Posted January 9, 20262:00 pm
Thank you for being a Partner in Justice! Your role as an ambassador for Legal Aid is invaluable for supporting our work and our clients. This toolkit has resources to help you promote Legal Aid with your colleagues. If you have specific questions, toggle to the bottom of the page for staff contact info.
CONFIRM YOUR PARTNER IN JUSTICE COMMITTMENT
We have sent invitations to participate in Partners in Justice 2026 to individuals and managing parters across our five-county service area, please confirm your participation by February 20, 2026. Partners in Justice are our first point of contact, and they help share valuable information, participate in clinics and CLEs, and encourage colleagues to support our work in a variety of ways.
In recent years, Partners in Justice have:
- Helped raise over $30,000 through staff-led fundraising campaigns;
- Donated countless volunteer hours through Brief Advice Clinics and pro bono activities;
- Organized CLEs for their teams;
- Negotiated sponsorship and partnership agreements;
- Introduced hundreds of new staff members and contacts to Legal Aid.
……it all adds up to allowing us to reach more people in need of our services. THANK YOU!!
Read our PiJ one-pager and share it with those who are interested in joining this group.
LEGAL AID 2026 SPONSORSHIP NOW OPEN!
For 2026, we’ve made some updated to our sponsor levels and added some additional benefits. Organizations that commit by February 2026 receive a full year of sponsorship benefits and promotion at all Legal Aid events, including:
Founders' Day – Spring 2026
Jam for Justice - August 2026
National Celebrate Pro Bono Month - October 2026
121st Annual Meeting - November 2026
The earlier you commit, the more exposure your organization receives!
Sign up here: 2025 Event Sponsorship – Legal Aid Society of Cleveland or click here for a fillable PDF Questions? Contact Shauna Mendez at: 216-861-5415.
Sponsorship benefits:
- Enhanced Publicity: You will receive a full year of promotion before, during, and beyond the events, including exposure across all Legal Aid social media platforms - Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, and BlueSky.
- Digital & Print: Exposure at all events with name/logo display, and organizational ads shared with 25,000+ individuals during our Annual Meeting promotion.
- Admission: Sponsorship includes tickets to both Jam for Justice and the Annual Meeting, and unlimited admission for employees interested at the other events.
- Corporate Social Responsibility: Legal Aid is the difference between homelessness & home; danger & safety; poverty & security. Your organization’s sponsorship affiliates you with Legal Aid’s work to extend justice.
IN THE NEWS:
The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland is thrilled to announce the placement of a 2026 Skadden Fellow, Doug Smits. Hailing from 20 different law schools across the country, Doug is one of 34 individuals who make up the 38th Class of Skadden Fellows, each of whom will begin their public interest careers by addressing a broad range of civil legal issues affecting people living in poverty throughout the United States.
Doug’s fellowship project with The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland will focus on advancing veteran rights through targeted outreach, veteran-specific legal checkups, and services for Northeast Ohio veterans seeking discharge upgrades.
Skadden Fellowship Foundation | Skadden Fellowship Foundation
IMPACT CORNER
Please use these stories of real Legal Aid client experiences to share examples of the impact our work is making on the communities we serve.
Levi (name changed to protect privacy) was undergoing medical treatment that had to be done over a long period of time. When he lost his job, he had to postpone a procedure until he was able to get Medicaid. Unfortunately, the new health provider refused to cover the procedure he needed. Frustrated, he requested a state hearing with Job and Family Services (JFS) where his request was denied again. Levi was not willing to have only a portion of his medical procedure completed so he called Legal Aid for help.
Following the review of his records, Levi’s Legal Aid attorney determined that because he was a veteran he could be eligible for help from the Veterans Service Center (VSC). His attorney connected Levi with a VSC specialist who requested several documents to assist with the approval of his application. His attorney helped him gather the documents and submitted them to the VSC specialist. His application was approved, and he received $20,000 for the procedure.
Calling Legal Aid proved to be beneficial for Levi. He was able to get the financial assistance needed to help with his medical needs.
Natalia’s (name changed to protect privacy) main priority was her daughter’s wellbeing. When her daughter was having major issues in school, Natalia asked that her hours be decreased from full-time to part-time at work. Instead of granting her request, her employment was terminated. With no steady income, she fell behind in her rent. She quickly found part-time work, updated the changes in her income with Section 8 and thought that she had caught up on her rent. She was totally caught off guard when she had received an eviction notice for nonpayment of rent. With all the challenges that her daughter was facing, Natalia couldn’t allow her not to have a stable place to live - that’s when she called Legal Aid for help.
Her Legal Aid attorney went straight to work, requesting a copy of her file from the county housing authority including the payment ledger. The landlord decided to settle the case and agreed to eliminate the court costs and dismiss the case if Natalia could pay some of the back rent up front and the remainder by an agreed upon date. Natalia had applied for rental assistance from a local agency, and it was approved. She was able to get current on her rent and her landlord dismissed the case.
Natalia was grateful that her Legal Aid attorney was able to negotiate a settlement with the landlord and that she did not have to uproot her daughter from her home.
MAKE A GIFT TODAY:
Support Legal Aid with a gift and encourage your colleagues to do the same – Donate now.
Please follow Legal Aid on social media and share our posts – We’re active on Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, and BlueSky - follow us!
Questions? Contact Shauna Mendez: 216-861-5415 or smendez@lasclev.org
Visit here often to:
- Grab timely messaging you can use for internal communications at your firm/organization.
- Learn about our latest news and events.
- Connect with us.
You are a valued advocate for our mission, and we appreciate your enthusiastic advocacy for Legal Aid!
Updated January 9, 2026