ATJ Update

Celebrating Generosity
Taking Time to Recognize Those Who Give

This fall, in the heart of Texas’s capitol, the Texas Access to Justice Commission (TAJC) celebrated individual attorneys, corporations, and law firms that so generously support civil legal aid for low-income Texans.

On October 26, the TAJC kicked off National Pro Bono Week with a reception to honor attorneys who have dedicated thousands of hours doing pro bono and celebrate law firms that raised substantial funds during the annual Champion of Justice law firm competition. The reception, inspired by the American Bar Association’s Celebrate Pro Bono Week initiative, was hosted at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center in Austin. 

Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman, liaison to the TAJC, served as the master of ceremonies. Guzman stated that while Texas is home to five of the fastest growing cities in the nation, complex ties between population growth and poverty and inequality exacerbate the gap between those who can and cannot afford access to the courts. With 5.8 million Texans qualifying for civil legal aid, existing legal aid programs are only able to meet the needs of one in five Texans. Thus, the need for funding and pro bono work is vital.

Each year, Texas attorneys and law firms respond to the ever-present need by contributing to the TAJC’s Access to Justice Contribution Campaign, which raises funds to help low-income Texans with civil legal needs. The 2015 campaign raised more than $1,143,000 from more than 8,300 attorneys. Sixteen firms were recognized as Champion of Justice Law Firms:  ten firms were celebrated for raising the highest dollar amount while the other six firms received recognition for achieving 100 percent participation. Collectively, the honored law firms raised more than $158,000 for civil legal aid.

Three attorneys were also recognized for their 20-year membership to the Pro Bono College. The State Bar of Texas created the Pro Bono College in 1992 to recognize attorneys who far exceed the bar’s aspirational pro bono goal by performing at least 75 hours of pro bono work during the previous year. Jimmie Lee Culpepper of Jim L. Culpepper & Associates, P.C.; Robert Hays Etnyre Jr. of Royston, Rayzor, Vickery & Williams, L.L.P.;, and Gary Edwin Lee, solo practitioner, have logged more than 4,000 pro bono hours combined and helped hundreds of people gain access to our court system.

At a November 2 reception at the Headliners Club in Austin, the TAJC honored generous contributors of the Partners in Justice Campaign. The campaign, designed to further funding for the legal-aid programs that provide crucial legal services and support the administration of justice for all, was spearheaded by Wayne Watts, former senior executive vice president and general counsel of AT&T, Inc. and chair of the TAJC’s Corporate Counsel Committee.

Chief Justice Nathan Hecht and Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman both spoke at the event. Hecht expressed “justice for all” is an ideal that all of us, as Texans and Americans, must work hard to make a reality. Hecht thanked everyone for their continued support in striving to make access to justice equal for everyone.

The Partners in Justice Campaign raised more than $100,000 and garnered support from numerous law firms and individual attorneys, throughout the state.

Proceeds from both campaigns will be distributed to provide civil legal services for low-income Texans. Photos from the events can be seen on the TAJC’s Flickr page.

Many thanks to each and every one of our contributors and the Texas legal community for their support of access to justice in Texas. Together, we can ensure justice for all.