March/April 2026 Newsletter

MARCH - APRIL 2026

Join us for Legal Services' 70th Anniversary Gala

Saturday, May 9, 2026

at the Ritz-Carlton in Clayton

The evening includes complimentary valet parking, a full open bar,

plated gourmet dinner, silent & live auctions, and musical entertainment by Mary Dyson & The Brock Walker Band.

Featuring special guest Emcee Mike Bush

Dress: Black-Tie Optional

Tickets: $250 per person with tables of ten available

SPECIAL ROOM RATE AT THE RITZ AVAILABLE THROUGH 4/10/26 WITH THE LINK BELOW

QUESTIONS? Contact Louisa Gregory at lmgregory@lsem.org

ADVOCACY IN ACTION

CLA: Advancing Educational Access

for Students with Autism

April is Autism Acceptance Month, and this month we highlight the Children's Legal Alliance (CLA) a team of attorneys and social workers at Legal Services that provides legal representation for students experiencing barriers to educational attainment, including students with special education needs, students experiencing homelessness, and court-involved youth. Funded in part by the St. Louis City Mental Health Board, CLA also provides wrap-around social work support to client families and offers community legal education.

“A parent is their child’s first and best advocate,” said Maggie LaMore, CLA’s Program Director, emphasizing that the program’s goal extends beyond direct services. “In addition to providing legal advice and social work support, we want to equip our clients and community members with the knowledge to become better advocates for their own child’s education.”

CLA attorneys frequently advocate for students with autism who may need specialized instruction and accommodations in school. When a student is not making progress in school, attorneys may attend special education IEP meetings with families, negotiate with school district attorneys, or file administrative complaints to secure appropriate services or placement.

ABOVE: CLA Staff (L to R): Kim Carlson (intake & Outreach Coordinator), Christina Brimm (Senior Social Worker & Family Empowerment Coach), Maggie LaMore (Program Director) and Dan Underwood (Managing Attorney). Not photographed are Breonna Kasarov (Senior Staff Attorney) and Iulia Tothezan (Social Worker).

One recent case involved “Aaron,” a middle-school student with autism whose school failed to provide necessary supports. After an altercation with a school staff member left both injured, Aaron remained out of school for more than four months due to safety concerns. After a CLA attorney filed an administrative due process complaint with the Missouri Administrative Hearing Commission (AHC), the school agreed to a one-year placement at a private therapeutic school. Aaron is now thriving in that environment.

A key component of CLA’s work is community outreach and education. “Collaboration with community partners is a huge part of our program,” said Kim Carlson, CLA’s Intake and Outreach Coordinator. “We are excited to attend the Community Autism Expo in April to connect with families and service providers.”

Catch CLA at the Community Autism Expo at the Saint Louis County Library’s Clark Family Branch on April 11, 2026.

For more information about the Children’s Legal Alliance, CLICK HERE.

SERVING THE COMMUNITY

Celebrating 150 years of Service

Honoring ten Legal Services staff who have collectively contributed 150 years of excellence in providing equal access to justice in the community.

Left to Right: Mary Dyson, Augustine Brown, Richard Sisson, Chanita Hamilton, Jessica Hallerman, Anne Milne, Joel Ferber, Hopey Fink.

In March, we celebrated the milestone years of service anniversaries of ten Legal Services staff members whose dedication and commitment to assisting clients helps us achieve ACTION. JUSTICE. HOPE.

The staff we celebrated this year include: Susie Alverson (40 years), Joel Ferber (40 years), Augustine Brown (20 years), Mary Dyson (10 years), Jeff Miller (10 years), Richard Sisson (10 years), Hopey Fink (5 years), Jessica Hallerman (5 years), Chanita Hamilton (5 years) and Anne Milne (5 years).

ABOVE: Mary Dyson, Senior Paralegal with the Volunteer Lawyers Program (left), celebrates 10 Years of service with Karen Warren, Associate Director of Administration.

BELOW: Joel Ferber, Director of Advocacy, (right) celebrates 40 years of service with Dan Glazier, Executive Director.

ABOVE: Richard Sisson, Senior Paralegal with the Microenterprise Program (left), celebrates 10 years of service with his Managing Attorney, Marlene Elliott.

BELOW: Augustine Brown, Legal Intake Specialist, (left) celebrates 20 years of service with Karen Warren.

ABOVE LEFT: Brandy Sincyr, Outreach & Enrollment Specialist with Connecting Kids to Coverage, provided information to families at the March Diaper Distribution event at SLPL's Carpenter Library.

ABOVE RIGHT: Marlene Elliott, Managing Attorney of the Microenterprise program participated in a Women's History Month Leadership Panel at the Urban League on March 27th.

ABOVE: In February, Legal Services staff celebrated Black History Month with a series of month-long events to highlight Black History and Heritage.

OTHER NEWS

70 Years of Justice - Help us build the next 70

Two new “70 in 70” initiatives invite you to support Legal Services of Eastern Missouri through planned giving or sustaining monthly support.

As Legal Services of Eastern Missouri prepares to celebrate our 70th Anniversary, we are launching two special initiatives designed to strengthen our mission for the years ahead. Together, they form our “70 in 70” campaign - an effort to engage supporters in meaningful ways as we look toward the future.

The first initiative focuses on Planned Giving.

Our goal is to welcome 70 supporters who include Legal Services of Eastern Missouri in their estate plans. These legacy commitments help ensure that our work continues for generations to come, providing future families with the legal support they need during difficult times.

“Legal Services of Eastern Missouri has been part of our family’s life for many years. Including Legal Services in our plans felt like a natural way to honor that connection and help ensure this work continues for generations to come.” - Ben and Sarah Burkemper

The second initiative highlights Sustaining Support through monthly giving.

We are building a community of 70 sustaining donors who provide reliable monthly contributions. These gifts—often modest in size—create dependable support that helps our attorneys and advocates respond when individuals and families urgently need legal assistance.

“Monthly giving felt like the right way for us to support Legal Services—steady, practical, and aligned with how we give in other parts of our lives. It’s a simple way to make a lasting difference.” - Liz and Steve Lenivy

Both initiatives reflect the same goal: building a strong and lasting foundation for justice. As we celebrate 70 years of advancing justice, we invite you to be part of the next chapter.

Learn more about leaving a legacy gift: Visit our Legacy Giving page HERE.

Interested in becoming a monthly supporter? Start your sustaining gift HERE.