ATJ Update

Pro Bono Spring Break Gives Students a New View on Poverty and Poverty Law
By:  Harry M. Reasoner

Foreclosures and evictions are not what you typically think of when you think of Spring Break, but rather than lounging on the beach, several Texas law students spent their spring break assisting low-income Texans with housing issues.

As participants in the Texas Access to Justice Commission’s fourth annual Pro Bono Spring Break, over 80 students were a part of a group gaining valuable hands-on experience working with 15 legal aid organizations with 44 offices around the state on issues as diverse as domestic violence, employment, public benefits, housing, and more. The students gained a deeper understanding of the challenges confronted by low-income Texans and the critical role legal aid and pro bono attorneys play in ensuring they have access to justice.

Perhaps the most poignant lesson was how problems often snowball for the poor, particularly in the area of housing.  Assistance from an attorney or high-quality self-help resources can prevent a problem from growing into a crisis.

A case illustrating the domino effect involved a woman named Sasha who lived in a small home with her two children. Her property taxes had steadily increased over the years and she was not able to pay them. Sasha could not sell the home because she did not have clear title.  Although the home had informally passed down to her, title had never been transferred to her.

Now, due to the tax lien, the county is foreclosing. Sasha had to move to a motel with her children because she did not have the money to put down the necessary fees to obtain an apartment. And to make matters worse, her car broke down.  The motel is not near a bus stop, which makes getting to work difficult. She eventually lost her job and will soon run out of funds to pay for the motel. The next time Sasha takes the kids to the library, she searches the web for “homeless shelter.”

There is a good chance that a legal aid or pro bono attorney would be able to help this woman sort out the problems with her title. They may also be able to help her identify exemptions or reduce the county’s assessed value on her home to make it more affordable.  An attorney or self-help resource could also help determine if she qualified for any public benefits that would help her make ends meet.   

Through Pro Bono Spring Break, law students saw firsthand the need for equal access to justice. They also experienced the incomparable thrill of using their knowledge and training to help people in need. It is our hope that armed with this knowledge these law students will become passionate allies as we continue working to provide access to justice for all Texans.

Harry M. Reasoner is the chair of the Texas Access to Justice Commission and a partner at Vinson & Elkins in Houston, Texas. His principal area of practice is complex civil litigation, including antitrust and securities litigation. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, the International Society of Barristers, and the American Bar Foundation.