Legal Aid Society sets fundraiser, teams with law students to offer compilation album

Chuck Yarborough of The Plain Dealer previews Jam for Justice 2015 and highlights a unique album to be released at the June 18 fundraiser.  CLICK HERE to read on Cleveland.com!

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Everybody disses lawyers ... until you need one.

Now on the criminal side of things, you're guaranteed representation, even if you can't afford it. Every kid who ever watched an episode of any of the myriad "Law and Order'' permutations knows that, to the point where we can probably all recite the celebrated "Miranda Warning'' from memory.

Civil law is different in that "right to counsel'' is not part of the deal. Which is why the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland exists, and has for 110 years in an effort to help the poor who may be facing "the loss of shelter, safety or economic security.''

You and I pay for the criminal representation through taxes. The Legal Aid Society is a private non-profit that needs donations – and volunteer lawyers – to function.
One of the biggest fundraisers each year is the annual Jam for Justice, this year set for the House of Blues on Thursday, June 18.

Several bands – all comprised of members of the legal profession – will perform:

• Faith & Whiskey, featuring Judge Michael P. Donnelly, Steve Zashin, Rich Wesorick, Jerry Kysela, Matt Kozink, Joe Barone, Jim Reesing, Jim Pujolas, Keith Merritt, Dan Krueger.
• Gringo Stew, featuring Tom Getz, Mark Robertson, Bob Corlett, Luis Nicasio, Chris Parsons, Michael Rendon.
• Just Us, featuring Melinda Brunner, Dale Pincura, Tom Dresing, Emily Fabanich, Jim Rosecrans, Eddie Ferraro, Dan Canalos, Gerard Parisi, Judge Jim Miraldi, Christopher Jenkins.
• Luke Lindberg and the Hung Jury, featuring Luke Lindberg, Ryan Kennedy, Russ Lindberg, John Hanley, Bob Walker.
• Brendan Melling, with a special acoustic performance in The Cambridge Room.
• The No Name Band, featuring Peter Brodhead, Brent Buckley, Steve Daniels, Gina Davidson, Hugh McKay, Doug McWilliams, Judge K.J. Montgomery, Jim Robenalt, Randy Solomon, Kris Treu, Steve Shafron.
• Out of Order, featuring: Emily Dettmer, Joe Grandinetti, Tom Haren, Vince Ruffa, Marcus Sidoti, Dave Thein.

New this year is a special CD project spearheaded by the Great Lakes Sports and Entertainment Academy, a symposium for law students at Case Western Reserve and Cleveland State universities who are interested in those two branches of law.

The CD, which will be sold for $10 at the fundraiser, features 15 cuts by artists that include Welshly Arms, Carlos Jones and the P.L.U.S. Band, Michael Stanley, Nate Jones, Havannah Drive, Mason Ruffner and more.

"And more'' includes music from two of the professors at the academy – classically trained Grammy-winning pianist Angelin Chang and Mark Avsec, who starred with Donnie Iris and the Cruisers and played with Cleveland's Wild Cherry before turning to law. He's been a professor at Case for 14 years now.

Chang's offering is "Standchen (Serenade,'' written by Franz Schubert and transcribed by Franz Liszt. Donnie and the Cruisers performed the "Ah! Leah! (Live),'' co-written by Avsec and Dominic Ierace (Donnie Iris' birth name).

The styles obviously range from rock to reggae to funk to classical to Americana. Most of the performances are via digital recordings, uploaded to a new master, but a few – like Nate Jones' "This Old Town,'' were recorded in Cleveland's Lava Room studio.

For law student Jon Strano, whose Academy team pretty much handled the CD, including the legal licensing aspect (it was part of the curriculum), it was the first time in a recording studio.

"It was an awesome experience,'' Strano said.

Melanie Shakarian, an attorney and director of development and communications at the Legal Aid Society, said the organization hopes to raise more than $60,000 through ticket sales -- $50 each – and sales of the CD. Both the society and the academy will benefit from the proceeds.

By the way, tickets are only available at the door or through the website of the Legal Aid Society, a non-profit organization. That way, they're able to avoid Cleveland's admissions tax.

Pretty crafty, these lawyers, eh?