News Summary

BUTLER COUNTY — The Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati will celebrate 100 years of providing legal assistance to low-income clients Friday, June 27, at the Hyatt Regency Ballroom.

Established in 1908 to protect the rights of the needy and promote measures for their assistance, Legal Aid has continued its mission to reduce poverty and improve family stability, leading to a higher quality of life in the community.

The event takes place at 7 p.m.

"At the time of our incorporation, Cincinnati was one of only seven cities in the nation with a society of this type, so our founders were really on the forefront of the national legal aid movement," said Mary Asbury, executive director of Legal Aid.

Asbury said the agency has grown into Southwest Ohio's largest and most effective nonprofit law firm, serving about 30,000 low-income clients annually. More than 3,900 Butler County residents requested Legal Aid assistance in 2007.

Requests for legal assistance focus on issues such as housing, employment, domestic violence and child safety.

But because of the sluggish economy and the ongoing mortgage crisis, the organization has recently used its resources to help working families facing foreclosures.

"Last year, we helped 440 families save their homes from going to foreclosure," said Mark Lawson, an attorney practicing in Legal Aid's housing division. "We also helped more than 6,000 low-income families claim the earned income tax credit for 2007, putting more than $7 million back into the local economy."

For more information on the Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati and its services, visit www.lascinti.org.