Posted inAccess to JusticeNews

Texas Access to Justice Commission renews statewide legal clinic initiative for Texas veterans

By Will Korn on

In cooperation with legal service providers and local bar associations, the Texas Access to Justice Commission, or TAJC, has renewed its statewide legal clinic initiative to provide civil legal assistance to veterans. Texas veterans can visit free, in-person legal clinics during June in several locations throughout the state.

Volunteer attorneys will offer one-on-one advice and counsel on legal issues including family law, wills and probate, consumer law, tax law, property issues and disability benefits for veterans. With more than 1.5 million veterans residing throughout the state, Texas is home to the one of the nation’s largest veteran populations.

“Post-COVID, we are renewing our efforts to provide free civil legal services to all Texas veterans who qualify for this assistance,” said TAJC Veterans Committee Co-Chair and former State Bar of Texas President Terry Tottenham, in a press release. “The need is now more apparent than ever. Texas lawyers answered the call when we initiated Texas Lawyers for Texas Veterans in 2010, and they are doing so again.”  The Texas Lawyers for Texas Veterans program is based on a program originally created by the Houston Bar Association in 2008.

Continue Reading

Posted inLocal BarsNews

Pilot program to offer attorney parking cards for Travis County Civil and Family Courts Facility

By Staff on

Starting on June 5, Austin attorneys will be able to receive attorney parking cards for the Travis County Civil and Family Courts Facility, the Austin Bar Association announced Wednesday.

“We have been studying the parking situation for the past several months and believe we have the space to allow for attorney parking,” District Judge Amy Clark Meachum said in an announcement distributed by the Austin Bar. “However, this is a pilot program to make sure we will have enough spaces and can continue to maintain a safe and secure building for all of Travis County.”

To apply for their CFCF Parking Card, attorneys must first receive a letter from the Austin Bar that demonstrates (1) proof of their Austin Bar Association membership and (2) completion of technology training at the CFCF. Click here for more information and to see the training schedule (scroll down to see all of the training times and dates). If you wish to set up a specific training time, please contact tobin.mcdowell@traviscountytx.gov.

Continue Reading

Posted inLaw SchoolsNewsPro BonoTexas Bar Foundation

St. Mary’s Law receives Texas Bar Foundation grant for public service fellowships

By Eric Quitugua on

St. Mary’s University School of Law’s pro bono efforts were bolstered by aid from the Texas Bar Foundation. A $15,000 grant will support six law students who work in unpaid positions with legal service providers for low-income clients and government agencies.

“Without the fellowship, I would not have been able to complete my summer placement,” St. Mary’s Law student Leslie Espiricueta said in a press release. “As a first-generation student from a low-income background, pursuing my passions is a luxury I am usually unable to afford. The fellowship let me do something I loved during the summer without having to worry about how I was going to pay my rent or eat for the week.” Continue Reading

Posted inNews

Dallas Bar Association hosts e-clinics in June

By Eric Quitugua on

Volunteer attorneys will be available to answer legal questions on Wednesdays in June through the Dallas Bar Association’s LegalLine E-Clinic. The clinics, which run from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., are free of cost.

A volunteer attorney will call a participant for up to 15 minutes of legal advice. No attorney-client relationship will be established. Individuals may receive referrals to local, legal, or social service agencies.

Calls from the clinic will remain anonymous. Participants should expect a call from an unknown number labeled “No Caller ID” or something similar. To participate, an online form is available at tinyurl.com/DBALegalLine. Registration for e-clinics closes at noon on the Tuesday prior.

Clinics are scheduled for June 7, June 14, June 21, and June 28.

For more information, go to dallasbar.org/?pg=LawyerReferralService.

Posted inUncategorized

Entering My 81st Year

By Guest Blogger on

Former Presiding Judge Jay Patterson, 80, of the 101st District Court in Dallas County, reflects on mortality and the importance of living for today.

 

I’ll soon be entering my 81st year. I turned 80 on May 5. What I am experiencing is of interest only to people aging as I am, but they already know most of these things. They just may not have thought about them. This will not be relevant to younger people. Just as I was, they are unable to understand and appreciate these things and won’t want to even think about them until they get older. Continue Reading

Posted inNews

Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program hosts free legal clinics in June

By Eric Quitugua on

The Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program, an initiative of the Dallas Bar Association, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, and local lawyers, is hosting free virtual and in-person legal clinics for eligible Dallas County residents throughout June. Continue Reading

Posted inNews

Dallas Eviction Advocacy Center names Bill Holston as new chief operating officer

By Will Korn on

The Dallas Eviction Advocacy Center, or DEAC, announced it has hired Bill Holston as its new chief operating officer. He will transition into his new role in August of this year. The DEAC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit law firm that provides free legal representation to tenants facing eviction in Dallas County.

Since 2012, Holston has served as the executive director of the Human Rights Initiative, a nonprofit organization focused on assisting asylum seekers and immigrants in need of legal and other services. Continue Reading

Posted inAccess to JusticeNews

Texas Access to Justice Foundation Executive Director Betty Balli Torres receives Emily C. Jones Lifetime Achievement Award

By Will Korn on

The Texas Access to Justice Commission, or TAJC, honored Texas Access to Justice Foundation, or TAJF, Executive Director Betty Balli Torres with the Emily C. Jones Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to improving Texans’ access to justice during the Champions of Justice Gala on April 25 in Austin.

This award, named after the TAJC’s first executive director, is the commission’s highest honor given for a career dedicated to supporting legal services for Texans in need.

“It is an honor to receive this award, named for my dear friend Emily C. Jones,” Torres said in a press release. “There is still much work to be done to make sure the doors of our courthouses are open to all, especially those who cannot afford help. I will continue working with colleagues from throughout the state and country to improve resources for access to justice for all Texans.”

Continue Reading

Posted inSponsored Content

Sponsored Content: Can SEO Still Help Texas Personal Injury Attorneys in 2023?

By Guest Blogger on

Search Engine Optimization still works for attorneys in Texas.  After all, someone has to rank on the front page of Google. But is it too late to start?

Google’s front page varies a lot from year to year. In 2023, most searches for injury lawyers look like this:

  1. Local Services Ads
  2. Google Ads
  3. The Local Pack
  4. Organic

Continue Reading

Posted inSponsored Content

Sponsored Content: Payment Plans for Lawyers: A Step-by-Step Guide

By Guest Blogger on

Law firms looking to grow their book of business can benefit from offering multiple payment options. Payment methods such as online payments and payment plans can be particularly advantageous as they help reduce large bills.

Plus, payment plans don’t just benefit the client – the American Bar Association (ABA) affirms that flexible payment plans can boost law firm profitability by 10% and increase payment collection rates by 32%.
Continue Reading

LexBlog