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In the Loop Newsletter                                      July/August 2014 LASO's Mission To be a partner in the community, making equal justice for all a reality. Quick Links LASO Website Donate to LASO Now Contact Us What is LASO? Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Inc. (LASO), is the sole statewide provider of free civil legal services to low-income families in Oklahoma.   LASO Opens New Law Office in Tahlequah     LASO is very pleased to announce the opening of the newest legal aid office in Tahlequah.   The office open house, held last week, was extremely well attended by members of the Tahlequah community, the non-profit community, and Principal Chief Bill John Baker of the Cherokee Nation.    Managing Attorney Laci Klinger and her staff look forward to serving many clients and to expanding the office, and the services it provides, in the coming year.    LASO in the News       April Merrill, lead attorney for LASO's Medical-Legal Partnership Initiative, was recently featured in an article in The Oklahoman regarding efforts to get children in the Oklahoma foster care system enrolled in Medicaid.  Click here for the full story.     LASO is Hiring!   Do you want a fulfilling career where you can really make a difference in people's lives?  Are you passionate about equal justice?  If so, LASO currently has several positions open around the state.    LASO recently received Americorps funding through Equal Justice Works to host 2 Veteran Legal Fellows.  These Fellows will focus on legal services for Oklahoma's low-income and homeless Veteran population.  One position is available in Oklahoma City, and one in Tulsa.  If you are an attorney licensed to practice in Oklahoma and are interested in learning more, please click here.       Please click here for more information about many other exciting opportunities at LASO.   "Running Wild" for Justice! Register for the "Running Wild" Race, benefitting LASO   How can you have fun, enjoy Oklahoma's incredible natural beauty, AND raise money to support LASO's work?  Register for the 2014 "Running Wild" Race!   Organized by an adventurous group of Northwestern Oklahoma attorneys and community supporters, "Running Wild" will benefit LASO's Woodward County office and help ensure that office can continue to provide high quality legal services for our low-income neighbors in the area.   The race course flows for 3.75 miles across the beautiful hills, canyons, and creeks of Northwestern Oklahoma.  Combine that natural beauty with some fun man-made obstacles and lots of good, old-fashioned mud, fun will be had by all for a great cause.     The race will take place on Saturday, September 20, beginning at 8 a.m.  Registration for the race is $50, and includes a commemorative t-shirt for those who register prior to September 18.  Please click here for more information and to register!   LASO Client Success Story LASO Assists Elderly Couple   LASO advocates were recently able to assist an elderly couple in a very dangerous situation.    The client and his wife, both in their late 70’s, were raising four great-grandchildren in a rural area of Southeastern Oklahoma. Their neighbors on both sides were drug dealers with vicious dogs that often ran loose. The dogs were a constant threat to the children.    The client approached law enforcement about the problem.  The neighbors discovered the client had reported them to the authorities and threatened him.  Fearing for his safety, the client was forced to abandon his house and move his family of 6 to a safer location.   The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which insured the mortgage, foreclosed and announced that it would garnish the family’s Social Security income of $2000 a month to collect the debt.  Supporting 6 people on $2000 a month, the family could not afford a garnishment.  The family contacted LASO, where advocates were able to stop the garnishment by filing a bankruptcy for the family.  The family is now safe and has maintained their vital income.     Volunteer Attorneys of the Month Frederic Dorwart and Sharon Gentry   Each year LASO is fortunate to have the assistance of attorneys all over the state in raising funds for our work through LASO's Annual Campaign for Justice.  The attorneys operate in teams in many Oklahoma communities, and help LASO raise awareness as well as funds.  LASO would like to take this opportunity to thank the Team Chairpersons in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Sharon Gentry and Fred Dorwart.    Sharon Gentry is a partner in the Oklahoma City office of Riggs, Abney, Neal, Turpen, Orbison and Lewis, Inc.  Prior to entering law school, Sharon was a public school teacher.  Though Sharon is Chair of the Oklahoma City team for the first time this year, she has served on the team and has been a passionate advocate for LASO for many years.  Sharon is hard at work expanding LASO's Oklahoma City campaign in the corporate arena, and educating the community about LASO's work and impact.  Sharon's dedication is exceeded only by her kindness and compassion, of which LASO is a lucky beneficiary.  Thank you, Sharon!    Frederic Dorwart became a founding partner of Frederic Dorwart, Lawyers in 1994 in Tulsa after many years with Holliman, Langholz, Runnels and Dorwart.  The firm's attorneys are very committed to supporting civic, social and business development in Tulsa, and provide extensive pro bono assistance to those causes each year.  Fred unhesitatingly joined the Tulsa team this year and also kindly consented to act as Chair.  Fred's leadership has been phenomenal, resulting in a very active and vibrant team that is well on its way to great success in 2014.  Thank you, Fred! LASO is grateful for funding received from                                                                                                     Please visit our website at www.legalaidok.org. Donate to our cause. Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma receives funding through the Legal Services Corporation and we are required to notify all our sources of gifts, including private donors, that we will not engage in advocacy activities prohibited by the LSC Act (42 U.S.C. 2996 et. seq. or by Public Law 104-134) or LSC Appropriations Riders.

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