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Texas Access To Justice Commission Update

Show your support for access to justice

This month hundreds of firms across the state will be paying State Bar dues on behalf of their attorneys. If your firm participates in firm billing, don’t miss out on your chance to support access to justice initiatives in our state.

Donate to the Access to Justice Contribution Campaign to make sure that every Texan, regardless of income, has access to justice.

The Care Campaign Community Conversations on Pro Bono - Coming to a city near you!

The State Bar’s Care Campaign to support lawyers in pro bono service is kicking off a series of Community Conversations on Pro Bono between legal-aid providers and local stakeholders. These Community Conversations are all about facilitating connections and helping local groups work together to meet the legal needs of their communities.

On December 11, the first Community Conversation took place in Austin at the Texas Law Center. It was the first time that all legal-aid providers in the community were invited to talk about their programs and the challenges they face in recruiting, training, and retaining pro bono volunteers. Almost all of Austin’s legal aid providers attended.

On February 4, the conversation continued as local bar leaders, the judiciary, corporate counsel, legal-aid providers, and others gathered to discuss the current pro bono landscape and the possibility of partnering to help encourage and support lawyers interested in doing pro bono work.

Vasu Behara, one of the Care Campaign’s staff attorneys, says the feedback has been largely positive. “The Bar has gotten several requests from legal-aid providers to provide resources and help facilitating these kinds of conversations. The people we’ve spoken to have been really happy to have a forum for talking about their successes and challenges, and we have been able to connect them with resources they may not have known about, like our Language Access Fund.”

Vasu and Briana Stone, our other Care Campaign staff attorney, are planning to facilitate Community Conversations across the state. Interested in having a Community Conversation on Pro Bono in your city? Reach out to Vasu (512-427-1837) and Briana (512-427-1857) with questions and suggestions.

Nominate yourself or a colleague for the State Bar Pro Bono Excellence Awards.

The State Bar Pro Bono Excellence awards recognize lawyers who are committed to providing legal services to the poor. To learn more about the award and the nomination process, visit the State Bar website for more information. Hurry, because nominations are due February 28!

Save the Date: The Champions of Justice Gala Benefitting Texas Veterans

On May 13, 2014, the Texas Access to Justice Commission will host its annual Champions of
Justice Gala Benefiting Veterans. Last year, your support raised more than $338,000 that was distributed by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation to organizations that provide services to veterans.

We hope you’ll save the date and join us on May 13!