COLUMBUS, Ohio (May 10, 2019) — Robert Curry is the 2019 recipient of the Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation Presidential Award for Pro Bono Service. The award, presented today during the Ohio State Bar Association Annual Meeting, is given annually to individuals, law firms or organizations that have made outstanding efforts in improving access to justice in Ohio.
“Bob exemplifies the legal profession’s ethical and moral obligation to work for the public good,” said Kim Shumate, president of the Foundation’s board. “By giving his time, energy and passion, Bob is addressing the great unmet need for civil legal help in Ohio.”
Curry, a partner in Thompson Hine’s real estate practice group and former partner-in-charge of the Dayton office, balances his professional responsibilities with a commitment to pro bono service.
Curry serves as board president for Advocates for Basic Legal Equality (ABLE) and Legal Aid of Western Ohio (LAWO), where he oversees legal services provided by both organizations. In 2017, he served as co-chair of ABLE and LAWO’s 50th anniversary campaign. His work was instrumental in raising more than $1.3 million dollars, which allowed for the expansion of civil legal assistance to Ohioans unable to afford an attorney.
In the year following the campaign, ABLE and LAWO served more than 19,000 Ohioans, including veterans, seniors, children and survivors of domestic violence who may otherwise have gone without legal help.
On top of the volunteer hours Curry devotes as board president, he generously gives his own time to serve as a pro bono attorney and encourages his fellow attorneys at Thompson Hine to volunteer. Because of Curry’s efforts and commitment to pro bono service, more Ohioans have achieved our nation’s promise of justice for all.
Download a headshot of Robert Curry here.
The Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation was established in 1994 to fund and to enhance civil legal aid for Ohioans. The Foundation distributes revenues from the interest on lawyers trust accounts, the interest on title agent trust accounts, and a civil filing fee surcharge to ensure that Ohioans have access to justice regardless of their income. The Foundation funds lawyers who change lives for veterans, children, victims of domestic violence, and people facing foreclosure. Through the work of the Foundation, all Ohioans have access to legal information, advice and representation.