Wayne Sarna, attorney at Community Legal Aid, is the 2023 recipient of the Ohio Access to Justice Foundation Denis J. Murphy Award. The Foundation presents the Murphy Award annually to an Ohio legal aid staff member to recognize outstanding leadership and advocacy.
At a reception in early December, Foundation board member Bill Dowling presented the award to Sarna, who, for more than four decades, has helped thousands of Ohioans resolve civil legal challenges.
“Wayne is a true champion of justice,” Dowling said. “His leadership and advocacy have left an indelible impact on his colleagues, the thousands of clients he has helped, and the legal profession.”
Sarna is a visionary who recognized how bankruptcy could transform the lives of low-income workers trapped in a cycle of debt. In the past 20 years alone, he has helped 3,100 clients discharge $85 million of debt through bankruptcy. As a true advocate for low-income Ohioans, he discharged debts that prevented individuals from accessing driver’s licenses, jobs, and housing.
An exceptional attorney, advocate, and leader, Sarna has made significant impacts in multiple areas of consumer law. He played a pivotal role in discovering and investigating consumer fraud schemes by identifying perpetrators and addressing the harm resulting from the scams. Additionally, he has worked to illuminate and address the disparate impact of court debt on low-income Ohioans and people of color.
Sarna’s deep and extensive bankruptcy and consumer law knowledge has allowed him to craft innovative and nontraditional lawyering strategies. He leads with unmatched compassion, using the law to transform Ohioans’ lives. With his expertise, he has provided education, training, and outreach to individuals and debt counseling providers. He is also a dedicated mentor, guiding new attorneys as they begin their legal careers.
“Wayne doesn’t care to be in the spotlight, but I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this honor,” said Steven McGarrity, Community Legal Aid’s executive director. “His dedication, determination, and compassionate spirit inspire and set a high standard for us all.”
The Foundation created the Denis J. Murphy Award in 1998 to honor the founding board president of the Ohio Access to Justice Foundation and to recognize outstanding leadership and advocacy within Ohio’s legal aids.