aid Receives Grant for Bankrutpcy By-Pass Clinic

from Community Legal Aid, May 9, 2013:

Community Legal Aid recently received a $5,000 grant from the United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio’s Attorney Admissions Fund for “Peace of Mind,” a Bankruptcy By-Pass program.

The by-pass program, launched in 2013, helps uncollectible low-income people communicate their financial status to their creditors and demand an end to collection efforts as permitted under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).

Many low-income people who are subject to unrelenting collection efforts by debt collectors file for bankruptcy even though their income and assets are low enough to be protected by Ohio law. They choose to file bankruptcy even though it is not necessary to protect their income or
assets because they want to stop the constant harassment of collectors.

Eligible clients, pre-screened by the Community Legal Aid HelpLine staff, come to the clinic for a class, consultation and help communicating with collection agencies. The clinic is staffed by Community Legal Aid’s Volunteer Legal Services Program and its volunteer attorneys. Law students from The University of Akron School of Law also assist with the clinic.

“A Chapter 7 bankruptcy can only be filed once every eight years, so it is important not to file unless absolutely necessary,” says Sara E. Strattan, Community Legal Aid Executive Director.

“This clinic truly gives clients peace of mind,” she says. “We are grateful to the Attorney Admissions Fund of the United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio for choosing to fund this unique and important program.”

Low-income individuals and seniors living in Columbiana, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit, Trumbull and Wayne with a legal problem should call the Community Legal Aid Services HelpLine at 1.800.998.9454 or visit www.CommunityLegalAid.org

Sunshine Law Training

bbyrd@communitylegalaid.org (Bonnie Byrd) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 18:21:53 +0000

Legal Aid co-sponsored the Sunshine Law Training from the Ohio Attorney Generals Office, held on Monday, April 29. The seminar was well attended by community leaders and members

From Vindy.com, "Open records requests should be filled as soon as possible, an AG official says." April 30, 2013

YOUNGSTOWN

A state attorney general office official advises local government to “go above and beyond” when it comes to honoring legitimate open-records requests.

That means filling the request as soon as possible, working with those seeking the information, and it’s not a bad idea to forgo charging a fee to those making the inquiries to create good will, said Jeff Clark, principal assistant attorney general.

Program may abuse housing law

bbyrd@communitylegalaid.org (Bonnie Byrd) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:04:53 +0000

Community Legal Aid works in tandem with the Trumbull County Planning Commission on Fair Housing issus. Recent developments in neighboring Ashtabula highlight the need for informed Fair Housing advocates.

from TribToday.com, Sunday, April 28, 2013:

Trumbull County's leaders should intervene now, before the county and City of Warren launch into a fair housing program that ravishes honest, hard-working landlords.

The nightmares are unfolding in Ashtabula County. Trumbull could be next if nobody steps in to set strict parameters on the program.

Read the full article by clicking here.

Community Legal Aid Services names 2012 Volunteer of the Year recipients

bbyrd@communitylegalaid.org (Bonnie Byrd) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:37:13 +0000

Each year Community Legal Aid recognizes outstanding volunteer attorneys who contribute their time and efforts to the Volunteer Legal Services Program. The Volunteers of 2012 being honored this year are J. Dean Carro and Lynn M. Clark.

from The Akron Legal News, Monday, April 29, 2013:

For some lawyers pro bono work is an obligation but for others it is a responsibility that they are eager to fulfill, speaking to the very essence of why they entered the legal field-- to lend a helping hand to those in need.

It is such dedication for which Community Legal Aid Services Inc. created its Volunteer of the Year Award. In 2012 the nonprofit law firm chose two recipients, J. Dean Carro, longtime law professor and director of the legal clinic at The University of Akron School of Law and Akron solo practitioner Lynn M. Clark.

“These two attorneys are different in many ways, but what they share is a common desire to inspire the good works of others and fight for equal justice,” said Jennifer van Dulmen, managing attorney of the Volunteer Legal Services Program and Intake Unit at Community Legal Aid in Akron.

The organization serves low-income residents and seniors in eight Ohio Counties, including Summit, Stark, Mahoning, Portage, Medina, Columbiana, Trumbull and Wayne.

Van Dulmen said Community Legal Aid considered between 150 and 200 attorneys in Summit County for the 2012 Volunteer of the Year award.

“We were looking for candidates who took on a significant client matter, had an outstanding number of cases or had undertaken a long-term commitment,” said van Dulmen.

Read the full article by clicking here.

Landlords put to test

bbyrd@communitylegalaid.org (Bonnie Byrd) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 14:10:03 +0000

Community Legal Aid was recognized for our collaboration with the Trumbull County Planning Commission regarding fair housing issues in Trumbull County.

Excerpt From TribToday.com, Sunday, April 14, 2013:

...When problems occur outside of Warren in Trumbull County, they are most likely handled by Julie Green.

Grants coordinator of the Trumbull County Planning Commission, Green works with Community Legal Aid to handle fair housing issues in Trumbull County townships and villages.

She said her commission has contracted with Community Legal Aid to address discrimination complaints. Community Legal Aid assists in documenting the issue and investigating it to determine whether it would be appropriate to file with the OCRC.

With only four complaints in 2012, much of Green's and Community Legal Aid's focus falls on education. Informational meetings are held about five times a year for real estate agents, housing collaborations and other stakeholders in the housing industry.

Read the full article by clicking here.

Doctors Join Lawyers to Ease Patients' Legal Anxieties

bbyrd@communitylegalaid.org (Bonnie Byrd) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 05:00:00 +0000

from Morning Edition, NPR, story by Jeff St. Clair, 89.7 WKSU

Community Legal Aid attorneys Marie Curry and Meredith Watts were featured on NPR's Morning Edition April 4, 2013. Curry is the Managing Attorney of the firm's Safety, Stability and Health team and oversees the Health Education Advocacy and Law program (H.E.A.L.), a Medical-Legal Partnership which is a national healthcare delivery model that integrates legal assistance into patient care.

The story can be read and heard on NPR's website by CLICKING HERE

Legal Aid attorney on hand to help low-income taxpayers

bbyrd@communitylegalaid.org (Bonnie Byrd) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 20:37:17 +0000

Legal Aid tax attorney Dana Goldstein talks about her work at Legal Aid, the issues facing low-income taxpayers, and the work she has done to ensure equal justice for all.

from The Akron Legal News Tuesday, April 2, 2013:

Tax season can be a stressful time for anybody filing a return. However, for low-income individuals and families, it can be particularly difficult. Attorney Dana Goldstein, 55, has a passion for helping those who lack the knowledge and financial means to navigate the federal tax code.

“Low-income tax payers are really like most middle-class citizens,” she said. “They want to be compliant with the tax system and they want to correctly report their income and pay their fair share of the tax liability. The challenge for them is that the tax code is so difficult to understand that trying to be compliant with very limited resources is difficult.”

Goldstein, a Lyndhurst resident, oversees the low income taxpayer clinic at Community Legal Aid, a nonprofit law firm which provides legal services to low-income clients in Columbiana, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit, Trumbull and Wayne counties. It was her first job after graduating from The Ohio State University School of Law.

“I started working for Legal Aid in 1983 as soon as I graduated from law school because that’s where I wanted to work,” she said. “That’s the reason I went to law school.”

Click here to read the full article.

Managing Attorney Marie Curry to speak at League of Women Voters Forum

bbyrd@communitylegalaid.org (Bonnie Byrd) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 19:53:16 +0000

AKRON Ohio - Marie Curry, JD, MPH, Managing Attorney at Community Legal Aid Services, will speak at the League of Women Voters forum, Health Care Reform: What’s Ahead? Thursday, March 14, at 7 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church, at 3300 Morewood Rd., in Fairlawn. Curry will speak on the Effects of Medicaid Expansion in Ohio.

Curry is the Managing Attorney for the Family and Individual Safety, Stability and Health team at Legal Aid. She joined the firm as an Equal Justice Works Fellow, focusing on health and poverty issues, launching the Health Education Advocacy and Law (HEAL) Program. Curry focuses on advocacy work centered on health policy and is an active member of the community. She chairs the joint policy advocacy committee on two local coalitions, the Minority Health Roundtable and the Healthy Connections Network.

Other speakers and topics for the evening include:

Ed Morrison, President Employee Benefits Division, Evans Insurance Agency, Challenges Ahead for Small Businesses

Caroline Fracker, Compliance Officer, MedBen, Compliance Requirements for Employee-Sponsored Health Benefits

Bill Keck, MD, MPH, Retired Director of Health, City of Akron Better Health Outcomes, Lower Costs.

Community Event: Learn About Fair Housing

bbyrd@communitylegalaid.org (Bonnie Byrd) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 20:20:02 +0000

Youngstown, Ohio - The public is invited to learn more about Fair Housing Rights at 6 p.m. on March 6 at the Kinsman Community Center, 6346 St. Rt. 87, Kinsman, Ohio 44428.

Community Legal Aid Attorney Dawn Spriggs will inform guests about the protections offered under the Federal Fair Housing Act, specifically how it affects people with disabilities in the residential housing context.

Spriggs will explain who is protected under the act, what discrimination is under the act, reasonable accommodations and modifications for those with disabilities, live-in aids and service and companion animals.

Seniors and all members of the community are encouraged to attend. The presentation is made possible through a Trumbull County Community Development Block Grant.

For more information, call September Williams at Community Legal Aid: 330-983-2558.

Low-income individuals living in Columbiana, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit, Trumbull and Wayne with a legal problem should call the Community Legal Aid Services HelpLine at 1.800.998.9454 or visit www.CommunityLegalAid.org

COMMUNITY LEGAL AID RECEIVES $5,000 GRANT FROM SISLER McFAWN FOR HEALTH LAW AND ADVOCACY PROGRAM

bbyrd@communitylegalaid.org (Bonnie Byrd) — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 18:54:51 +0000

COMMUNITY LEGAL AID RECEIVES $5,000 GRANT
FROM SISLER MCFAWN FOR HEALTH LAW AND ADVOCACY PROGRAM

AKRON, Ohio — Community Legal Aid has received a $5,000 grant from Sisler McFawn Foundation to support the work of Legal Aid staff involved in the Health Education Advocacy and Law (HEAL) program at Locust Pediatric Clinic of Akron Children’s Hospital.

In 2009, Community Legal Aid established HEAL in collaboration with Locust Pediatric Care Group of Akron Children’s Hospital (Locust.) HEAL is a medical-legal partnership that brings together Legal Aid and medical professionals to identify and solve non-medical challenges impacting the wellness of low-income individuals and families. The program provides legal services to patient families at no cost.

Locust is a primary care practice that provides services to vulnerable children in Akron’s urban core. For the low-income families Locust serves who are unable to afford private legal representation, the legal intervention provided through HEAL can be life changing. Legal Aid staff work with medical professionals and client families to identify and resolve underlying problems leading to poor health – a moldy apartment, a threat of eviction, lack of appropriate educational interventions for children with disabilities and/or an inability to access needed public benefits and supports.

“We are so grateful to Sisler McFawn Foundation for selecting the HEAL program as a grant recipient,” said Community Legal Aid Executive Director Sara E. Strattan.

COMMUNITY LEGAL AID RECEIVES $8,000 GRANT FOR HEALTH LAW AND ADVOCACY PROGRAM

bbyrd@communitylegalaid.org (Bonnie Byrd) — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 18:52:32 +0000

COMMUNITY LEGAL AID RECEIVES $8,000 GRANT
FOR HEALTH LAW AND ADVOCACY PROGRAM

AKRON, Ohio — Community Legal Aid has received an $8,000 grant from Akron Community Foundation to support its Health Education Advocacy and Law (HEAL) program. HEAL brings together Legal Aid and medical professionals to identify and solve non-medical challenges impacting the wellness of low-income individuals and families.

Akron Community Foundation President and CEO John T. Petures Jr. announced the grant after it was approved at the foundation’s Nov. 30, 2012 board meeting.

The funds will be used to support the policy advocacy work of Managing Attorney Marie Curry in 2013. Amongst her many activities, Curry holds leadership positions within the Summit County Healthy Connections Network and the Minority Health Roundtable.

“We are grateful to the Akron Community Foundation for their generous grant supporting this important work,” said Sara E. Strattan, executive director of Community Legal Aid.

COMMUNITY LEGAL AID RECEIVES $5,000 GRANT FROM TUSCORA PARK FOR HEALTH LAW AND ADVOCACY PROGRAM

bbyrd@communitylegalaid.org (Bonnie Byrd) — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 18:50:12 +0000

COMMUNITY LEGAL AID RECEIVES $5,000 GRANT

FROM TUSCORA PARK FOR HEALTH LAW AND ADVOCACY PROGRAM

AKRON, Ohio — Community Legal Aid has received a $5,000 grant from Tuscora Park Health & Wellness Foundation to support the work of Legal Aid staff involved in the Health Education Advocacy and Law (HEAL) program at Locust Pediatric Clinic of Akron Children’s Hospital.

In 2009, Community Legal Aid established HEAL in collaboration with Locust Pediatric Care Group of Akron Children’s Hospital (Locust.) HEAL is a medical-legal partnership that brings together Legal Aid and medical professionals to identify and solve non-medical challenges impacting the wellness of low-income individuals and families. The program provides legal services to patient families at no cost.

Locust is a primary care practice that provides services to vulnerable children in Akron’s urban core. For the low-income families Locust serves who are unable to afford private legal representation, the legal intervention provided through HEAL can be life changing. Legal Aid staff work with medical professionals and client families to identify and resolve underlying problems leading to poor health – a moldy apartment, a threat of eviction, the lack of appropriate educational interventions for children with disabilities and/or an inability to access needed public benefits and supports.

“Together, medical and legal professionals are changing the way patients are treated and finding holistic ways to improve health,” Community Legal Aid Executive Director Sara E. Strattan said. “We are grateful to Tuscora Park for helping to fund this program.”

Jewell Cardwell: Help for those low on funds who need to prepare wills

bbyrd@communitylegalaid.org (Bonnie Byrd) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:47:24 +0000

From The Akron Beacon Journal, Friday, Septemeber 28, 2012:

If you’ve been thinking about preparing a will but haven’t gotten around to it due to your bleak financial picture, you may want to ring the Volunteer Legal Services Program (VLSP) of Community Legal Aid.

“Its volunteer attorneys can provide assistance at an upcoming Will Clinic for low-income members of the community who wish to prepare simple wills, living wills, powers of attorney and power of attorney for health care,” said Ashley Heeney, director of development/communications at Community Legal Aid Services Inc. in Akron.

“The next Will Clinic in Summit County will be held the week of Oct. 15 during regular business hours in downtown Akron. This is not a walk-in clinic. Details about the date, time and location will be provided when you call the HelpLine at 1-800-998-9454 to register if Legal Aid determines you are eligible for the service.”

For more than 60 years, Community Legal Aid has been the primary provider of free, civil legal services to low-income residents in central Northeast Ohio.

To read the full article click here.

More Free Legal Work Needed

bbyrd@communitylegalaid.org (Bonnie Byrd) — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 19:36:00 +0000

Board President Richard Kuhn was recently interviewed on 1590 WAKR about Community Legal Aid, the need for service, and challenges faced in recent years.

From AkronNewsNow.com 1590 WAKR, Monday, September 17:

A regional non-profit organization that provides legal services to the poor says demand is growing, just as its budget is shrinking. The economy is blamed for a spike in the number of civil lawsuits, including bankruptcies and foreclosures but there's a companion issue as well - people who are in financial straights often can't afford lawyers, forcing them to turn to places like Community Legal Aid.

Board President Richard Kuhn, a Canton attorney, says they received 90,000 phone calls last year, processed 27,000 applications for assistance and actually completed 10,700 cases. Self-representation often slows the process, making court dockets even more crowded. Judges in some states are asking attorneys to do more free work.

Click here to listen to the interview online.

Legal Aid attends Veterans Stand Down

bbyrd@communitylegalaid.org (Bonnie Byrd) — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 15:45:12 +0000

Community Legal Aid attended the annual Veterans Stand Down on Tuesday, September 11 at VFW Post 3373. Over 400 veterans attended the annual event, and Legal Aid was able to provide information about services, and helped to distribute winter gloves and caps.

From The Akron Beacon Journal, Wednesday, September 12:

A line of veterans wrapped around the VFW Hall.

Inside, hundreds of volunteers were ready to assist those in need, like Scott Houghton, an Army veteran who sought cold-weather gear.

“I camp out,” said Houghton, who wanted to pick up a tent, sleeping bag, ground cover and other items to prepare for the likelihood of spending much time outdoors this winter.

Houghton was among more than 400 veterans who received help at the Summit County Stand Down for Homeless and Displaced Veterans at the Firestone VFW Post 3383 on West Waterloo Road. The event coincided with the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the U.S.

Houghton said he never expected to end up living on the edge, often at camp sites, when he entered the Army out of Field High School at the age of 17.

“I thought life would be a breeze,” he said.

The event was sponsored by the Summit County Veterans Council, and coordinated by Summit County Veterans Service Organizations and Auxiliaries, the Summit County Veterans Service Commission, the Akron VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic and Summit County social service agencies.