Oakland County, Michigan, Thursday, January 31, 2008 -- As an attorney, Steven Z. Cohen is a regular visitor to the Oakland County court house. But one day before the holidays, he says, he noticed an employee wearing a Casual Day sticker.

He found out that most Fridays, Clerk/Register employees - as all Oakland County employees - can donate money for the right to wear casual clothes. The charitable effort has become more about donating money than dressing down.

"It really touched me," Cohen said. "These were people donating money - a $1 every week of their working lives, to take care of the poor."

This week, Cohen presented Ruth Johnson, the Oakland County Clerk/Register, with a check for $150 to match employee contributions for the Feb. 8 Casual Day. It is not a coincidence that the amount is the same as the cost to file a lawsuit, Cohen said.

"If I can pay $150 for aggravation, I can pay $150 for some healing," Cohen said. "Sometimes it takes a clerk just doing her job to remind us what is important. Besides that, I like Ruth Johnson and I've been impressed with what she has done for the Clerk's Office."

"I'm very touched by Mr. Cohen's kindness and his recognition of our wonderful employees," Johnson said. "We anticipate additional needs this year given Michigan's economy and will put the money to good use."

Last year, for example, the Clerk's Office "adopted" seven Oakland County families with members in the military. Employees provided grocery cards, toys, gifts and basic necessities like sheets, towels and blankets.

"There are families who are really hurting," Johnson said. "We had one boy ask for his own pillow and organizers told us about one woman who asked for one thing - toilet paper. Our employees were able to give families like these so much more - a really wonderful holiday at a tough time in their lives."

Other donations from the Casual Day fund have gone to families with unexpected medical emergencies. Contributions have also been made toward helping families with funeral expenses.

Johnson accepted the donation on behalf of Clerk/Register employees and, per Cohen's request, in memory of Circuit Judge Mester's daughter, who died in a traffic accident late last year.

Cohen, of the Cohen, Lerner and Rabinovitz law firm in Royal Oak, said his late father impressed the importance of charity upon him - especially after he told his dad he was going to be an attorney.

"My father used to joke around, 'You're going to be a lawyer? Then you're not going to heaven. The only question now is how high the flames are going to be. Son, you better make sure you give to charity."