2024 marks a significant milestone for Hiscock Legal Aid Society as we proudly celebrate 75 years of providing vital legal services to people across Central New York. 

Since our founding in 1949, our commitment to ensuring justice for all has been unwavering. To commemorate this milestone, we held a special 75^th anniversary edition of “Justice For All” on October 9th at Sky Armory. The event took attendees on a virtual tour of our mission and vision and shared some of the impact we’ve had across our community through personal testimonials.

During the celebration, we honored two exceptional leaders who have played instrumental roles in our organization: former CEO Susan Horn and former COO Joanne Sawmiller, who collectively dedicated decades of service to our work. Their contributions have left an indelible mark on Legal Aid and the lives of thousands of individuals we have served.

To highlight this journey, we partnered with Daylight Blue, a local marketing firm, to create a video that highlighted our mission. “The mission is to provide justice to those who may be denied it with legal counsel, so justice for all has always been the core of our mission and the core of our work,” said Greg Dewan, Executive Director of Legal Aid. “At the end of the day, it’s our clients who matter. They are the reason why we do this work.” 

At the heart of our organization has always been the clients we serve. One of those clients, Sandra Kirk, shared her personal journey with Justice For All attendees. Once homeless and facing a challenging situation involving her ex-husband, Sandra sought help for a criminal domestic case and a restraining order. “They gave me safety for me and my children,” said Kirk. “They gave us the ability to start all over after a horrific situation.” 

Each year, we handle approximately 9,000 cases, benefitting over 15,000 people who seek our assistance.

We defend. We empower. We collaborate. We promote justice for all.