Maria Linda Gonzalez
The State Bar of Texas, the Texas Access to Justice Commission, the American Bar Association, and others proudly support National Pro Bono Celebration Week (Oct. 25-31).
Pro Bono week is an opportunity to educate the public about the good work the legal community is doing to improve the lives of vulnerable Texans and to encourage more individuals to get involved in pro bono support of the legal system.
Today, we are featuring Maria Linda Gonzalez, a solo attorney practicing criminal, family and immigration law in Brownsville.
Gonzalez is a lifelong volunteer. She is active with Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, both in maintaining a pro bono caseload and assisting with the Community Justice Program clinics. She can be counted on to stand in for other attorneys in an emergency and volunteers to help on many cases. The Cameron County Bar Association recognized Gonzalez’s contributions by honoring her with the Pro Bono Award in June 2015.
When she finds a cause that is dear to her heart, she finds a way to make a positive impact. For example, when handling cases for children in child protective services, she saw the need to have a way for the children to interact with their parents while waiting for court hearings.
To address this, Gonzalez was one of the founding organizers for the First Family Network, a nonprofit organization that raises funds to collect and/or purchase books for the reading kiosk located in the Cameron County courthouse that serves CPS children in foster care. Gonzalez is also very active with the Women’s Law Section of the Cameron County Bar and at her church.
When people ask Gonzalez why she spends so much time on these projects without any compensation, her response is always the same. She says, “God has given me a talent and my greatest satisfaction comes from serving others.”
Show You Care: If your firm would like to learn how it can contribute to the pro bono community, please contact the State Bar of Texas Legal Access Division at (800) 204-2222, ext. 1855, or probono@texasbar.com.
Return to the Texas Bar Blog each day this week to read about another Texas pro bono volunteer making a difference in the lives of others.