[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 38 (Tuesday, February 28, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E162]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING THE SERVICE OF JON ASHER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DIANA DeGETTE

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 28, 2023

  Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Jon Asher.
  As the Executive Director of Colorado's Legal Services, Jon has 
dedicated his life to helping others and ensuring that Colorado's legal 
system is accessible to all those who need it, regardless of their 
ability to pay.
  I have known and admired Jon for over 40 years. The Colorado legal 
community will agree that he's not just one of Colorado's greatest 
legal minds, he's also one of the most selfless.
  After graduating from Harvard Law School in 1971, Jon moved to 
Greeley, Colorado where he began his legal career as a staff attorney 
with Colorado Rural Legal Services. Little did Jon know that this was 
the start of a long career of service.
  His talent and intellect were evident to all those who worked with 
him. and Jon quickly rose through the ranks to become head of the Legal 
Aid Society of Metropolitan Denver in 1980--a position he would hold 
for the next 18 years.
  When Colorado's three legal aid societies decided to come together to 
form one statewide legal aid program in 1999, Jon was the easy choice 
to run it; and it was then that he became the first Executive Director 
of the newly formed Colorado Legal Services--a position he has held 
ever since.
  Under Jon's leadership, Colorado Legal Services has become one of the 
Nation's premier legal aid organizations--with a staff of more than 80 
attorneys and 55 paralegals in 13 regional offices across Colorado.
  Jon's reputation as a tireless and effective advocate for low-income 
and disadvantaged individuals in our state is seen in the quality of 
the work that Colorado Legal Services has clone and continues to do to 
this clay.
  Throughout his career, Jon has been recognized. both in Colorado and 
throughout the Nation, for his talent and dedication to providing those 
who otherwise couldn't afford it with the quality legal representation 
they deserve. While his professional achievements are far too many to 
count, those who know Jon will agree that it's not the awards or 
recognition that drove him throughout his career--it's the thousands of 
people he's been able to help along the way.
  After more than 50 years of dedicating himself to providing top-notch 
legal assistance to seniors and low-income individuals across our 
state, Jon announced recently that he plans to retire as the head 
ofColorados Legal Services this summer. While there's no doubt that he 
will certainly be leaving behind some big shoes to fill. the 
organization he's helped to build from the ground up has never been 
stronger, and its ongoing success is all but guaranteed thanks to the 
tireless work that Jon and his colleagues have put into it over the 
years.
  On behalf of the people of Colorado's First Congressional District, I 
want to express my profound thanks to Jon for all he's done for our 
state over the years--and his tireless efforts to help so many people 
along the way. And I want to wish him the very best during his much-
deserved retirement.

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