MAY-JUNE 2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us on Saturday,

May 9th for our Gala celebrating 70 years of

Legal Services of Eastern Missouri!


Highlights of this event included:

  • More than 430 guests in attendance
  • More than $260,000 raised
  • Twenty four firms provided sponsorship support
  • In addition, 8 firms provided table sponsorship


We are truly grateful to all our supporters and donors who, along with our amazing staff, board members and inspiring clients, not only made this night possible but have made the last 70 years so impactful.


With your help, we have built a strong foundation to make a difference for those we serve, and the result is that we have effectively served more than 1 million persons since 1956. We are confident and excited to be looking forward to entering the next 70 years of our mission. 


CLICK HERE TO WATCH LEGAL SERVICES' SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY VIDEO ON OUR CELEBRATING 70 PAGE.



 
 
 

UPCOMING EVENTS

Legal Services'

Estate Planning CLE

will be held on


TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2026

at 9:00am to 12:00pm


Presented virtually via Zoom


This session will cover:

  • Electronic Estate Planning Signing
  • Ethics in Estate Planning
  • Drafting and Administering Trusts to Save Annual Income Tax
 
 
 

The Hon. Richard B. Teitelman

CLE Seminar, hosted by

Simon Law, will be held on


TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2026

from 1:00pm to 5:00pm


In-Person at Simon Law offices with a

Happy Hour immediately following the presentation.


You may also attend virtually via Zoom.

 

LEGAL SERVICES IN THE COMMUNITY

 

A HUGE Thank You to everyone who donated to the Young Friends of Legal Services annual Supplies Drive in April.


We received 855 donated items, which will keep our supplies closet stocked with essential personal care and cleaning items for client needs for several months!

ABOVE: In April, Earlene Bolton & Liz Larsen from Legal Services' Health & Welfare programs provided information at Lemay Child & Family Center's Resource Fair.

 

BELOW & RIGHT: Maggie LaMore & Iulia Tothezan of Legal Services' Children's Legal Alliance at the Little Bit Foundation's Wellness Fair in May.

At the end of April, we said farewell to our Associate Director of Client Services for the past 17 years, Jeanne Philips-Roth, who has now retired.


Throughout her 27 years with Legal Services, Jeanne has consistently shown compassion for clients and coworkers. Her unfaltering advocacy for access to justice and her boundless energy in grant-writing and attention to detail will be sorely missed.

 

Young Friends of Legal Services CLE Webinar

The Young Friends of Legal Services hosted a CLE webinar "Introduction to Immigration Law" on May 20th. Speakers included Legal Services' Immigration law attorney Amanda Williams and Mollie Hennessee of Thompson Coburn, and the session was moderated by Young Friends CLE Co-Chair, Vannah Shaw.

Details and links to the recording of this session can be found HERE.

 

OTHER NEWS

70 Years of Justice - Help us build the next 70


Five months into Legal Services of Eastern Missouri’s 70th Anniversary year our “70 in 70” initiatives are already building momentum for the future of our mission.



As part of this milestone year, we launched two special initiatives designed to strengthen Legal Services of Eastern Missouri for generations to come. Together, they form our “70 in 70” effort—an invitation for supporters to help sustain access to justice through planned giving and monthly support:

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 future families and individuals facing difficult legal challenges will continue to have access to critical legal services and advocacy.



We are also hosting a Planned Giving CLE on June 9 featuring legal professionals Adrienne Davis, Michael Downey, and Steve Gorin for an important conversation about estate planning and charitable giving. 


CLICK HERE to register now for this special MCLE Webinar

 

“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

SUSTAINED SUPPORT THROUGH MONTHLY GIVING

Our goal is to build a community of 70 sustaining donors who provide reliable monthly contributions that strengthen and stabilize our work throughout the year.


With 29 current sustaining donors, we are encouraged by the progress already underway. Monthly gifts - often modest in size - provide dependable support that allows our attorneys and advocates to respond quickly when individuals and families urgently need legal assistance.

Both initiatives reflect the same goal: building a strong, lasting foundation for justice.


Throughout our 70th Anniversary year, updates and stories about the “70 in 70” initiatives will continue to appear in our newsletters as we celebrate this milestone and invite more supporters to be part of the next chapter of our mission.


Interested in becoming a monthly supporter? CLICK HERE to set it up now.

Learn more about leaving a legacy gift HERE.




“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

WE ARE HIRING: CHECK OUT OUR CURRENT VACANCIES

We are currently accepting applications for the following roles:



  • Staff Attorney - Lasting Solutions Family Law Program, St. Louis



  • Paralegal - Housing Law Program, St. Louis


WE ALSO HAVE INTERNSHIPS AND TEMPORARY ROLES AVAILABLE.


CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS


 

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Legal Services of Eastern Missouri

701 Market Street, Suite 1100

St. Louis, MO 63101


314.534.4200 / 800.444.0514

www.lsem.org

Serving 21 counties with

ACTION. JUSTICE. HOPE.

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