“Ulmer & Berne has demonstrated vividly that commitment to pro bono service, and support of legal aid programs, are vital parts of its firm culture,” said Julie A. Davis, Executive Vice President and General Counsel to Retail Ventures, Inc., in Columbus, and the Foundation’s Board President, in presenting the award to Ulmer & Berne. The Award is presented annually to law firms, organizations or individuals who have made outstanding efforts in improving access to legal representation for those who cannot afford it through pro bono or volunteer service in Ohio.

“During 2008, Ulmer & Berne is celebrating its centennial,” Davis noted in her remarks. “Rather than just rent out a space and put on a party, the firm chose to commemorate the anniversary with community service and civic activities.” In February the firm announced a gift of $100,000.00 to Legal Aid Society of Cleveland. The gift was shared with Legal Aid Society of Columbus and Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati, other Ohio cities in which Ulmer & Berne maintains offices.

“The firm lives the ideals of professionalism, which exhort lawyers to provide the pro bono representation necessary to make our system of justice available to all, and to support organizations that provide pro bono representation to indigent clients,” Davis noted in her remarks.

A full-service Firm with 180 attorneys in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Chicago, Ulmer & Berne represents publicly traded and privately held companies, financial institutions, pharmaceutical companies, family businesses, international joint ventures and affiliations, investor groups, start-ups and emerging businesses, public bodies and nonprofit organizations.

Created by the Ohio Legislature in 1994, the Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation, in partnership with the state and local bar associations, elected officials, and local legal aid providers, coordinates resource development, provides efficient distribution of legal aid funds, and promotes innovative approaches to ensure justice for all.

For more information about efforts to provide equal access to justice for all persons in Ohio, contact OLAF at 614-752-8919 or visit the OLAF Web site at www.olaf.org.

For information about the Ohio State Bar Association, contact Ken Brown, Director of Public & Media Relations, at 800-282-6556 or 614-487-4426.