Celebrating Yesterday. Transforming Tomorrow.
Atlanta Legal Aid Society’s special 100th anniversary celebration was held on September 12, 2024, at Zoo Atlanta, with members of the Stearns-Montgomery & Proctor team there celebrate the first 100 years and to kick off the next 100 years.
Members of the community and legal representatives enjoyed an evening of celebration to recognize and salute the efforts and impact of Atlanta Legal Aid on the metro Atlanta community. “It was amazing to see all the progress Atlanta Legal Aid has made in the past 100 years,” noted Eduardo Sanchez, SM&P Senior Paralegal. “It was very inspiring to see and meet the amazing people who make Atlanta Legal Aid successful”.
While the event marked a milestone, according to Rita Sheffey, Atlanta Legal Aid’s Executive Director, “the focus was and is on the future–how we will better compensate our amazing staff and continue our tradition of innovation to serve clients’ needs in the future.”
SM&P Paralegal Rebecca Severe enjoyed the evening celebration. Rebecca commented that although the zoo was closed, the event overlooked the elephant area. “The event was beautiful and the energy in room was electric from the music to the people. It was great to see the history and the impact that Atlanta Legal Aid has had and continues to have on the community,” added Rebecca.
For Harolyn McGirt, SM&P Paralegal, the celebration was very educational. “Atlanta Legal Aid has had an impactful advocacy,” she said, “and continues to empower individuals and families, ensuring access to justice for all.”
On June 3rd, 1924, Atlanta Legal Aid was born, with just one lawyer on staff, dedicated to helping World War I veterans and single mothers with consumer and family law issues. A century later, Atlanta Legal Aid has grown to over 150 staff serving nearly 21,000 clients in 2023 across five counties.
Atlanta Legal Aid has five full-service offices, two medical-legal partnerships, nearly a dozen projects targeted to special populations and offer a wide variety of advocacy – everything from client advice to courthouse clinics to representation in court to impact litigation to facilitating nearly $20 million in rental assistance to prevent homelessness. Last year alone, 700 volunteers gave 20,000 hours of their time to their clients, complementing the work of the attorneys and expanding their capacity even further.
When asked about the support of the community, Ms. Sheffey commented that her team is immensely grateful to all sponsors, hosts, supporters, and attendees who make their success possible.
