CLEVELAND — United States Attorney General Merrick Garland will deliver the keynote speech at today's 116th Annual Meeting for the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland.
During the free, livestreamed event, Garland will deliver remarks from the Department of Justice headquarters in Washington DC, discussing the recent reopening of a standalone Office for Access to Justice within the Justice Department.
Garland is also expected to congratulate Legal Aid on its efforts to promote equity, equality and justice, highlighting the work Legal Aid is doing in Northeast Ohio and underscoring the synergy of that work to the current goals of the DOJ.
The reopening of the DOJ's civil justice office is the first step in the Attorney General’s phased strategic plan to restore and expand the emphasis on access to justice within the department and throughout the federal government.
The DOJ has made it a point to showcase its dedication to improving the federal government’s understanding of and capacity to address the most urgent legal needs of communities across America.
The plan to reopen a dedicated civil justice office resulted from a strategic review process launched by the Attorney General in May, which engaged a wide range of stakeholders across all levels of government and beyond nationwide – including civil legal aid and public-defender organizations; pro bono practitioners; bar associations; data scientists; and leaders in environmental justice, economic justice and immigration reform.
The DOJ reported that the review revealed that longstanding justice gaps in our country have been exposed and exacerbated by COVID-19. It identified a clear and immediate need for the restoration of a standalone office within the Justice Department dedicated to the mission of closing those gaps.
Those interested in hearing Garland speak live today can register for a free ticket to the virtual event on the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland website, here.
The event begins at 12:15 pm Eastern, and Garland is expected to speak for six minutes of the 20-minute presentation.
