Home | Advocates for Basic Legal Equality (ABLE)

Standing with Our Haitian Community Members

ABLE is proud to serve Haitian community members in Springfield and other parts of our service area.

Justice for All

ABLE is proud to work with and for Ohio's immigrants and immigrant communities. By protecting, strengthening, and uplifting their legal rights, we can all help ensure a just and welcoming Ohio.

Generations of Justice

The law is a powerful tool for ensuring access to opportunities many of us take for granted. ABLE was founded to right the wrongs that disproportionately affect communities of color and people living in poverty. For over 50 years, ABLE has made justice a reality for people who had nowhere else to turn.

INCREASING ECONOMIC STABILITY AND OPPORTUNITY

14 out of every 100 people live in poverty in our service area. Over 70% of people in poverty have a civil legal problem every year that jeopardizes their families without an attorney to help navigate complex legal systems. We partner with our clients and with community partners on legal solutions to the issues keeping communities in poverty.

DONATE NOW

We are currently experiencing technical problems with our telephone intake system. We are working to resolve the issues and apologize for any inconvenience you may be experiencing. To apply for services, please click the red “Get Legal Help” tab at the top of your screen. You may begin an online application at: www.legalaidline.org. You may also walk in to any of our service area office locations to apply for assistance.

Actualmente estamos experimentando problemas técnicos con nuestro sistema de solicitud telefónica. Estamos trabajando para resolver los problemas y pedimos disculpas por cualesquiera inconveniencias que puede estar experimentando. Para solicitar servicios, por favor haga clic en la pestaña roja “Get Legal Help” en la parte superior de la pantalla. Puede iniciar una solicitud en línea en: www.legalaidline.org.También puede ir a cualquiera de nuestras oficinas para para solicitar asistencia.

Protecting The Rights of People Living, Working, and Raising Their Families in Poverty

Prevent homelessness and protect renters from uninhabitable living conditions. Protect seniors and veterans. Ensure access to healthcare and education. Support welcoming communities and due process for immigrants. Rebuild neighborhoods and empower residents. Lift up the voices of people often unheard and left behind.

Choose an Area of Impact to learn more.

Support justice here.

Learn about our work in northwest Ohio.

Learn about our work in the Miami Valley region.

Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc. (ABLE) is a non-profit regional law firm that provides high-quality legal assistance in civil matters to help low-income individuals and groups in Ohio achieve self-reliance, equal justice, and economic opportunity.

ABLE'S BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPOINTS NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Learn more about the new leadership changes at ABLE.

MEDICAID WAIVERS EXPLAINED

Hear how our clients navigated the Medicaid system.

Hear their stories.

ACCESS TO COUNSEL PILOT PROGRAM

ABLE has partnered with Learn to Earn Dayton to launch Access to Counsel, which aims to meet the varied legal needs of low-income tenants.

Read about the pilot program.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS VIDEOS NOW AVAILABLE

Know Your Rights videos are available in three languages.

Learn more here.

Ohio, We Have a Problem.

ABLE and the American Immigration Council share a joint report on racial profiling activities by Border Patrol at the U.S.-Canadian border near Port Clinton, Ohio.

Read the Report

Clementina's Path to Citizenship

On May 21, 2024, in Toledo, Ohio, an incredible milestone was achieved by Clementina Gonzalez Ponce, an 82-year-old woman originally from Guadalajara, Mexico. After a nearly 30-year wait to receive permanent residency, Clementina became a U.S. citizen.

Read Her Story

Program Provides Civil Legal Assistance to Afghan Evacuees in Western Ohio

The ABLE-led Afghan Evacuee Immigration Legal Services Project provides legal guidance and helps our new community members as continued progress is made toward stabilizing the humanitarian crisis.

ABLE Parent Advocate Presents on SUCCESS Program

ABLE Parent Advocate, Christina Brown, speaks about our innovative SUCCESS Program at a national conference in Washington, D.C. Brown participates in a panel with other legal experts and social workers titled, "Different Strokes for Different Folks: Maryland and Ohio Do Multidisciplinary Representation Their Way”.

Learn More Now