OLAF Past President and a founding board member David C. Weiner was honored by the Ohio State Bar Foundation with its Honorary Life Fellowship Award. The Award was presented at the Foundation’s Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner on November 5th.
Dave was recognized for his work with OLAF to establish broad support for adoption of a civil filing fee surcharge, which has led to significant annual increases in funding for the legal aid delivery system. His tenacious work over many years advocating for adoption of an aspirational guideline for pro bono service was also noted.
Dave noted “My proudest moments are the cases that aren’t financially important but socially important for those who are involved: Lawyers have a franchise. We are the only ones allowed to practice law, and if we don’t help those who can’t help themselves, who else is going to do it? … I feel good when I do, and I know many others feel the same.”
Advocates for Basic Legal Equality and Legal Aid of Western Ohio also received the Foundation’s Outstanding Program or Organization Award for securing the funding and renovating the downtown Toledo building that became the Center for Equal Justice, the “miracle in downtown Toledo.”