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
The Texas Access to Justice Commission named Beck Redden as the winner for the highest level of participation and highest amount raised in the medium-size firm category of the Champions of Justice Firm Competition. The numbers are based on Texas Access to Justice Commission contributions made by the firms’ attorneys in support of the statewide … Continue Reading
The Texas Access to Justice Foundation, administrator of the Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts, or IOLTA, program, has become aware of issues related to mobile banking at PNC Bank (previously BBVA) that have resulted in lawyers being unable to view their IOLTA account. If you are an attorney with an IOLTA account at PNC Bank (previously … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas is aware of reports that some lawyers have temporarily lost access to their IOLTA accounts due to issues outside their control related to a bank merger. The Texas Access to Justice Foundation, which administers the Texas IOLTA (Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Account) program, is in contact with the bank in … Continue Reading
Free legal resources are available to low-income individuals affected by flooding and other conditions created by Hurricane Nicholas. The State Bar of Texas’s toll-free disaster legal services hotline—800-504-7030—puts callers in touch with legal aid providers in their areas who can help with: Replacement of important legal documents lost or destroyed in the disaster; Life, medical, … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas Hispanic Issues Section and the Texas Access to Justice Foundation will host a “LAW-teria” to benefit the Texas Access to Justice Foundation and legal aid efforts throughout Texas. The virtual game night will take place from 5 to 6:30 pm. on September 16 via Zoom.… Continue Reading
The Texas Access to Justice Foundation, or TAJF, received a $20 million Housing Stability Services Program grant package from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs for COVID-19-related housing legal services. The grant will allow legal aid organizations throughout Texas to provide free civil legal services to eligible households experiencing housing insecurity. Services include … Continue Reading
There is a strong likelihood that you, as an attorney, have daily interaction with survivors of sexual violence. Sexual violence knows no boundaries, and your clients, your fellow attorneys, your employees, and your judges may be survivors. A 2015 prevalence study by the University of Texas found 40% (2 in 5) of women and 20% … Continue Reading
The Texas Access to Justice Commission with its co-sponsor, the State Bar of Texas, honored veterans throughout the state at the 2021 Champions of Justice Gala Benefiting Veterans on April 6, 2021, via YouTube. This year, the commission raised approximately $448,000 to help provide civil legal services to low-income Texas veterans. Texas Supreme Court Justices … Continue Reading
Several legal services organizations are sponsoring a free online CLE to teach Texas attorneys how to assist with FEMA appeals. The program, FEMA Appeals 101: How to do a Common FEMA Appeal, will take place at noon on April 9 via Zoom. It is designed for pro bono attorneys interested in helping those affected by … Continue Reading
