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U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez highlights importance of Legal Aid

Posted November 13, 2014
9:50 am

"If you want to get into heaven, you’d better have some letters of recommendation from poor people,” U.S. Labor Secretary Thomas E. Perez remarked in his keynote address for The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland’s Annual Luncheon and Report to the Community yesterday. The Secretary told the audience of 850 attorneys, members of the judiciary, civic leaders and elected officials and community partners in attendance that his mother raised him to strive for opportunity and fairness for everyone.

US Secretary of Labor Tom Perez addresses the crowd at Legal Aid's annual event.
US Secretary of Labor Tom Perez addresses the crowd at Legal Aid's annual event.

At the luncheon at the Renaissance Grand Ballroom on Wednesday, November 12, the Labor Secretary talked about the “business case” for making sure everyone has access to justice because helping people maintain their safety, shelter and economic security will always save money in the long run.

The annual luncheon is Legal Aid’s opportunity to highlight the organization’s accomplishments over the past year, including three success stories that illustrated the positive ripple effect of many of Legal Aid’s successes.

Legal Aid attorney Megan Sprecher introduced her client who, thanks to a special visa for victims of crime, now has a good job and a new start in life.
Legal Aid attorney Megan Sprecher introduced her client who, thanks to a special visa for victims of crime, now has a good job and a new start in life.

In addition to those cases, Legal Aid has helped 22,144 people this year under the leadership of Executive Director Colleen Cotter, Esq. The organization’s successes include increasing assets and income and reducing debt by $25 million for low income clients. The organization prevented foreclosure in 76% of cases, removed barriers to education in 85% of cases and secured personal safety in 98% of cases.

Legal Aid attorney Deborah Dallmann, speaking alongside her client, told the audience about a boy who was bullied at school. The boy’s mother’s recalled that when she asked the school district for a special education evaluation, they refused. The child was on the autistic spectrum but it took a request from her Legal Aid attorney to get the services the child required.
Legal Aid attorney Deborah Dallmann, speaking alongside her client, told the audience about a boy who was bullied at school. The boy’s mother’s recalled that when she asked the school district for a special education evaluation, they refused. The child was on the autistic spectrum but it took a request from her Legal Aid attorney to get the services the child required.

Following a heartfelt introduction by Legal Aid Board president Richard Petrulis, Ms. Cotter reviewed the organization’s accomplishments over the past year for the people Legal Aid helps. She also introduced a brief video by Goldfarb Weber Creative Media, to spotlight the upside potential if Legal Aid had the funding to accept more cases: Currently, the organization turns away more than half the people who ask for help each year.

Volunteer attorney Ellen Kramer of Cohen Rosenthal & Kramer was able to save a family’s home when the bank foreclosed because on a lien on the property attributed to someone with the same name.
Volunteer attorney Ellen Kramer of Cohen Rosenthal & Kramer was able to save a family’s home when the bank foreclosed because on a lien on the property attributed to someone with the same name.

Click here to see the new video about Legal Aid that premiered at the event.

The luncheon also offered a forum for recognizing three board members, Ann S. Bergen, Esq., G. Christopher Meyer, Esq., and Adrian D. Thompson, Esq., who are all retiring from Legal Aid’s Board; and two outstanding staff members, Julie Cortes, Esq., and Mary Beth McConville, Esq.

For the first time, The Legal Aid Society recognized 12 volunteer attorneys for their pro bono work over the past year. Legal Aid relies on its Volunteer Lawyer Program, headed by Ann McGowan Porath, Esq., as 1500 volunteers from five counties in Northeast Ohio handle about 20% of the cases accepted. The volunteers are

• Jessica R. Baaklini (volunteered in-house at Legal Aid)
• Carolyn J. Brown (solo practice attorney)
• Joseph P. Dunson (Dunson Law, LLC)
• Robert E. Glaser (Law Office of Robert E. Glaser, Esq.)
• Paula R. Goodwin (Sheerer & Goodwin Law Offices)
• Jennifer M. Himmelein (Cavitch, Familo & Durkin)
• The Lake County Bar Association Family Law Section
(Co-Chairs: Anna M. Parise and Darya J. Klammer)
• Jenifer E. Novak (Frantz Ward, LLP)
• William F. Perry (William F. Perry Co., LPA)
• Peter F. Shenyey (solo practice attorney)
• Curtis L. Tuggle (Thompson Hine, LLP)
• Christopher S. Williams (Calfee, Halter & Griswold, LLP)
• Nadia R. Zaiem (volunteered in-house at Legal Aid)

Legal Aid’s mission since 1905 similarly involves securing justice and resolving fundamental problems to protect people’s shelter, safety or economic security. Legal Aid provides high quality legal services for low income and vulnerable individuals who need civil legal assistance. Much like a mid-sized law firm, the organization’s 42 attorneys work mainly in these practice areas: Consumer, Family, Health-Education-Work-Income-Immigration, and Housing. Typical cases might include a U.S. veteran threatened with homelessness by an unscrupulous landlord, a woman afraid of an abusive spouse, a child with a disability who is at risk of dropping out because of a lack of needed special education services, or a family frustrated by a government agency denying benefits.

Thanks to nearly 60 generous sponsors, the annual luncheon raised $155,000 for Legal Aid.

 

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