Posted November 21, 201411:08 am
After 42 years of service at Legal Aid, Peter Iskin is retiring. Currently Managing Attorney of Legal Aid’s Housing Practice Group, Mr. Iskin is a 1973 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Law. He has served Legal Aid in various capacities: a staff attorney in the Law Reform Unit from 1974 – 1987; Director of the Law Reform Unit from 1987 – 2004; and his present position since 2005. He also served on the Board of Commissioners of the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority from 1980 – 1985, where he was chair from 1981 – 1985.
He has dedicated his career to protecting and enforcing housing rights, especially for the most vulnerable populations, and to expanding access to affordable, decent housing for low income people. Peter is recognized as a state and national leader. He authors the book Ohio Evictions and Landlord Tenant Law, the most comprehensive guide to Ohio housing law, used by attorneys and judges throughout the state. Peter’s substantive knowledge is unparalleled. His partnerships and advocacy work with other service providers, grass roots organizations, and government officials have helped to shape housing policy and practices, impacting tens of thousands of low income people. Peter is an inspiration to his colleagues, who, through his mentorship, learn to strive for the high standards he sets in quality, commitment and impact on our community.
Attorney Abigail Staudt will succeed Mr. Iskin as the Managing Attorney of the Housing Practice Group in January 2015.
Attorneys Julie Cortes and Mary Beth McConville will receive the 2014 Claude E. Clarke Award. Established in 1967, the Award recognizes outstanding service through professional performance and commitment to Legal Aid and its clients.
The Ohio Domestic Violence Network recently recognized Legal Aid attorney Alexandria Ruden with the Croucher Family Award for Outstanding Advocacy. Ms. Ruden was honored for her achievements in the field of domestic violence advocacy.
Melanie Shakarian, an attorney and Legal Aid’s Director of Development & Communications was selected as a member of the Leadership Cleveland Class of 2015. Additionally, Katherine Hollingsworth, a Supervising Attorney in Legal Aid’s Consumer Practice Group, was selected for the YWCA Boot Camp.
Julie Robie, Managing Attorney of Legal Aid’s Consumer Practice Group, was recently appointed to the City of Cleveland’s Consumer Advisory Board. She is a graduate of Yale Law School and was a Skadden Fellow.
Click here to view the full Poetic Justice issue where this story appeared.