TOLEDO – Legal justice advocate James Bell will address the need for racial and ethnic equality in the administration of justice when he speaks at the Access to Justice Awards Dinner on May 21.

Three people also will be honored for extraordinary service within public interest law, community advocacy and distinguished service.

The annual Access to Justice Awards Dinner, which draws 500 to 600 Northwest Ohio legal professionals and community members every year, recognizes and celebrates individuals and organizations from the community for their contributions to promoting and providing access to justice for the underprivileged and underserved. Proceeds from the event are used by Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc.; Legal Aid of Western Ohio, Inc. and the The Toledo Bar Association to provide civil legal help to disadvantaged individuals and families.

The dinner will be at 7 p.m. May 21 at The Pinnacle, 1772 Indian Wood Circle, Maumee.

Sponsorship opportunities and individual tickets are available at https://bit.ly/2VPEymn. For more information, contact ABLE Regional Director of Development Julie K. Shope at [email protected].