Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio has a new managing attorney.

Lauren Weller has been promoted to managing attorney of the Portsmouth office. Weller joined Legal Aid as a staff attorney in the Portsmouth office in 2005, where she has made significant contributions to the organization and the community, particularly in family law and advocacy for survivors of domestic violence.

The Portsmouth office serves Adams, Lawrence and Scioto counties.

“Lauren has been a dedicated advocate for low-income and elderly individuals in Southeast Ohio,” said Kate McGarvey, executive director of LASCO. “She has been a driving force in our efforts to protect survivors of domestic violence, ensuring that they have access to the legal resources they need to stay safe. Her leadership, passion, and commitment to justice make her the perfect choice to lead the Portsmouth office.”

Throughout her tenure, Lauren has received multiple accolades for her work, including the SEOLS Leadership Award in 2011 and the Ohio State Bar Foundation’s Community Service Award for Attorneys 40 & Under for the 2018-2019 term. In addition to her work with LASCO, she has been an active member of the Adams County Domestic Violence Task Force and the Ohio Supreme Court’s Subcommittee on Responding to Child Abuse, Neglect, and Dependency.

“I am honored to step into this new role and continue to serve the Portsmouth community,” Weller said. “It’s a privilege to lead a team that is so deeply committed to providing access to justice and supporting the most vulnerable members of our society. I look forward to building on the work we’ve done and continue to work to ensure that everyone has a voice in the legal system.”

LASCO is a nonprofit organization that provides free civil legal assistance to low-income individuals and families in 36 counties in Central and Southeast Ohio. LASCO helps clients resolve legal problems involving housing, family law, domestic violence, and other critical areas of law to improve their safety, stability, and economic security.