From the Board President

“Founded by Sally Newman on the belief that affordability and access to justice should go hand in hand, CLA has grown from a bold idea into a proven model.”

Dear Friends,

As the new Board Chair of Charleston Legal Access, I am honored to begin this year alongside such a committed and generous community. I would like to first thank Tope Leyimu, our outgoing board president, and Lana Kleiman, our Executive Director, for their leadership. Their steady guidance, care for this organization, and dedication to our mission continue to create a lasting impact.

Before joining the board, I had already seen the profound impact CLA’s high-quality legal representation has on its clients and the broader community. As a trial lawyer, I have witnessed firsthand how access to skilled legal counsel can change the trajectory of a family’s life. Too often, middle-income families earn too much to qualify for free legal aid but far too little to afford market-rate attorneys. CLA exists to fill that gap, and its mission resonates with me both personally and professionally.

This past year, Charleston Legal Access made meaningful progress during a time of growing need. We served more clients across our core practice areas than ever before and launched our immigration practice to meet a critical community demand. In total, CLA supported 935 individuals and families navigating family law, housing, and immigration matters. These numbers reflect real people facing eviction, family instability, or uncertainty about their future, and they are made possible by our dedicated and compassionate staff.

Looking ahead, 2026 marks an exciting milestone as we celebrate CLA’s 10th Anniversary on May 7th. Founded by Sally Newman on the belief that affordability and access to justice should go hand in hand, CLA has grown from a bold idea into a proven model. Today, we are building on that foundation by strengthening our work across the Tri-County region and exploring statewide expansion through a newly funded feasibility study.

CLA’s past decade has been marked by steady growth, driven by high-quality legal work and strong community support. That support, both financial and otherwise, has been critical to our success. We are deeply grateful to Lana for her continued commitment to CLA as we continue our search for a new Executive Director who will build on this strong foundation and lead CLA into its next ten years.

As we enter this next chapter, our commitment remains clear: access to justice should not depend on income. With your continued support and engagement, I am optimistic about the decade ahead and grateful to be part of a community that believes justice should be within reach for all.

With gratitude,

John P. Linton, Jr.
Walker Gressette Linton, LLC