A new monthly legal clinic will help Summit County residents access free, professional help from attorneys and court personnel volunteering their time.
The effort, part of the new Summit County Pro Bono Collaborative, is being launched by Summit County Common Pleas Court Judges Joy Malek Oldfield and Jennifer Towell, in partnership with Community Legal Aid, Summit County Prosecutor Elliot Kolkovich, and Summit Legal Defenders.
Plans call for the clinic to take place on the first Friday of each month from 9 to 11 a.m. in Judge Oldfield’s Courtroom on the first floor of the Courthouse Annex at the Summit County Courthouse, 209 S. High St. Attorneys participating in the Summit County Pro Bono Collaborative will provide help in civil matters to individuals in the community, many of whom may be defendants facing criminal charges in the Court or participating in one of the specialty dockets.
Attorneys will volunteer their time to help with issues such as child custody/visitation and child support, collections, driver's license suspensions, evictions/foreclosures, expungements, and more.
Modeled after the Cuyahoga County Pro Bono Collaborative, started by Judge Joan Synenberg, the clinic will also feature local resources on hand to assist with questions about housing, transportation, child support, driver’s license issues, and more. Community partners include the Ohio Department of Public Safety Bureau of Motor Vehicles, Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro’s Department of Job & Family Services, the Summit County Fiscal Office of Kristen M. Scalise, CPA, CFE, Summit County Clerk of Courts Tavia Galonski, Summit County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Kandy Fatheree, Summit County Children’s Services, the United Way of Summit and Medina Counties, the Akron Bar Association, Metro RTA, AMHA, Fair Housing, the Akron-Canton Barristers, and The University of Akron School of Law.
“After observing this program in action with Judge Synenberg’s court in Cuyahoga County, I really wanted to bring this to our community,” Oldfield said. “So many people I see require legal assistance to get through obstacles to stability, and simply can’t afford a lawyer. My hope is that this will create greater access to justice for the people of Summit County.”
Towell added that the effort would not be possible without the many community partners stepping up to participate.
“This collaboration of community resources reflects the very best of our profession: Using our skills to ensure that individuals in need are heard, supported, and treated fairly under the law,” Towell said. “Access to justice should not depend on one’s resources, and I’m proud to work with Judge Oldfield and our partners to support an effort that helps close that gap for individuals facing civil legal challenges.”
The next clinic will take place on June 5. Pre-registration is encouraged to participate in the clinic, though walk-ins will be accommodated as well. To register, go to info.communitylegalaid.org/scpbc.
Attorneys interested in participating in the Collaborative are encouraged to sign up at info.communitylegalaid.org/summitprobono. Participating attorneys will be provided with training specific to the clinic as well as support from the court, attorneys and paralegals.