Three local Mayors have proclaimed this week, October 25th-31st, as Pro Bono Week to recognize the attorneys throughout Northeast Ohio who have provided free legal advice and representation to individuals who could not otherwise afford civil legal assistance and to encourage and inspire other attorneys to join the pro bono movement. Mayors Jay Williams, Bob Breneman, and Don Plusquellic, of Youngstown, Wooster, and Akron, respectively, each signed a proclamation declaring this week Pro Bono Week in their cities. Community Legal Aid would like to thank the cities of Youngstown, Wooster, and Akron for contributing to Legal Aid's National Pro Bono Week Celebration. The full text of the proclamations reads:

WHEREAS, thousands of Ohioans continue to lack access to legal assistance that is often critical to their safety and independence, forcing them to resolve complex legal problems on their own, including domestic violence, divorce, child custody, evictions, mortgage foreclosures and the physical and financial abuse of the elderly; and

WHEREAS, there are only about 300 legal aid lawyers to serve Ohio’s low income population; and

WHEREAS, while members of ______’s legal community donate substantial hours in free legal services and make generous financial contributions to legal aid organizations in our city, a huge unmet need for legal assistance remains for our disadvantaged citizens; and

WHEREAS, the Supreme Court of Ohio’s Statement Regarding the Provision of Pro Bono Legal Services by Ohio Lawyers underscores that lawyers have a special professional obligation to ensure that the justice system is accessible to everyone; and

WHEREAS, the National Pro Bono Celebration is being observed across the country during the week of October 25-31, 2009, to recognizes the valuable work lawyers do throughout the year, without fee, to represent those who cannot afford civil legal assistance, and the ______ County bar Association has events planned for the week which will both recognize those lawyers who provide pro bono service to those who cannot afford a lawyer, and which will recruit more lawyers to pro bono service to help meet the significant ongoing need;

NOW, THEREFORE, I ________________, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF _______, do hereby proclaim October 25 – 31, 2009 TO BE Pro Bono Week in the City of _______, and urge all residents to recognize the contributions of our legal community to help those most in need.

Dated this _______ day of ____________, 2009.

To see a full schedule of Pro Bono Week events sponsored by Community Legal Aid, click here.

To view the hard copies of the three proclamations see below: