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 Legal Services to the Poor in Civil Matters Committee has announced its 2021 Pro Bono Excellence awards winners. Lynn Rodriguez, of Fort Worth, received the Frank J. Scurlock Award; Dana Karni, of Houston, received the J. Chrys Dougherty Award; Judge Gina Benavides, of the 13th Court of Appeals in Corpus … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas, the American Bar Association, and legal aid providers across the state remind Texans that a toll-free legal assistance hotline is available to low-income individuals and families affected by the Texas winter storm that began February 11. The hotline—800-504-7030—is available in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese and connects low-income individuals affected by … Continue Reading
Texans struggling to pay rent and facing possible eviction can turn to a new website — Stop TX Eviction — to find a step-by-step tool kit designed to help them understand the eviction process and their rights. The website, stoptxeviction.org, is available in English and Spanish. There, renters can: Obtain important documents to give a landlord … Continue Reading
A coalition was formed to help greater Houston area residents who need legal assistance regarding evictions after the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act’s eviction protection expired on July 26. The Houston Bar Association, Houston Volunteer Lawyers, Houston Lawyer Referral Service, Dispute Resolution Center, Lone Star Legal Aid, South Texas College of Law Houston, … Continue Reading
Attorneys living within a 100-mile radius of Beaumont, Waco, Laredo, El Paso, Weatherford, or Lubbock and who are willing to pick up two pro bono cases from the state’s legal aid providers are eligible for a 4.5-hour online CLE on “Family Law Essentials” without charge. The CLE—Family Law Essentials: Giving Back to Your Community—is made … Continue Reading
The state’s three major legal aid programs — Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, Lone Star Legal Aid, and Texas RioGrande Legal Aid — are offering a three-hour online CLE course designed to help attorneys learn about Chapter 7 bankruptcies while helping others. The “Bankruptcy in a Box Pro Bono” CLE is offered free of charge … Continue Reading
Texas legal aid organizations are at the forefront helping low-income individuals and families navigate issues including eviction, foreclosure, bankruptcy, and other personal and financial crises created or worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. The organizations ready and able to help Texans with these concerns are listed below, followed by the area of the state they serve. … Continue Reading
The Texas Access to Justice Foundation, or TAJF, awarded grants to four legal aid organizations in honor of bestselling author John Grisham and the organization’s 35th anniversary. TAJF is providing $75,000 grants to Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, Lone Star Legal Aid, South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Project, and Texas RioGrande Legal Aid in Grisham’s … Continue Reading
In a report released by the Legal Services Corporation’s private attorney involvement, or PAI, section, Texas was named 2018’s top state for combined pro bono and compensated cases closed at 7,365. LSC, an independent corporation created by Congress to fund legal assistance to low-income individuals, examined the services of legal aid programs it assists nationwide … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas and Lone Star Legal Aid seek to alert residents that free legal resources are available to low-income individuals affected by severe storms and flooding spawned by Tropical Storm Imelda. Lone Star Legal Aid operates a toll-free disaster legal hotline — 866-659-0666— that can help with issues such as replacing lost documents, … Continue Reading
The National Legal Aid & Defender Association, or NLADA, honored and featured several notable Texans at its annual conference at the Westin Galleria in Houston in November. The event celebrates, advocates for, and educates on access to justice, bringing together legal aid and indigent defense lawyers from across the U.S.… Continue Reading
Leading up to Veterans Day, November 11, bar associations and volunteer attorney programs across Texas are offering legal clinics for veterans. Here is a roundup of those currently scheduled:… Continue Reading
Just in time for 2017 National Celebration of Pro Bono Week, October 22-28, Lone Star Legal Aid, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, and Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, announce the launch of Texas’ new Bankruptcy Pro Bono Project. The result of more than a year of collaboration between LSLA, TRLA, and LANWT, this new project was … Continue Reading
A seminar was held to provide lawyers Hurricane Harvey disaster relief training on October 11 at South Texas College of Law Houston. Saundra Brown, of Lone Star Legal Aid’s Disaster Relief Unit, led the training that focused on Federal Emergency Management Agency applications and how to file an appeal for a FEMA denial.… Continue Reading
The Texas Bar College, with assistance from the Texas Bar College Endowment Fund, donated $10,000 to both the Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program and Lone Star Legal Aid to assist with post-Hurricane Harvey needs. “The Texas Bar College board unanimously approved the donation to assist these two organizations in recovery efforts and all the victims of … Continue Reading
American Bar Association President Hilarie Bass met with State Bar of Texas President Tom Vick and Houston Bar Association President Alistair Dawson, among other local leaders, as they visited a volunteer-run legal clinic and disaster relief training seminar on Monday. Bass’ trip to Houston promoted free services offered by legal aid agencies, local bars … Continue Reading
Editor’s note: The Houston Bar Association issued the following news release on Wednesday. The Houston Bar Association (HBA) is responding to the questions and legal needs of those affected by Hurricane Harvey in a number of ways. For updated information on legal aid and other services, visit www.makejusticehappen.org/Harvey, or call 713-228-0732 or 713-759-1133. “It is imperative … Continue Reading
Pro bono efforts are always important to members of the State Bar of Texas but this week even more so. That’s because it’s Celebrate Pro Bono Week—a national event October 23-29— that aims to underscore the importance of pro bono and showcase efforts by attorneys across the country. This year, the celebration also highlights helping … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas, the Texas Access to Justice Commission, the American Bar Association, and others proudly support the National Pro Bono Celebration (Oct. 19-25). 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 people in the legal community to get involved. Today, we feature Jeremy Coe for his invaluable work in East Texas.… Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas, the Texas Access to Justice Commission, the American Bar Association, and others proudly support the celebration of National Pro Bono Week (Oct. 20-26). 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 in the legal community to get involved in pro bono support of the legal system. Today, we are featuring Vicki Carlson for her invaluable work in the Waco-Killeen legal community.… Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas has established a disaster legal hotline - 800.504.7030 - to assist people with basic legal questions following the devastating plant explosion in West, Texas.… Continue Reading
Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) will conduct two free clinics to help veterans and active military apply for RetroActive Stop Loss Special Pay (RSLSP) before the current deadline of April 8, 2011.… Continue Reading
A seminar was held to provide lawyers Hurricane Harvey disaster relief training on October 11 at South Texas College of Law Houston. Saundra Brown, of Lone Star Legal Aid’s Disaster Relief Unit, led the training that focused on Federal Emergency Management Agency applications and how to file an appeal for a FEMA denial.… Continue Reading