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, 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
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
Editor’s Note: The State Bar of Texas is providing this collection of important links, blog posts, and media stories to keep its members and the public informed of the latest news and resources related to the novel coronavirus outbreak and its impact on the legal community. Important links State Bar of Texas Coronavirus Legal Resources … 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
Now that the October issue of the Texas Bar Journal is out, what are your favorite articles? Here are some of ours. Take a look for tips on representing youth clients, updates from the 2019 Bar Leaders Conference, and the El Paso law community’s response to the city’s recent tragedy. Don’t forget to stay on … 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
Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA) is conducting disaster-preparedness sessions for community members in Texas’ flood-prone areas. The agency has already held a dozen sessions in Spanish and English in cities around the state. The next will take place Sept. 11 in Brownsville and Sept. 18 in Sinton. See below for details. The sessions cover property insurance, renters’ … Continue Reading
Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, or TRLA, attorneys will be available to provide free civil legal services to low-income survivors and relatives of victims of the El Paso mass shooting. Those needing help can call the TRLA disaster hotline at 866-757-1570 or go to the El Paso office at 1331 Texas Ave. from 8 a.m. to … Continue Reading
Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, the State Bar of Texas, the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division (ABA YLD), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and other organizations are partnering to provide legal and recovery assistance to people affected by severe storms and flooding that occurred in Cameron, Hidalgo, and Willacy counties on June 24 and … 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
The Texas Access to Justice Foundation recently announced the creation of the David Hall Fellowship program for legal aid attorneys. TAJF will fund and administer the four-year fellowship for an attorney to provide civil legal services to the 68 counties covered by Texas RioGrande Legal Aid. The fellowship honors David Hall, who led TRLA for … Continue Reading
Robert Doggett will succeed David Hall as the executive director of Texas RioGrande Legal Aid beginning January 6, 2018. Doggett has spent 27 years litigating precedent-setting cases for TRLA and other legal aid groups as a general counsel. “We are fortunate to have someone like Robert take on leadership of TRLA,” Hall said. “He has … 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
Texas RioGrande Legal Aid Executive Director David Hall will retire from his position after 42 years at the helm, the organization announced Wednesday. “It has been my honor and privilege to work alongside colleagues and friends with such inspiring values, compassion, and dedication for justice,” Hall said in a statement to staff announcing his decision. … 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 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 … Continue Reading
Legal groups across Texas have created innovative ways for lawyers to help fill the access to justice gap in rural areas. “There are fewer lawyers in rural communities to help meet the need on a pro bono basis,” said Trish McAllister, executive director of the Texas Access to Justice Commission. “Coupled with geographic challenges, people … 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 Eduardo V. Rodriguez for his invaluable work in the Rio Grande Valley.… 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 James A. Rodriguez for his invaluable work in the San Antonio legal community.… Continue Reading
The Texas Access to Justice Commission and Texas Access to Justice Foundation honored the first recipient of the Texas Access to Justice Legislative Hero Award, Texas House Representative Pete P. Gallego.… Continue Reading
The National Pro Bono Celebration is Oct. 25 to 31, 2009. Each weekday in October, Texas Bar Blog will feature a Texas attorney who provides pro bono services in the community. Without lawyers like these, too many of our most vulnerable citizens would go without legal representation. For more on the national celebration, visit CelebrateProBono.org. Ernesto J. … Continue Reading
