Ohio attorneys are a generous bunch, each year contributing thousands of hours of pro bono service and substantial financial contributions to charitable legal organizations, all in the name of helping low-income Ohioans gain access to legal services.
The 2022 results from the Ohio Access to Justice Foundation and Supreme Court of Ohio’s annual Voluntary Pro Bono Survey recorded a 24% increase in financial contributions over 2021, a testament to the private bar’s commitment to supporting nonprofit civil legal service providers.
“Year after year, Ohio attorneys are stepping up, giving their time, talent, and donations to help change lives,” said the Foundation’s Pro Bono Director Sophia Chang.
The survey results also highlight law firms and individual attorneys doing their part to improve access to justice in Ohio. Thomas Cuni, of counsel at Thomas Downing Law Firm and a volunteer with ProKids, and Gerry Greene, a volunteer with the Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati, each recorded 700 hours of pro bono in 2022, a remarkable gift of service.
Jones Day, a firm with a substantial commitment to pro bono, contributed the highest number of hours of service in 2022. Jones Day’s Cleveland office, a long-time supporter of The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, encourages its attorneys to volunteer at Brief Advice Clinics through the nonprofit’s Volunteer Lawyer Program and to participate in the Right to Counsel Initiative.
Will Herzberger, partner at Jones Day and pro bono coordinator of the Cleveland office, appreciates Jones Day’s dedication to pro bono, particularly the opportunities it provides the firm’s young attorneys.
“Jones Day highly values pro bono and community service activities and strives to afford its lawyers with opportunities in that regard,” Herzberger said. “If a lawyer is so disposed, the service ‘comes from the heart’ and results in the highest benefit to our pro bono clients and our community partners, develops leadership skills, and promotes the development of community conscious attorneys within our state.”
While Ohio’s pro bono service is impressive, many organizations continue to seek volunteers. The Foundation’s Pro Bono Opportunities Guide matches attorneys with Ohio’s legal aids and other civil legal services providers looking for volunteer attorneys.
“I always tell people, don’t hesitate to get involved,” Chang said. “There’s truly an opportunity out there that will suit your skillset and time constraints. Once you start volunteering and see the impact you can make, you won’t want to stop.”
Every year, the Foundation partners with the Supreme Court of Ohio to gather information about pro bono volunteerism and financial contributions to legal services organizations in Ohio. View the 2022 survey results.