Legal Aid of Western Ohio, Inc., operating as Advocates for Basic Legal Equality (ABLE), is a nonprofit law firm dedicated to pursuing justice and equity for low-income individuals and marginalized communities across western and northwestern Ohio. For over 50 years, ABLE has provided passionate legal representation and systemic advocacy to address the civil legal issues that disproportionately affect people living in poverty, immigrants, and communities of color.
ABLE takes a comprehensive and community-centered approach, combining direct legal services with broader systemic reform efforts. The firm partners with clients and community organizations to tackle the root causes of poverty and inequality, focusing on areas such as housing justice, immigrant rights, and economic stability. Their work is driven by a commitment to lifting up the voices of those often unheard and ensuring access to opportunities through the power of the law.
Services Offered
- Attorney services and legal representation
- Agricultural worker and immigrant rights advocacy
- Housing justice and community economic development
- Fairness in education legal support
- Healthcare and economic stability assistance
- Medical-legal partnerships for children and rural substance use
- Long-term ombudsman program
- Consumer and economic justice services
- Safety and stability for domestic abuse survivors
- Know Your Rights education and resources
- Legal assistance for Afghan evacuees and humanitarian cases
- Systemic reform and impact litigation
ABLE serves 32 counties in northwest and west central Ohio, with additional agricultural and immigrant advocacy projects covering all 88 Ohio counties. Services are accessible in multiple languages, with translation support available, and the firm maintains physical offices in Toledo, Defiance, and Dayton to better reach the communities they serve.
