A Conversation with Robert Southers, 2025 Alli Gerkman Legal Visionary Award Recipient

Editor's Note: Robert Southers, Director of the Franklin County Municipal Court Self Help Center and Dispute Resolution Department in Ohio, is the recipient of the 2025 Alli Gerkman Legal Visionary Award, which recognizes innovators who have made significant impacts early in their legal careers toward making our legal system work better for everyone. Southers will be presented the award at IAALS' Rebuilding Justice Award Dinner on April 10, 2025. More information available here.

What drives your passion for access to justice?

I learned about the importance of helping others from a young age. I was fortunate to be very close to my grandparents, often spending afternoons after school and summer with them while my parents were at work. By spending time with them, I learned the value of giving to others and helping others however you can.

My grandfather spent most of the time that I was with him working on projects for family, friends, and neighbors. I would often accompany him to “help” however a young child thinks they can. As I got older, I continued to join him whenever I could and learned how important it is to use whatever skills you have to improve other people’s lives. I can remember plenty of times when we would show up to help someone to find that they were surprised that we were there. I often heard family and friends mention that they avoided telling my grandfather about a problem because they knew he would go out of his way to fix it!

His willingness to spend his time and money to help others showed me the value of hard work and dedicating time to helping others in ways I don’t think I would have learned without experiencing it firsthand. I cherish fond memories of holding a flashlight or listening as he taught me to use whatever tools were necessary for the job we were working on.

When I decided to go to law school, I knew I wanted to take the lessons from my grandfather and apply them to a career in public service. I’m proud to continue his legacy of making the world a better place in whatever way possible in my own way.

What are some of the significant obstacles or systemic challenges you have faced in your work, and how have you worked to overcome them?

Too often, I feel we let perfection get in the way of a good idea. The legal profession is full of very talented but cautious professionals. Caution isn't always the best approach to making the necessary changes to achieve greater access to justice. While we should be careful that anything we create doesn’t cause harm, letting perfection be the enemy of the good leaves too many ideas on the drawing board without ever developing into something impactful.

What aspect or moment in your career are you most proud of?

One of the achievements that I’m most proud of is the creation of our semi-annual community record-sealing events. We started these events with the recognition that the community needed these services, but people didn’t necessarily want to walk into the courthouse to seek help. Over the years, the event has grown into something truly special. At our last event, we checked over 700 records, helping hundreds of people start a new life all in one Saturday.

These events now include barbers providing free haircuts, agencies helping with interview outfits, and resources to help people overcome the other challenges created by their record. We’ve even added face painting for kids who are dragged along to the event, and my partner dresses up as “Frankie the Justice Bear” to entertain people throughout the event. (If you asked any of our judges, they might say creating a Self Help Center mascot is my biggest accomplishment!) The whole thing feels like a big block party celebrating people moving past challenges that have proven to be significant hurdles in their lives.

One specific interaction from these events will always stick with me. I was talking to a gentleman who had come to the event with his wife and young daughter. He had just been told that his record could be completely expunged, and he was celebrating this news with the attorney working on his expungement application. When I congratulated him, he turned to his daughter with tears in his eyes and told me, “I didn’t do this for me. I did this for her.” We went on to talk about how his felony record had meant some parents weren’t willing to let their kids come to playdates at his home and had left his daughter out of some events with friends. He spoke about his optimism for the future and the pride he felt knowing he could raise his daughter without a mistake from his youth haunting her economic and social opportunities. Whenever I feel discouraged about our work, I think of that man and his daughter as a reminder of why access to justice is so important.

Which IAALS projects resonate with you the most?

I first discovered IAALS when I was doing research for some public trust projects that I was working on here at the Center. One of the core missions of the Self Help Center is to improve relationships between the Court and the community. In general, I can help many more people when I can build trust within a community.

IAALS research on public trust and confidence is not only personally interesting to me but has also had a meaningful impact on how I approach building trust with the community. I can’t even begin to list the number of projects that would never have been successful without referring back to this research.

I have also closely followed the Above the Line Network. My program helps to fill a gap where people may be over income for services from Legal Aid or other pro bono assistance but still unable to afford an attorney. Advocacy around ensuring that everyone can access legal resources is so important, and the advocacy that IAALS has been able to do around this topic has been helpful to show funders and other supporters exactly why ensuring that services are available to everyone, not just those under a certain income limit can access vital assistance. In fact, in asking my Court to remove my program’s income restrictions, references to the Above the Line Network were crucial to convincing the judges who oversee my program that there was value in providing services to everyone.

What are some of your favorite books?

I recently finished The Best Strangers in the World by Ari Shapiro, and I could have started it again the second I finished it. His storytelling translated so well from radio into a book that I could not put down. Shapiro has a great way of telling the stories of others to show ways that he’s learned, grown, or otherwise changed throughout his life. This book was a roller coaster of emotions that left me heartbroken one minute and laughing out loud the next. Even if you’re not an All Things Considered listener, I think just about anyone would love this book.

I’ve been reading a lot about technology and how it’s changed our society recently. I teach a course on social media and dispute resolution at Ohio State, so I started this topic just wanting to have a better background for the class, but I’ve found myself sucked into the different takes on just how different our world has and will become as technologies we couldn’t even imagine just a few years ago continue to become mainstream.

Which living person/historical figure do you most admire?

As I mentioned, my grandparents have been my role models. Their selflessness and desire to serve others have had a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without having such a close relationship with them.

Another person who has helped to shape my legal career is Mary McClymont. Mary nominated me for this award and has been the single most influential person on my career trajectory. I first met Mary after sending her an email asking her some questions about the Nonlawyer Navigator research she had recently released. I didn’t necessarily expect a response, but I hoped to learn more about what she had found as we were building our own navigator program. Not only did Mary respond to my email, but she scheduled multiple calls to talk through my ideas and to give advice. I was amazed at her willingness to dedicate so much time to helping a stranger from Ohio!

Since that first email, Mary has remained as a constant mentor for my career. I’m not sure what she saw in me when I contacted her out of the blue, but she has been an advocate for all that I do and has given me some of the most valuable career advice. Not only has Mary been an amazing mentor, but she has provided opportunities to work on important projects. I was honored to serve as a project advisor on her nonlawyer navigator update report and loved working closely with her to complete that publication. To have someone as experienced and knowledgeable reach out and value the perspective of someone with so much less experience is a testament to her personality. It is so valuable to lift up the next generation of access to justice professionals. I hope to have the opportunity to provide similar opportunities to future leaders some time in my career.

What trait do you most admire in others?

I admire people who are passionate about their beliefs and aren’t afraid to speak up. Some of the best projects that have come out of the Self Help Center were because someone on my team was willing to tell me that my idea wasn’t good or that they had a better idea.

The Self Help Center's accomplishments don’t rest on my shoulders alone. I’m very fortunate to have a team of passionate individuals with whom I’m proud to work every day. Their willingness to stand up for what they believe in and advocate for improvements to access to justice is something that I look for when hiring new team members and has been essential to the success of our programs. I would be remiss in not recognizing and thanking them for their hard work and dedication.

What movie do you wish you could watch again for the first time?

I’m a bit of a sci-fi nerd and have never seen The Empire Strikes Back without knowing about the iconic plot twist. I can only imagine how shocking and exciting that moment would have been in theaters when everyone first experienced the “I am your father” moment for the first time.

What is your long-term vision for the broader access to justice movement?

I hope for greater collaboration in the access to justice movement. So many talented people are doing great things around the country and the world. While taking the time to share what we are doing with the broader access to justice community isn’t always a priority, given the limited time and resources that many of us struggle with, I think there’s a lot that can be learned when people with diverse backgrounds and experiences come together to share what they know.

Organizations like IAALS that can help to compile best practices and share trends in access to justice are essential to tackling this problem. I hope that new technologies and the continued support of organizations like IAALS can continue to make collaboration and sharing of ideas easier.

What would you say to the next generation of innovators and legal visionaries?

Don’t be afraid to ask questions and to speak up. Improving access to justice requires all voices to be involved and contribute new ideas. I would not be where I am in my career had I not been willing to step out of my comfort zone and ask for help. So many people in this community are excited to answer questions and help someone who wants to learn more. There’s room for everyone in the access to justice community, and you’ll quickly find your place in it if you share your thoughts and ask for help when needed.

What does it mean for you to receive the Alli Gerkman Legal Visionary Award?

I never got the opportunity to meet Alli personally, but after receiving this award, I’ve talked to people in my local community who did know her. Even far from Colorado in Columbus, Ohio, people knew, respected, and loved Alli. While those I’ve talked to talk about the value of her contribution to the legal profession, they talk more about her infectious personality and tenacity. She truly made an impact on anyone she met.

I am truly honored to have even a small connection to her legacy and to pick up the baton to continue her efforts to improve access to justice for all. Alli leaves big shoes to fill, and I want to continue my career in a way that will have even a fraction of her impact. It is humbling to have my work connected to her in this way, and I cannot thank those at IAALS enough for connecting my achievements to someone like Alli.