Columbus, OH—For the first time since its formation in 2018, the Alliance of Ohio Legal Aids has established a staff person to support the Alliance’s ability to collaborate strategically, align advocacy efforts, and develop a statewide voice for legal aid programs and the people they serve.
The Alliance for Ohio Legal Aids was established to improve access to and the quality of legal services for low-income Ohioans and to improve the legal aid service delivery system in Ohio. The Alliance represents hundreds of legal aid practitioners and other staff across the state dedicated to addressing the civil legal needs of low-income and marginalized Ohioans. Members of the Alliance include Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Community Legal Aid, Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati, Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, Legal Aid Society of Southwest Ohio, Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio, Legal Aid of Western Ohio, the Ohio Poverty Law Center, and Pro Seniors.
Liz Rose-Cohen (she/her), who filled the new alliance manger position, will begin by building out the Alliance’s structural capacity to communicate and collaborate across member organizations, developing platforms for communication with broader audiences, and assisting the Alliance Board of Directors in identifying and prioritizing collaborative initiatives.
“Ohio’s legal aid organizations have a long history of collaboration,” said Colleen Cotter, executive director of the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland who serves as the president of the Alliance. “Liz brings experience and skills that will allow the Alliance to take our collective work to the next level and speak as one voice on issues that impact disadvantaged Ohioans and the accessibility of civil services,”
“With an alliance manager on board, the state’s legal aid programs are now better positioned to use our collective knowledge to improve service delivery, expand resource development, and advocate more effectively for those Ohioans who are most in need,” said Executive Director Kate McGarvey of Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio and vice president of the Alliance.
In 2023 Alliance member organizations served 135,875 Ohioans from all 88 Ohio counties, providing an array of civil legal services aimed at helping those experiencing the conditions of poverty obtain and/or maintain stable income and housing; protect against violence; gain equitable access to education, public assistance, healthcare, and employment; avoid consumer and financial exploitation; and address other social determinants that impact quality of life and health outcomes. Those accessing legal aid services include but are not limited to veterans, seniors, domestic violence survivors, immigrants, families impacted by addiction, parents, and children.
For more information about the Alliance or for insights into the civil legal needs of low-income Ohioans, please contact Alliance Manager Liz Rose-Cohen at lrosecohen@ohiolegalaids.org or 614-824-2614.