Posted November 4, 20259:00 am
The Reverend Dr. Otis Moss, Jr. – civic leader, theologian, and pastor – is the featured speaker at The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland’s 120th Annual Meeting. The event features a late afternoon program and reception to be held Monday, November 24, 2025 at the Hilton Cleveland Downtown. The event will begin promptly at 3:00 p.m. (doors open at 2:30 p.m.). The one-hour program will be followed by a social reception with food and drinks.
Reverend Moss, a lifelong advocate for civil rights and social justice, served as senior pastor of Olivet Institutional Baptist Church in Cleveland for thirty-three years. He marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Selma, Alabama, and played an active role in the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He will deliver his keynote remarks in conversation with longtime Cleveland news anchor Leon Bibb.
Reverend Moss joins a list of distinguished past Legal Aid keynote speakers, including U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, U.S. Senators Portman and Brown, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and Ruby Bridges, who each highlighted the importance of civil legal aid during previous gatherings.
In addition to the keynote remarks by Reverend Moss, Legal Aid executive director Colleen M. Cotter and board president Harlin Adelman will share highlights of Legal Aid’s work, and reflect on 120 years of the organization’s role as the guardian of liberty.
Legal Aid’s dedicated staff, volunteers, and strong regional partnerships will be celebrated during the event. Awards will be presented to outstanding employees and volunteers who demonstrate profound support for Legal Aid’s mission. Additionally, Reverend Moss will be presented with Legal Aid’s highest honor, the Louis Stokes Paragon Award.
This event is a chance for community members, philanthropists, nonprofit organizations, and business leaders to gather and reflect on Legal Aid’s accomplishments, as well as learn about new initiatives and plans for the year ahead. The program will underscore the importance of civil justice in our democracy and present a call-to-action for how we can work together to extend justice in our community.
A limited number of sponsorships for Legal Aid’s 120th Annual Meeting and individual tickets ($200) are still available. All proceeds from ticket sales support Legal Aid’s work to extend justice across Northeast Ohio. Learn more at lasclev.org/2025Event.