Our Work

The University of Toledo College of Law received a 2020 grant from the Toledo Bar Association Foundation to help fund their Launch into the Law Pipeline Program. This program was initiated with the purpose of increasing diversity in legal education (and ultimately the legal profession) by providing instruction, support and mentoring to prospective law students from underrepresented populations. The program exposes students to the law school experience and bolsters skills they need to be admitted to law school and ultimately become successful law students.

 

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Advocating Opportunity (AO) strives to end human trafficking through outreach, education, legal services, and whole person advocacy and has been recognized as a leader in the field of human trafficking intervention and victim re-integration. AO is a 2020 grant recipient of the Toledo Bar Association Foundation and we are proud to support AO in providing legal services and whole person advocacy to trafficked and exploited persons.

 

 

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The Children’s Rights Collaborative of Northwest Ohio received a 2020 grant from the Toledo Bar Association Foundation to help provide safe and secure visitation and exchange services for families experiencing separation because of divorce or family break-up. They believe every child-despite a lack of financial resources-has the right to a relationship with both parents, and work hard to make certain that children can continue positive and meaningful relationships with custodial and non-custodial parents. 

 

 

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The Reentry Coalition of Northwest Ohio strives to eliminate barriers to successful reentry, reduce recidivism, and promote public safety. The Reentry Coalition has various programs aimed at expanding opportunities for the formerly incarcerated to allow them to become productive members of our community and prevent their recidivating. In 2020, the Toledo Bar Association Foundation provided grant funding to the Reentry Coalition to support their mission, help provide monthly bus passes, and assist individuals in obtaining Birth Certificates and State IDs.  

 

 

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The TBA Fellowship Collaborative offers mentoring, training and resources to recently admitted attorneys in the Toledo area. The goal of this fellowship is to provide new lawyers with the support and guidance they require to successfully start their own practice, while also helping to deliver access to justice to those in need in Toledo. The TBA Foundation assisted in the creation of the Fellowship Collaborative and annually supports this program. 

 

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A key focus of the Toledo Bar Association Foundation is supporting the delivery of Pro Bono legal services to indigent persons. The TBA’s Pro Bono Program places cases with volunteer attorneys and provides a number of legal clinics. One major initiative of the Pro Bono Program last year was working with other organizations to facilitate the Driver’s License Clinics at the Toledo Municipal Court. Through these clinics, volunteers helped low income individuals with a suspended license learn if they qualified for amnesty, and then guided them through the procedures to apply.  For those who had other obligations or did not qualify for amnesty, they could still meet with a volunteer attorney who guided them through the steps to get their driver’s license back. During the seven clinics offered in Toledo, nearly 750 people sought help regaining their driver’s licenses and over $340,000 in fees were reduced or waived. 

 

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The Toledo Bar Association Foundation is a proud supporter of the TBA’s Caty Armstrong Memorial Law Day Essay Contest. Each spring, students in grades 7-12 have the opportunity to write an essay on a legal topic. The 2020 theme was “Your Vote, Your Voice, Our Democracy: The 19th Amendment at 100.” All essays are evaluated and cash prizes are awarded. The program provides Toledo teens with a chance to learn about our legal system and engage with the legal community at a young age.