Oak Ridge Today

Legal Aid Society receives grant for foreclosure prevention, community redevelopment

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Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, which is Tennessee’s largest nonprofit law firm and has an office in Oak Ridge, has received a two-year grant from the Tennessee Bar Foundation to increase foreclosure prevention and community redevelopment legal assistance.

The Tennessee Bar Foundation, the administrator of funds generated through Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts, or IOLTA, in Tennessee, received part of a nationwide donation to IOLTA programs from Bank of America, as part of a settlement of claims with the Justice Department arising from the home mortgage crisis. They have awarded Legal Aid Society $259,640 to give legal assistance to low-income people and seniors in their Gallatin, Murfreesboro, Nashville, Oak Ridge, and Tullahoma offices, a press release said. [Read more…]

Legal Aid Society Community Award honors Anderson County Juvenile Court

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Oak Ridge Community Award and Anderson County Juvenile Court

Picture above from left to right are April Seiber (ACJC Lead Youth Services Officer), Sandy Slater (ACJC Youth Services Officer), Betsy Hunt (Judge Hunt’s wife), Judge Brian J. Hunt, Angie Perez (ACJC Judicial Assistant), Denise Casteel (ACJC Youth Services Officer), and Elizabeth Risner (ACJC Youth Services Officer). Not shown: Andrew Williams (ACJC Youth Services Officer) (Submitted photo)

 

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands’ Oak Ridge office honored Anderson County Juvenile Court Judge Brian J. Hunt and the staff of the Anderson County Juvenile Court with its inaugural Community Award at a reception on Tuesday, October 6, at CapitalMark Bank and Trust in Oak Ridge.

Legal Aid Society’s Community Award honors individuals and/or organizations in the community for their leadership and compassion in supporting the nonprofit law firm’s mission, a press release said.

More than 60 people, including Representative Kent Calfee, Anderson County District Attorney General Dave Clark, former Mayor David Bradshaw (who hosted the event as President of CapitalMark Bank and Trust in Oak Ridge), United Way of Anderson County Executive Director Naomi Asher, and Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson celebrated Judge Hunt and the Anderson County Juvenile Court, or ACJC, for partnering with Legal Aid Society to advance access to justice among our region’s youth. [Read more…]

Legal Aid Society kicks off 2015 Campaign for Equal Justice

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2015 Legal Aid Leadership Cabinet

Legal Aid Society’s 2015 Leadership Cabinet is pictured above. (Submitted photo)

 

Submitted

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands kicked off its 2015 Campaign for Equal Justice, Legal Aid Society’s annual fundraising initiative, on Tuesday, March 17, with a luncheon at the Nashville City Club. This year, Legal Aid Society’s goal is to raise $800,000 to support its mission to provide free legal assistance to low-income residents throughout Middle Tennessee and the Cumberland Plateau.

Legal Aid Society has an office in Oak Ridge.

The Tuesday luncheon sent a message to the community at large: The legacy and important work of Legal Aid Society must live on. This message was affirmed by a keynote panel discussion moderated by Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Sharon Lee and featuring two former Legal Aid Society executive directors: Ashley T. Wiltshire Jr. and Judge Walter C. Kurtz. [Read more…]

Legal Aid Society promotes Janet Mynatt to managing attorney in Oak Ridge

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Janet Mynatt

Janet Mynatt

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, Tennessee’s largest nonprofit law firm, announced on Monday that it has promoted Janet Mynatt to managing attorney of the Oak Ridge office. Mynatt is replacing former Managing Attorney Neil McBride, who retired this month after 35 years of service.

Mynatt joined Legal Aid Society as a staff attorney at the Oak Ridge office in 2001. In 2005-06, she was awarded a John G. Brooks Consumer Law Fellowship through the National Legal Aid and Defender Association and the National Consumer Law Center. She graduated from the Tennessee Bar Association’s Leadership Law Program in 2009 and served as president of the Anderson County Bar Association in 2011.

“Janet is an outstanding attorney and natural leader—the perfect person to fill the big shoes of Neil McBride, who has managed the Oak Ridge office since 1978,” said Gary Housepian, executive director of Legal Aid Society. “She has helped many, many people in the Oak Ridge area throughout her time at Legal Aid Society and has been an active member of the community. I have no doubt that our Oak Ridge office will continue to have a significant impact in Oak Ridge and throughout the surrounding region under Janet’s leadership.” [Read more…]