www.loubar.org 8 Louisville Bar Briefs LEGAL AID SOCIETY LEGAL AID SOCIETY’S PACKAGE INCLUDES: • Reserved seating in the third-floor Grandstand Box near the starting gate • All-inclusive food and beverage menu including beer, wine, spirits, non-alcoholic options and concessions • Off-site parking access at the Kentucky Exposition Center with complimentary shuttle service to Churchill Downs TICKETS ON SALE JULY 14 PURCHASE A CHANCE TO WIN FOUR GRANDSTAND BOX SEAT TICKETS TO THE 152ND RUNNING OF THE KENTUCKY DERBY ON MAY 2, 2026! Raffle tickets are $100 each, only 250 will be sold. The fair market value of this item is over $6,000. YOURLEGALAID.ORG/JOURNEY SEPTEMBER 25, 2025 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM ATRIA SENIOR LIVING Early Bird Tickets on Sale July 14 OFF TO THE RACES RAFFLE The LBA Started Legal Aid – Help Us Build What’s Next. In 1921, the Louisville Bar Association, together with the Woman’s Club of Louisville, created something remarkable: your Legal Aid Society. It was the first of its kind in Kentucky—a bold, civic-minded response to the growing number of people who needed legal help but couldn’t afford it. LBA members saw injustice and chose to act. That choice laid the foundation for more than 100 years of legal advocacy that continues to this day. I call on you today, not just as the new executive director of the Legal Aid Society, but also as someone who has spent nearly 25 years here working directly with clients during some of their toughest times, whether facing eviction, escaping abuse or struggling to feed their children. I know firsthand that without the Louisville Bar Association and its members, Legal Aid simply wouldn’t exist. Justice for our clients would not exist. I believe every attorney has tremendous power. You may not wear a cape, but your bar card gives you something just as powerful: the ability to solve problems others can’t. You understand the system, you can navigate it, and most importantly you can be the difference between despair and hope for someone who otherwise has nowhere to turn. Legal Aid is one of the best returns on investment in our community. Studies show that for every $1 invested in civil legal services, there is a return of $11 in economic benefits—including avoided emergency housing, health care and law enforcement costs, and increased economic self-sufficiency for clients who are able to work, pay taxes and provide for their families. Our homeless advocacy program, Project HELP, recovered over $1 million for clients alone in 2024. When we help a parent get custody and child support, it stabilizes two generations. When we help someone expunge an old criminal record, they’re more likely to get a job, earn income and stay out of the criminal justice system. When we help a family avoid eviction, we prevent homelessness, and those effects ripple in schools, in health care and in social services. And yet, despite the incredible impact of this work, we know that most low-income people with civil legal problems don’t get help. The need far outpaces the resources. There are more than 170,000 Kentuckians in our service area that live in poverty, and more than 70% of them have at least one unmet civil legal need. That’s where the Bar comes in. That’s where you come in. With just 27 attorneys and 15 paralegals on our staff, we can’t do this alone! The Louisville Bar Association has been our partner since day one. Your volunteerism, your financial support, your leadership—these are the reasons Legal Aid is still here, still strong and still serving. You’ve been part of our past, and you’re essential to our future. We are asking for your continued support in three critical ways: Volunteer: Whether you have an hour or a day, you can help. Pro bono opportunities range from limited-scope advice clinics to full representation cases in areas like housing, domestic violence and expungement. Learn more at yourlegalaid.org/volunteer. Donate: Your financial contribution ensures we can keep our doors open to those who need us most. Law firm sponsorships, individual gifts and cy pres awards are all vital to our work. Learn more at yourlegalaid.org/donate. Be an Advocate: Talk to your colleagues, your firms and your networks about the power of legal aid. Help us recruit the next generation of volunteers and supporters. As I step into this new role, I carry with me a deep respect for this organization’s legacy and a strong sense of purpose about the work ahead. Together, we can ensure that our justice system lives up to its ideals—not just for those who can afford representation, but for everyone. With gratitude, John Young Executive Director Legal Aid Society
