Beginnings of the Greater Dayton Volunteer Lawyers Project

    In a speech before the Dayton Bar Association in September 1987, Gary Weston, Executive Director of the Legal Aid Society of Dayton set forth in graphic detail the consequences of and frustrations inherent in the denial of access to our legal system.  From the beginning, Arvin S. Miller, III, Theodore G. Gudorf, Steven E. Yuhas and James J. Gilvary came together to create a project that would channel lawyers pro bono time to civil cases in Montgomery County.

    Through their time and energy a private nonprofit organization was created complete with incorporation papers, start-up funding from the American Bar Association, the commitment of first year funding through a sub contract with the Legal Aid Society of Dayton and in October, 1988, the hiring of a full time director to implement the dream.