Kendra Coleman: Oklahoma Bar Association Award for Outstanding Pro Bono Service
Kendra Coleman is a 1994 graduate of Star Spencer High School, where she was salutatorian of her graduating class. Subsequently, she attended Fort Valley State University on a full academic scholarship, earning a bachelor’s degree in accounting and later earning a MBA with an emphasis in marketing from the OCU Meinders School of Business and a J.D. from the OCU School of Law. Upon passing the Oklahoma Bar, she formed The Gill Law Firm PLLC, where she continues to practice primarily family, criminal and juvenile law. Ms. Coleman regularly participates in voter registration drives and voter education forums. She also participates in school career days, teaching kids how attorneys can make a positive impact on the community.
Ms. Coleman partners with Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma and the Mary Mahoney Medical Clinic, providing a walk-in legal clinic to the underserved of the Spencer community. Kendra was instrumental in starting the walk-in legal clinic in September 2016 and has volunteered her Saturdays since then. As a member of the Spencer community since she was a young girl, Kendra knew that Spencer needed legal help. Spencer is close to Oklahoma City if you have transportation and the money to get there, unfortunately, many residents of Spencer cannot afford to travel to Oklahoma City for help.
The clinic is mainly designed for same-day brief legal advice, but Ms. Coleman often takes on pro bono clients that need more help than a walk-in clinic can give or calling on other lawyers for assistance.
Recently, a grandmother came to the clinic seeking legal representation for the guardianship of her granddaughter. The granddaughter is autistic and there were also pending disability benefits hearings. The court cases were stalled until the grandmother could find representation; however, the grandmother’s only income is social security and she could not afford an attorney. Ms. Coleman was able advise the grandmother and find an attorney who was willing to successfully take on the guardianship and disability cases. The grandmother was so grateful that disability benefits were awarded and she is now able to afford her granddaughter’s autism medications.
Ms. Coleman is also Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma’s Featured Volunteer for November 2017.
Please help us congratulate Kendra Coleman, recipient of the 2017 OBA Award for Outstanding Pro Bono Service!
