WASHINGTON, D.C. — Pro Bono Institute (PBI) is pleased to honor JPMorganChase, in partnership with Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio (LASCO), and Taft, with the 2026 CPBO Pro Bono Partner Award. The award will be presented on Monday, September 28, at the PBI 2026 Annual Dinner at Gotham Hall in New York.
The awardees are recognized for an 11‑year partnership that began from a single Day of Service and has evolved into one of LASCO’s most impactful and enduring pro bono collaborations. Together, the partners combine institutional support and a shared commitment to access to justice with high‑volume legal assistance across a wide range of civil matters, including estate planning, expungement, driver’s license reinstatement, and immigration. In June 2025, JPMorganChase teamed up with LASCO and Taft to complete employment authorization applications and wills for low-income immigrants and seniors.
“Congratulations to JPMorganChase, LASCO, and Taft for exemplifying what a long-standing pro bono partnership can achieve,” said Eve Runyon, President & CEO, PBI. “For more than a decade, they have removed barriers to stability by providing critical pro bono legal services to Ohio residents.”
“We’re honored to receive this recognition with LASCO and Taft,” said Larsa Ramsini, Executive Director & Assistant General Counsel, JPMorganChase. “Together, we help individuals navigate complex legal processes with greater confidence — whether it’s estate planning, expungement, driver’s license reinstatement, or other challenges — so they can take meaningful steps toward resolving issues that are holding them back. Over the years, LASCO’s expertise and Taft’s commitment have strengthened the support we provide, and we’re grateful to work alongside them in serving the central Ohio community.”
A defining feature of this collaboration is its focus on workforce development and lowering barriers to employment. JPMorganChase has hosted expungement clinics in Community Center branches and supports LASCO’s major reentry events in Columbus, Ohio, through volunteer time and financial resources. In September 2025, LASCO’s Driver’s License Reinstatement Clinic served more than 570 individuals helping to restore driving privileges, seal records, and secure employment-related certifications.
The partnership stands out for its measurable results, client-centered approach, and sustained community engagement. It has also become a model for LASCO’s work with other in-house legal teams. By pairing institutional support with hands-on legal services and targeting barriers to stability and opportunity, JPMorganChase, LASCO, and Taft demonstrate how long-term partnerships can deliver lasting impact for underserved communities.
Congratulations to JPMorganChase, LASCO, and Taft for collaborating to serve Ohio residents through pro bono legal services.
Read the full JPMorganChase CPBO Pro Bono Partner Awardee profile.
###
About JPMorganChase
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) is a leading financial services firm based in the United States of America (U.S.), with operations worldwide. JPMorganChase had $5.0 trillion in assets and $375 billion in stockholders’ equity as of June 30, 2026. The Firm is a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers and small businesses, commercial banking, financial transaction processing and asset management. Under the J.P. Morgan and Chase brands, the Firm serves millions of customers in the U.S., and many of the world’s most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients globally. Information about JPMorgan Chase & Co. is available at www.jpmorganchase.com.
JPMorganChase’s Legal Pro Bono Program is a global, volunteer-driven effort that enables employees to provide pro bono legal services and related community support in partnership with nonprofit organizations, legal services providers, law firms, and other stakeholders. The program coordinates an annual Global Day of Service, a capstone event for the legal department to give back to the communities in which colleagues live and work, traditionally held on one designated day across regions. Additionally, the JPMorganChase Legal Pro Bono Fellowship advances the firm’s commitment to pro bono participation and engagement and volunteer service activities. The Fellowship is awarded annually to one legal professional in the legal department who will dedicate three to six months to full-time legal pro bono service at a qualifying organization.
About Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio
Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio (LASCO) is a nonprofit organization that provides free civil legal aid to low-income individuals and families in 36 counties. Through legal representation, advice, and advocacy, LASCO helps people protect their homes, health, safety, income, and families while addressing legal issues that affect their stability and well-being. LASCO works to ensure that access to justice is available to everyone, regardless of income. With fewer than 200 full-time staff, LASCO relies on the consistent, tireless support of hundreds of volunteer lawyers, students, and other professionals each year, leveraging their time and talent by offering training, mentoring, and logistics support to those who volunteer. For more information, visit www.lasco.org.
About Taft
Founded in 1885 with a 140-year legacy rooted in the historic Taft family, today Taft is one of the nation’s fastest growing law firms. As a modern law firm with a non-headquarter operating model and more than 1,250 attorneys, Taft is fully committed to delivering the highest level of service to today’s organizations and individuals. The legal performance of Taft attorneys is recognized nationally, with inclusion in the Am Law 100, Chambers USA, Best Lawyers®, Super Lawyers, and more.
Each year, Taft devotes thousands of hours to individuals, groups, and nonprofit organizations who otherwise are unable to afford legal services. This dedication to the public interest is inherent in Taft’s culture; our founding partners were heavily engaged in public and political service, and our current attorneys continue that legacy. Learn more about Taft pro bono work here.
About Pro Bono Institute
Founded in 1996, Pro Bono Institute (PBI) is the respected resource for all things pro bono with an unparalleled depth of knowledge, resources and expertise. Through its work with law firms, in-house corporate legal departments, and public interest organizations, PBI is the global thought leader in exploring, identifying, evaluating, catalyzing, and taking to scale new approaches to and resources for the provision of legal services to the poor, disadvantaged, and other individuals or groups unable to secure legal assistance to address critical problems.
About the PBI Corporate Pro Bono project
The PBI Corporate Pro Bono (CPBO) project, launched in 2000, is an initiative that supports, enhances, and transforms the pro bono efforts of in-house corporate legal departments. Since its inception, the CPBO project has worked with hundreds of legal departments around the globe to strengthen in-house pro bono.