The Texas Access to Justice Foundation (TAJF) celebrated 40 years of access to justice for low-income Texans at a luncheon on December 2 with the Supreme Court of Texas. TAJF also honored Supreme Court of Texas Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht for his years of leadership and contributions to access to justice with the Kleinman … Continue Reading
The Texas Access to Justice Commission, along with its co-sponsor, the State Bar of Texas, raised $565,850 to help provide civil legal services to low-income Texas veterans during the Champions of Justice Gala Benefiting Veterans on April 25 at the AT&T Hotel & Conference Center in Austin. Proceeds from the gala will be distributed by … Continue Reading
The Texas Access to Justice Commission met December 15 to consider the report from the commission’s Access to Legal Services Working Group. After accepting public comment and discussion among the commissioners, the commission voted to approve the following recommendations from the working group’s report: Authorize Supreme Court of Texas-licensed (1) paraprofessionals to represent and assist … Continue Reading
The Access to Legal Services Working Group will present its final report on potential regulatory reforms designed to improve access to justice for low-income Texans during a meeting December 15 in Austin, according to an announcement Wednesday from the Texas Access to Justice Commission. The working group was formed after the Supreme Court of Texas … Continue Reading
During the New Lawyer Induction Ceremony at Bass Concert Hall on October 30, Supreme Court of Texas Justice and Texas Access to Justice Commission liaison Brett Busby honored the contributions of some of Texas’ most ardent pro bono advocates. Justin Atkinson, of the University of Texas School of Law, and Shayla Hoang Nguyen, of Texas … Continue Reading
Texas veterans are invited to participate in Texas Veterans Legal Aid Week, a statewide effort in honor of Veterans Day coordinated by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation, or TAJF, and legal aid programs across the state. During the week of November 4-11, legal aid programs, local bar associations, law schools, and pro bono private … Continue Reading
The Texas Access to Justice Foundation, or TAJF, and the Texas Access to Justice Commission honored Texas senators and representatives with the Legislative Hero Award for their contributions to improving access to justice for Texans during the 88th legislative session at a luncheon on October 31. The TAJF and the Texas Access to Justice Commission … Continue Reading
The Texas Access to Justice Commission, or TAJC, announced April Faith-Slaker as its new executive director and director of the Legal Access Department of the State Bar of Texas. She will take office in late October 2023. “The Commission is pleased to report that the selection of Ms. Faith-Slaker resulted from an extensive, nationwide search … Continue Reading
The Supreme Court of Texas reappointed former Justice Deborah Hankinson to a new three-year term as chair of the Texas Access to Justice Foundation, or TAJF. “It’s a profound privilege to continue my service as the board chair for the Foundation, where I will continue to guide the organization in its mission of equal justice … Continue Reading
Bar associations from around the state were honored for their commitment to access to justice issues on July 22 during the State Bar of Texas 2023 Local Bar Leaders Conference in Houston. Terry O. Tottenham, a commissioner on the Texas Access to Justice Commission and past president of the State Bar of Texas, presented the … Continue Reading
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 … Continue Reading
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 … Continue Reading
The Supreme Court of Texas has debuted new forms that allow individuals representing themselves to create a will. The forms are the result of a change in state law passed by the 84th Texas Legislature and signed by the governor. They assist a person who is single, married, widowed, or divorced and those with or without … Continue Reading
The Texas Access to Justice Commission, along with its co-sponsor, the State Bar of Texas, raised $485,000 to help provide civil legal services to low-income Texas veterans during the Champions of Justice Gala Benefiting Veterans on April 25 at the Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin. Proceeds from the gala will be distributed by … Continue Reading
The Texas Legal Services Center, or TLSC, a nonprofit organization funded by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation, launched on April 24 the Virtual Court Access Project, a statewide pilot project aiming to improve low-income Texans’ ability to receive free legal services through deploying accessible, virtual court kiosks to communities. The kiosks act as virtual … Continue Reading
Co-sponsored by the State Bar of Texas Hispanic Issues Section and the Texas Access to Justice Foundation, or TAJF, the 3rd annual “LAW”Tería game night raised more than $46,000 to benefit the newly opened Uvalde office of Texas RioGrande Legal Aid. The event, which was held via Zoom on November 1, 2022, included judges and … Continue Reading
The Texas Access to Justice Foundation, or TAJF, the largest state-based funding source for civil legal aid, announced Wells Fargo has joined the TAJF’s Prime Partner bank program, a significant step toward making legal assistance more accessible for thousands of Texans. Funding from this program helps TAJF provide legal aid services to more than 100,000 Texans across … Continue Reading
Following the tragedy at Robb Elementary School that increased the community’s need for free civil legal aid services, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, or TRLA, on Monday announced the opening of a new civil legal aid office located in Uvalde. The new office is funded by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation, or TAJF, which will … Continue Reading
The Texas Access to Justice Foundation, or TAJF, announced it received an additional $20 million in funding from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, or TDHCA, to continue the Emergency Rental Assistance Program. The state’s largest funding source for civil legal aid, TAJF was granted the first $20 million in August 2021 to help … Continue Reading
The Texas Access to Justice Foundation, or TAJF, which provides grant funding for civil legal aid in Texas, announced the creation of the Terry O. Tottenham Veterans Justice Fellowship. The fellowship honors veteran, current TAJF Secretary, and former State Bar of Texas President Terry O. Tottenham, who is of counsel at Norton Rose Fulbright in Austin. … Continue Reading
More than $500,000 was raised to help provide civil legal services to low-income Texas veterans during the Champions of Justice Gala Benefiting Veterans at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center in Austin on April 28. Proceeds from the gala, which was co-sponsored by the Texas Access to Justice Commission and the State Bar of … Continue Reading
The Texas Access to Justice Foundation, or TAJF, one of the state’s largest funding sources for civil legal aid, has received a $20 million grant from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, or TDHCA, for housing-related legal services. “We are so grateful to receive this critical funding from TDHCA to help Texans dealing … Continue Reading
The Texas Supreme Court issued a unanimous order Friday permitting out-of-state lawyers to provide legal services to indigent defendants arrested for certain misdemeanor offenses. The emergency order, Misc. Docket No. 22-9007, allows attorneys authorized to practice law in another U.S. jurisdiction to provide services as an employee of a public defender office or through a … Continue Reading
The Texas Supreme Court named Harriet Miers, a partner in Locke Lord in Dallas and Washington, D.C., as the new chair of the Texas Access to Justice Commission, effective January 1, 2022. Harry Reasoner, who has served as chair for 12 years, will serve as chair emeritus.… Continue Reading
