Supreme Court Report - Dec 2023

A REPORT TO THE SUPREME COURT OF TEXAS ON ACTIVITIES OF THE TEXAS ACCESS TO JUSTICE COMMISSION DECEMBER 1, 2022, TO NOVEMBER 30, 2023 Table of Contents I. NEW EFFORTS .......................................................................................................................................... 3 A. Strategic Planning ............................................................................................................................... 3 B. Access to Legal Services Working Group ............................................................................................. 4 C. Execu�ve Commitee Ac�vi�es ........................................................................................................... 5 II. CAPACITY BUILDING EFFORTS ................................................................................................................ 6 A. Law School Collabora�ons .................................................................................................................. 6 Access to Justice Internship Program (“ATJIP”) .................................................................................... 6 Pro Bono Spring Break ........................................................................................................................ 7 B. Legal Training Program ........................................................................................................................ 8 C. Stanford Filing Fairness Project ........................................................................................................... 8 D. Veterans Commitee ........................................................................................................................... 9 E. Supreme Court Probate Forms Task Forces ....................................................................................... 10 III. POLICY INITIATIVES ............................................................................................................................. 10 A. Legisla�ve Ini�a�ves ......................................................................................................................... 10 IV. AWARENESS AND FUND DEVELOPMENT ........................................................................................... 11 A. Awards Commitee ........................................................................................................................... 11 Corporate Counsel Pro Bono Award .................................................................................................. 12 Deborah G. Hankinson Award ........................................................................................................... 12 Law School Commitment to Service Award ....................................................................................... 13 Law Student Pro Bono Award ............................................................................................................ 13 Emily C. Jones Lifetime Achievement Award ..................................................................................... 14 Harry M. Reasoner Justice for All Award ........................................................................................... 15 James B. Sales Boots on the Ground Award ...................................................................................... 15 Star of Justice Award ......................................................................................................................... 17 B. Communica�ons and Networking..................................................................................................... 17 1

C. Development and Fundraising Efforts ............................................................................................... 17 Justice for All Campaign .................................................................................................................... 18 Champions of Justice Society ............................................................................................................. 18 Champions of Justice Gala Benefitting Veterans ............................................................................... 18 V. CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................................ 19

Exhibits A – Resumes for Strategic Planning Consultants, John Tull and Bruce Bower…………………………..20 B – Strategic Planning Sample Email ……………………………………………………………………………………….27 C – Execu�ve Director Press Release ……………………………………………………………………………………..28 D – Resume for New Execu�ve Director ……………………………………………………………………………….…29 E – Access to Jus�ce Internship Program – Catholic Chari�es Essay ………………………………………..32 F – Access to Jus�ce Internship Program – Lone Star Legal Aid Essay ………………………………………41 G – Probate Forms Task Force Report ……………………………………………………………………………………..45 H – Language Access Bill ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….47 I – Commission Awards Press Release ……………………………………………………………………………………..50 J – The Supreme Court of Texas Dues Leter …………………………………………………………………………….52 K – Commission and Founda�on Voluntary Contribu�on Request Leter ………………………………...54 L – Champion of Jus�ce Society Members ……………………………………………………………………………….55

Texas Access to Jus�ce Founda�on Report …………………………………………….………………….Appendix 1 State Bar of Texas Report …………………………………………………………………………………………..Appendix 2

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This Report contains a description of the main activities undertaken by the Texas Access to Justice Commission (also referred to as “the Commission”) for the period December 1, 2022, to November 30, 2023. As usual, the work of the Commission described in this Report is often done in conjunction with other entities and individuals as specified. The Commission is working to bring together the stakeholders in the Texas access to justice community to further access to justice for the State’s most impoverished and challenged Texans. The Commission also attempts to coordinate with national organizations to learn from their work where appropriate and contribute to efforts encouraging increased access to justice in the Nation. This year, the Commission has focused considerable time and energies on work to respond to the October 24, 2022, Letter from the Supreme Court of Texas with a Report currently being reviewed and finalized. The Commission now meets six times a year, four meetings conducted in person (with remote participation available if necessary) and two conducted remotely.

I. NEW EFFORTS A. Strategic Planning The Texas Access to Jus�ce Commission has embarked upon a strategic planning process and has engaged two highly regarded consultants to help guide this work, Bruce Bowers and John Tull. While both have na�onal experience, one is especially grounded in Texas access to jus�ce efforts and the other has more na�onal experience and also has been extensively engaged with another organiza�on deeply involved in access to jus�ce work in Texas. Informed by a framework created by the Na�onal Center for State Courts (NCSC), Mr. Tull and Mr. Bower are assis�ng the Texas Access to Jus�ce Commission to assess a broad range of issues and ins�tu�onal capaci�es to iden�fy cri�cal needs of the system that the Commission and its partner ins�tu�ons have the capacity to address and to help develop strategies to increase access to jus�ce in Texas. See Exhibit A for Mr. Tull and Mr. Bower’s resumes.

The NCSC framework suggests analysis of: 1. Leadership and decision-making capacity within the system and clarity of responsibility among key institutions serving low-income Texans; 2. The availability of a broad range of services including full representation, limited scope representation, limited license paraprofessional representation, self-help support, legal clinics, and alternate dispute resolution mechanisms; 3. The availability of resources to support those services and the capacity to increase resources, when needed; 4. The capacity of service providers to meet the needs of person seeking legal help and to work cooperatively to accomplish increased access to justice; 5. The presence of systems that direct individuals seamlessly to the appropriate level of support and assistance; 3

6. The operations of courts, including remote proceedings and other innovations, that could better accommodate the needs of low-income litigants, many of whom are self-represented; 7. The use of plain language in forms and documents; 8. The availability of simplified and uniform court forms and processes; 9. Language access, across the broad spectrum of languages spoken in Texas; 10. Technological capacity to support service to low-income clients, self-help, communication among key institutions and the collection of data to measure the effectiveness of the system; 11. The capacity to identify low-income client needs and respond to those needs as they change and evolve; 12. Integration with other non-legal service providers and community stakeholders to support services to low-income clients; and 13. Communication to avoid duplication and encourage appropriate replication.

The contemplated strategic planning process includes a fact-finding component which involves identification of key stakeholders and leaders in the access to justice community to help identify strengths and weaknesses in our system and to help develop strategies for improving the delivery of legal services to low-income Texans. A large number of stakeholders have been sent a survey which includes a series of questions designed to gather opinions on a range of topics related to the justice system. See Exhibit B. The survey results are being analyzed, with the next step being extensive interviews of stakeholders, including interviewees from the client community.

The next steps will be the development of a list of priorities and specific strategies for consideration in responding to needs identified. Subject matter working groups may be used to assist in the refinement of recommendations to be submitted to the Texas Access to Justice Commission for consideration.

The strategic planning process is being funded in close coopera�on with the State Bar of Texas.

B. Access to Legal Services Working Group As directed by the Texas Supreme Court, the Texas Access to Jus�ce Commission created a Working Group on Access to Legal Services for Low-Income Texans to examine exis�ng court rules and to propose modifica�ons that would 1) allow qualified paraprofessionals to provide limited legal services directly to low-income individuals; and 2) allow non-atorneys to have an economic interests in en��es that provide legal services to low-income individuals, while protec�ng and preserving the professional independence of atorneys. The Working Group held its first mee�ng in January 2023 and its final mee�ng in November 2023.

The Working Group divided into three subcommitees, each led by one of the three Co-Chairs of the Working Group. Kennon Wooten led the Scope of Prac�ce subcommitee, Lisa Hobbs led the 4

Paraprofessional Licensing subcommitee, and Jus�ce Michael Massengale led the Non-Atorney Ownership subcommitee. The subcommitees met more than 20 �mes over the course of the year, while the Working Group met five �mes. Mee�ngs were recorded and made available to the public. Members of the bar and the public were invited to par�cipate and did par�cipate in the process. Subject mater experts were invited to present to the Working Group and to the subcommitees. A virtual “sugges�on box” was created and various comments were received and considered. Various sec�ons of the bar also provided input that was considered. Members reviewed and considered extensive writen materials. They worked diligently during and between mee�ngs to meet deadlines. The process was open, transparent, and extensive. The Texas Access to Jus�ce Commission will receive a writen report from the Working Group and will consider its recommenda�ons on December 15, 2023.

C. Execu�ve Commitee Ac�vi�es The Execu�ve Commitee played a pivotal role in the administra�on of the Texas Access to Jus�ce Commission this year. This year has been one of transi�on. Trish McAllister served as the Execu�ve Director of the Texas Access to Jus�ce Commission for twelve years and earlier this year she announced her resigna�on. She and other depar�ng staff members were celebrated upon their departure, and each vowed to stay in touch and make themselves available, if needed, during the transi�on period.

In March 2023, the Execu�ve Commitee, in conjunc�on with the leadership of the State Bar of Texas, engaged the consul�ng services of Judge Lora J. Livingston, a re�red state district judge who has been ac�ve in the access to jus�ce community for many years, including at the Na�onal level. Judge Livingston has guided the staff of the Texas Access to Jus�ce Commission and the Legal Access Department of the State Bar of Texas for the balance of this year. She will con�nue to provide consul�ng services un�l April 2024. Judge Livingston’s contribu�ons to the Commission and to the Legal Access Department have been remarkable, and the Commission will remain indebted to her for her selfless, effec�ve, gracious, and wise leadership. Her contribu�ons to the access to jus�ce cause will be long remembered by the access to jus�ce community in Texas. Judge Livingston has been selected to represent Texas as its State Delegate to the American Bar Associa�on House of Delegates. She is also well known at the Na�onal level for her commitment to access to jus�ce and for excellence in all she does, including as a Judge and as an educator.

The Execu�ve Commitee conducted a na�onal search for a new Execu�ve Director for the Commission as well as for the Legal Access Department of the State Bar. Several candidates were considered, and the commitee interviewed six well-qualified candidates. A second round of interviews was conducted in person and with the consent and agreement of the State Bar of Texas, April Faith-Slaker was selected to become the Execu�ve Director of the Texas Access to

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Jus�ce Commission and the Legal Access Department. Ms. Faith-Slaker joined the staff on October 30, 2023. Please see Exhibits C and D Ms. Faith-Slaker comes to Texas with a wealth of experience in the access to jus�ce arena, and an array of relevant skills, including management. She served in a number of key posi�ons with the American Bar Associa�on, including work on significant pro bono projects. She also served as the Associate Director of the Access to Jus�ce Lab at Harvard Law School. At Harvard, she designed and implemented research studies in both the civil and criminal law areas. She is an experienced researcher and data analyst. In her most recent posi�on as the Execu�ve Director of the Office of Evic�on Defense for the City of Detroit, she designed and implemented a successful Right to Counsel program for evic�on cases. Her skills are a perfect fit for the role of Execu�ve Director of the Commission.

The Execu�ve Commitee performs decision making as needed in between Commission mee�ngs, is involved in shepherding the strategic planning process, manages the budget process, works with commitees on their various assignments, receives direc�on from the Supreme Court of Texas concerning its role to enhance access to jus�ce, and also helps lead the efforts to increase financial contribu�ons to access to jus�ce in Texas and pro bono service by Texas lawyers.

II. CAPACITY BUILDING EFFORTS A. Law School Collabora�ons The Law School Advisory Commitee has been chaired by Former Dean Bradley Toben of Baylor Law School and Thomas S. Leatherbury of Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law. Access to Justice Internship Program (“ATJIP”) The Commission’s mission of increasing access to jus�ce by allowing law students to intern with legal aid programs and serve low-income Texans is perpetuated by its year-round Access to Jus�ce Internship program. The Access to Jus�ce Internship Program (“ATJIP”) provides a $2,500 s�pend to law students who commit to work 200-hours at a civil legal aid organiza�on during either the fall or the spring semester, and a $5,000 s�pend is provided to law students who par�cipate during the summer and commit to working 400-hours with a civil legal aid program.

The 2023 ATJIP provided funding for 10 law students total: 2 in the Spring program, 6 in the summer program, and 2 in the Fall program. Details of the selected students and legal aid partners are included below:

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The ATJIP con�nued to atract applicants from law schools across the United States. Most applicants and the recipients of the internships atended Texas law schools. ATJIP interns must submit a 1000-word essay at the end of their internship. (Please see Exhibits E and F). The prac�ce of allowing applicants from outside Texas, given the number of law schools in the State and the limited number of internships available, is under review.

Pro Bono Spring Break The Commission once again collaborated with the State Bar of Texas to offer its annual Pro Bono Spring Break program. This year the event was a hybrid event, which included in-person and virtual placement opportuni�es over a two-week period for which “spring break” was scheduled for the 10 Texas law schools. Two law schools observed spring break March 6-10 (Baylor Law School and UNT Dallas College of Law) and eight law schools observed spring break March 13-17 (SMU Dedman School of Law, South Texas college of Law, St. Mary’s University School of Law, Texas A&M School of Law, Texas Tech University School of Law, Thurgood Marshall School of Law, University of Houston Law Center, University of Texas School of Law). The Commission’s strong partnership with legal aid organiza�ons made it possible to offer 22 different host program loca�ons across the state. Partner programs included: • • • • • • •

American Gateways Catholic Chari�es-Dallas Dallas Volunteer Atorney Program Disability Rights Texas-Fort Worth Greater Waco Legal Services Houston Volunteer Lawyers Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas-all loca�ons

• • • • • • •

Lone Star Legal Aid-various loca�ons San Antonio Legal Services Associa�on Texas Advocacy Project Texas Fair Defense Project Texas Legal Services Center Texas RioGrande Legal Aid YMCA of Greater Houston (Interna�onal Services)

All Texas law schools were represented by the 47 law students who were selected to par�cipate.

Student Excerpts: “The program not only allowed me to gain new skills and knowledge but also instilled in me the importance of giving back to the community. I am grateful to the State Bar of Texas for creating such a valuable program and for their commitment to promoting pro bono work. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this meaningful experience.”

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Christian Garcia, Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law PBSB Placement with Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas “The legal profession already affords us the opportunity to have a profound impact on people, working for Legal Aid gives us the privilege of having a profound and positive impact on entire communities. I am lucky to have worked there.”

Alex Crowley, Texas Tech University School of Law PBSB Placement with Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas B. Legal Training Program Thirty legal aid atorneys represen�ng 12 legal aid organiza�ons in 15 different ci�es atended the bi-annual Texas Pre-Trial Academy at the University of Texas School of Law June 13-14, 2023. The two-day intensive course highlights pretrial advocacy skills presented by faculty of the pres�gious American College of Trial Lawyers. The training is beneficial for atorneys that prac�ce in any area of law.

Reagan Brown, of Norton Rose Fulbright in Houston, served as course director for the eleventh �me and recruited 16 fellows from the American College of Trial Lawyers to serve as faculty. The fellows conducted demonstra�ons of trial skills in plenary sessions and served as instructors by observing and cri�quing the Pre-Trial Academy “students” as they performed trial advocacy skills in small-group workshops.

In previous years, legal aid lawyers atending the training said it is one of the best li�ga�on trainings they had received. This year was no different. Pre-Trial Academy students shared they par�cularly appreciated the feedback from the faculty and shared the cri�ques were valuable to improving their li�ga�on skills.

C. Stanford Filing Fairness Project Stanford Law School’s Deborah L. Rhode Center on the Legal Profession and the Stanford Legal Design Lab embarked on a joint project designed to increase access to jus�ce by simplifying court processes using technology. This mul�-jurisdic�onal effort involves six states, including Texas.

In its ini�al stages, the project envisioned a pilot program focused primarily on cases involving self-represented li�gants. While that remains the primary focus, the project has undergone a shi�, both in its leadership and in its direc�on.

Currently, the Stanford team has developed a Change Management Toolkit which is designed for courts to use to drive moderniza�on and to improve the user experience. A Filing Fairness Toolkit has been developed and is in the tes�ng phase. The Texas Team, comprised of representa�ves 8

from the Texas Access to Jus�ce Commission, the Texas Legal Services Center, and the Office of Court Administra�on, was asked to provide feedback on the content of the Toolkit, currently in dra� form. The Texas Team reviewed the dra� and provided feedback at the end of October 2023.

Once published, the final Toolkit will be available in a digital format.

At this point, no further involvement in the Stanford Project has been requested or is intended.

If further par�cipa�on by the Commission is requested for an addi�onal role or ac�vity, the Commission would consider how it could be helpful.

D. Veterans Commitee The Veterans Commitee has had a very busy and successful year. The Commitee is led by Terry Totenham and Major General Alfred Valenzuela. The Commitee has embarked on a three phased approach to assist veterans with legal services. The first phase involved the iden�fica�on of legal deserts in rural Texas, especially in south and west Texas. The goal was to establish or reinvigorate veterans legal clinics in these areas. Several legal clinics were conducted, and many individuals and families received legal services. These efforts will need to con�nue and be expanded, given the number of veterans who are low-income and in need of legal help.

The second phase of the plan involved a collabora�ve effort among legal aid organiza�ons to hold legal clinics around the state in honor of Veterans Day. The following is a quote from a recent report on this effort in the Houston area: “Houston Volunteer Lawyers held veterans legal clinics on Nov. 3 at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center and on Nov. 4 at the Katy VA Outpa�ent Clinic. It was the first legal clinic held at the Katy facility since COVID. I'm happy to report that the Texas Legal Aid Week ini�a�ve served 41 veterans in the Houston area. The clinic at DeBakey served 15 veterans and the clinic at the Katy VA served 26 veterans.”

The Commission and its Veterans Commitee recognize that all of these ac�vi�es need to be con�nued and expanded. The Commission is considering how it can achieve 100% representa�on for our Texas veterans who need and cannot afford legal help.

Phase three of the plan will focus on the legal needs of homeless veterans. The Commitee plans to work in coopera�on with a Na�onal Non-Profit group, Tunnel to Towers Founda�on, which has renovated a hotel located in the Houston area to house homeless veterans. Tunnel to Towers intends to provide an array of services to the veterans facing homelessness to be housed in the Houston facility through service providers collocated in the space. Tunnel to Towers has offered to provide space for a Commission-sponsored legal clinic to serve the residents of the building and possibly others in the vicinity of the building. The Commission Veterans Commitee will explore offering services to others not occupants of the renovated building, if possible.

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The Commitee also has plans to explore collabora�on with veteran treatment courts and veteran mental health treatment centers around the State. The crea�on of an effec�ve legal safety net for veterans is a top priority for the Commitee.

The Commitee is collabora�ng also with the Law School Advisory Commitee to explore addi�onal opportuni�es for law students to par�cipate in pro bono clinics and other legal services ac�vi�es to assist veterans. The Commitee has plans also to collaborate with the Texas Young Lawyers Associa�on to encourage younger members of the bar to par�cipate in these efforts.

E. Supreme Court Probate Forms Task Forces While the Commission stands by to provide assistance for any further Forms projects where it can be helpful, the Probate Forms Task Force is the last Forms Task Force to complete exis�ng work.

The Probate Forms Task Force held its final mee�ng in October 2023. A final dra� of proposed forms related to the Transfer on Death Deed (TODD) project was circulated to members of the Task Force for final review and comments. The Task Force was to send the Transfer on Death Dead toolkit to the Texas Supreme Court in November 2023. See Exhibit G. The Task Force worked diligently, holding monthly mee�ngs which o�en lasted several hours at a �me. Their work over the last seven years has produced forms and instruc�ons for a variety of wills, small estate affidavits, muniment of �tle, and now transfer on death deeds. Judge Polly Spencer has served as the Chair and her leadership has been outstanding. The Texas Access to Jus�ce Commission is most grateful for the service of each and every member of the Task Force and for the leadership of Judge Spencer.

III. POLICY INITIATIVES A. Legisla�ve Ini�a�ves The Legisla�ve Commitee con�nues very ac�ve, especially when the Texas Legislature is in session and when preparing for and during ABA Days in Washington. The Commitee is chaired

by Commissioner Alistair Dawson.

This year the Commitee hosted a breakfast at the State Capitol for members of the Texas Legislature or their staff members in February 2023. Members of the Commitee were on hand to answer ques�ons about the legal profession and about ways lawmakers might help advance the delivery of legal services, especially for low-income Texans. Jus�ce Bret Busby led the presenta�on during the breakfast, making comments himself on the importance of access to jus�ce for low-income Texans and the proposed legisla�on being supported by the Commission.

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Senator Zaffirini and Representa�ve Moody carried bills in their respec�ve legisla�ve chambers to prohibit courts from charging the costs of an interpreter against those who filed a statement of inability to pay court costs under Texas Rules of Civil Procedure 145. See Exhibit H. The bills passed both chambers and became law in May 2023. Addi�onally, several members of the Senate and House were helpful in ensuring financial support for access to jus�ce ini�a�ves.

Several members of the Texas Legislature were honored as “Legisla�ve Heroes” on October 20, 2023, during a luncheon with the Texas Supreme Court. The Texas Access to Jus�ce Founda�on hosted the luncheon at which the following members of the Texas Legislature were recognized for their significant contribu�ons to access to jus�ce during the 88th Legisla�ve Session: Senator Judith Zaffirini

Senator Charles Perry

Representa�ve Joe Moody

Representa�ve Jeff Leach

Representa�ve Lulu Flores The efforts to increase State funding for legal services are led by the Texas Access to Jus�ce Founda�on. A detailed report of those efforts, and the successes achieved are fully detailed in the report from the Texas Access to Jus�ce Founda�on, atached to this report as Appendix 1.

Members of the Legisla�ve Commitee and other lawyers and Judges also par�cipated in the 2023 ABA Days in Washington, hosted by the American Bar Associa�on. Access to jus�ce depends on adequate funding for the provision of legal services to those living in poverty. The ABA event allows state access to jus�ce advocates the opportunity to meet with their Congressional delega�ons to discuss the role of the Federal government in the provision of legal services across the United States and in Texas. Also important is the message of the incredible importance of the Legal Services Corpora�on (LSC) in suppor�ng access to jus�ce in Texas as the largest funder of civil legal services in the na�on. Currently the LSC funding is $560 million. LSC has also received $20 million of supplemental funding for disaster relief, responding to severe needs arising from hurricanes, flooding, wildfires, and other extreme weather events. For details on LSC funding in Texas, see the TAJF report in Appendix 1. During ABA Days virtually the en�re Texas delega�on was touched by the Texas group traveling to Washington for ABA Days, with most touched by an in-person mee�ng and a few receiving materials le� with their offices.

IV. AWARENESS AND FUND DEVELOPMENT A. Awards Commitee One manner to enhance awareness of the legal needs of the poor and to improve the Texas system of jus�ce is to salute and celebrate those contribu�ng to address those needs and improve the system. The Commission plays an important role in iden�fying whom to celebrate and how to draw aten�on to effec�ve efforts to improve our system of jus�ce in its service to the poor who cannot afford the legal help they need.

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Judge Latosha Lewis Payne, Presiding Judge of the 55th Civil District Court, Houston, TX, con�nued her service as the chair of the Awards Commitee of the Access to Jus�ce Commission.

The most recent honorees receiving recogni�on showcasing great work and accomplishments are described here.

Corporate Counsel Pro Bono Award Established in 2008, the ATJ Corporate Counsel Pro Bono Award is open to corporate counsel and in-house atorneys in Texas who ac�vely provide pro bono legal services for the poor and promote a pro bono culture within the corporate framework. This award presented at the State Bar’s Annual Mee�ng.

The 2023 ATJ Corporate Counsel Pro Bono award was presented to Monica Karuturi of CenterPoint Energy for her work with Houston Volunteer Lawyers (HVL). In HVL’s pro bono recruitment video, Ms. Karuturi says, "Pro bono has always been....one of my favorite parts of my career.... we are so lucky and fortunate to be in a career where we can change someone’s life for the good." She has done so much more than provide pro bono help for HVL. She has fostered a strong pro bono culture in the legal department at CenterPoint, but she has leveraged some of CenterPoint’s other, less tradi�onal resources—for example, she arranged for CenterPoint’s data analysts to teach HVL staff to use readily available so�ware in conjunc�on with data they were already collec�ng to illustrate the impact pro bono work has on the community.

Ms. Karuturi is currently the president of the Houston Bar Founda�on. She has also served on HVL’s Board of Directors, served on the Texas Access to Jus�ce Commission, and has been co-chair of the Commission’s Champion of Jus�ce Gala Benefi�ng Veterans. She is one of the foremost advocates in Texas for access to jus�ce issues.

Deborah G. Hankinson Award The Deborah G. Hankinson Award honors local bar associa�ons and young lawyer affiliates that demonstrate a commitment to access to jus�ce in their communi�es and to raising financial support for legal service providers on a local and statewide basis. There are three separate divisions for local bar associa�ons: Division I is for those with a membership of 500 or fewer atorneys, Division II is for those with 501 – 1,999 members, and Division III is for those with 2,000 or more members. There is also an award for Young Lawyer affiliates.

The Division I 2023 Hankinson Award was presented to the Jefferson County Bar Associa�on (JCBA). The JCBA has programs spanning 4,438 square miles of Texas containing some 535,698 Texans. In 2022, 46 volunteer atorneys from JCBA donated $189,510 in legal services to those in need through their pro bono program. That pro bono 12

program has specific programs helping veterans with varied legal needs, formerly incarcerated neighbors with expunc�ons so they can gain meaningful employment and helping families-to-be with the adop�on process.

The Division III 2023 Hankinson Award winner was the Aus�n Bar Associa�on. It has a DEI program which fosters a more diverse and inclusive legal profession, provides scholarships and internships to minority law students, and enables aspiring lawyers from diverse backgrounds to pursue a legal educa�on. They offer a pro bono estate planning service for people with cancer; provide crucial assistance to self-represented li�gants; host an annual adop�on day to help children find new homes and families; operate the Lawyer Referral Service of Central Texas; and host monthly free legal clinics for veterans and their families.

There were no nominees for the Division II 2023 Hankinson Award and there were no nominees for the Young Lawyer Affiliate 2023 Hankinson Award. The Commission will work to understand why nominees for these awards were not received.

Law School Commitment to Service Award This award honors the Texas law school that has most dis�nguished itself by ac�vely educa�ng its students about access to jus�ce issues, thereby carrying forward one of the finest tradi�ons of the legal profession. Bestowed at the 2023 New Lawyer Induc�on Ceremony, the recipient of the 2023 ATJ Law School Commitment to Service Award was the University of Texas School of Law. Please see Exhibit I. UT’s clinical program began in the early 1970s with two clinics. It now operates 17 clinics spanning both the criminal and civil sides of the law. Their Pro Bono Program is made up of a collec�on of in-house projects developed through consulta�on with legal aid organiza�ons when the program iden�fies a need in the community. This provides the students with relevant, impac�ul experience with issues they will likely face once they pass the bar. For the 2022-2023 academic year, students reported 11,064 hours of pro bono work through this program, which included the par�cipa�on of 79% of the class of ’23. In these programs, they foster leadership in their students by using upper-level students to guide the efforts of lower-level students.

Law Student Pro Bono Award This award honors the dedica�on and mo�va�on of a law student or recent graduate who has significantly enhanced the delivery of quality legal services to poor Texans and underserved communi�es. This award comes with a $2,000.00 s�pend, and the recipient is recognized at the New Lawyer Induc�on Ceremony. The Commission recognized two students for this award in 2023. Please see Exhibit I. 13

Jus�n Atkinson, of the University of Texas School of Law, contributed the bulk of his 1L year’s pro bono commitment to the Richard and Ginni Mithoff Pro Bono Program’s Title IX Pro Bono Project. In this capacity, he advised two different students in Title IX complaints involving allega�ons of sexual assault, interpersonal violence, and stalking. In his 2L year, he was elected to a leadership role in the Title IX Project, during which he helped develop resource materials, lead training sessions, coordinate atorney supervision, and support mul�ple 1L student advisor teams. During his 2L year, the project tripled its capacity, and he was overseeing 22 student advisors.

Shayla Hoang Nguyen, of Texas A&M School of Law, completed 312 hours of pro bono work with Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas in her first two years of law school. Much of it was in housing issues—landlord-tenant disputes, inves�ga�ng poten�al redlining by financial ins�tu�ons, and conduc�ng policy research addressing the rising homeless popula�on.

She developed into a student leader in her first two years and is currently President of the Employment & Labor Law Student Associa�on and Secretary of the Women of Color Collec�ve. She previously served as Secretary of the Asian Pacific American Law Student Associa�on.

Emily C. Jones Lifetime Achievement Award The Emily C. Jones Life�me Achievement Award reflects the highest honor given for a career dedicated to suppor�ng legal aid for low-income Texans. This award, named for the first Execu�ve Director of the Commission, recognizes an outstanding individual whose extraordinary spirit and demonstrated commitment to legal aid has improved our society and inspired others. This is award is not handed out annually. In years when it is bestowed upon someone, it is awarded at the Champions of Jus�ce Gala Benefi�ng Veterans.

In 2023, the Commission recognized Bety Balli Torres and her impressive legacy with this honor. Ms. Torres is renowned for her dedica�on to improving the delivery of legal services to vulnerable Texans. Her involvement is long, but she is best known to Texas as the long-standing Director of the Texas Access to Jus�ce Founda�on. The legal aid landscape in Texas would be radically different without her �reless efforts and ingenious ways to find funding. She found funding through pre-exis�ng programs, like those made possible by the Chief Jack Pope Act. She also created her own programs, like the Prime Lender program in which par�cipa�ng banks pay higher levels of interest on lawyer trust accounts and generates millions of extra funding annually for legal aid.

Without Ms. Torres, legal aid in Texas as we know it could have ceased to exist during the 2008 financial crisis. When the Federal Reserve dropped interest rates in response to the crisis, an uninten�onal side effect was a corresponding drop on IOLTA interest rates and a corresponding drop in funding for legal aid. Ms. Torres found state funding that counteracted that shor�all. During COVID, she raised $40 million in funding to help

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prevent unnecessary evic�ons and kept countless Texas families safe with a roof over their head.

Harry M. Reasoner Justice for All Award The Harry M. Reasoner Jus�ce for All award is named a�er Texas legal icon and Texas Access to Jus�ce Commission Chair Emeritus, Harry M. Reasoner. This award recognizes an outstanding atorney who demonstrates dedica�on and commitment to providing pro bono legal services and promo�ng a culture of pro bono within the Bar. This award is conferred annually at the Champions of Jus�ce Gala Benefi�ng Veterans.

In 2023, the Commission recognized Thomas S. Leatherbury of Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, formerly of Vinson & Elkins. In a career spanning four decades, Thomas S. Leatherbury advocated for access to jus�ce, defended the rights of fellow ci�zens, and fostered those passions in future genera�ons of lawyers. Recently re�red from his role at Vinson & Elkins, Mr. Leatherbury's work frequently shared two hallmarks: the work was impac�ul, and he did it pro bono.

Mr. Leatherbury's cases covered a wide range of important issues, from vo�ng rights to immigra�on challenges, from wrongful convic�ons to pro se li�gants' rights, and from disability rights to First Amendment issues. During his �me at Vinson & Elkins, he made a significant impact as a mentor. He spent a decade as the firm's hiring partner and later as the Chair of Talent Management, roles that allowed him to bring in new, passionate lawyers who shared his commitment to helping others. His mentorship was a guiding force, shaping the next genera�on of legal minds.

In 2020, SMU Dedman School of Law recognized Mr. Leatherbury legacy by appoin�ng him as the founding director of the First Amendment Clinic. Under his guidance, students have argued cases in the Fi�h Circuit and Travis County District Court and filed briefs in mul�ple other courts. His mentorship does not stop at legal strategy—he is teaching the next genera�on of lawyers to defend our rights and understand the importance pro bono work plays in that pursuit.

James B. Sales Boots on the Ground Award The James B. Sales Boots on the Ground Award recognizes a legal services program atorney or a pro bono atorney who is an exemplary advocate and who gives selflessly of their �me and talent to provide legal help to those who have no voice. This award is presented annually at the Champions of Jus�ce Gala Benefi�ng Veterans. In 2023, the Commission elected to recognize two lawyers with this award.

The first was Victor L. Hunt, who for over four decades served low-income and disadvantaged people. His efforts started while s�ll a law student when he began working 15

with the organiza�on that would become Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas (LANWT). He later moved to Oklahoma and worked on the landmark Homeward Bound V. Hissom Memorial Center case as counsel to the Guardian Ad Litem. This case fundamentally altered the treatment of individuals with intellectual disabili�es in Oklahoma. He con�nued advoca�ng for that popula�on by developing and providing training to mul�ple Oklahoma state agencies promo�ng the autonomy of people who had formerly been ins�tu�onalized.

Mr. Hunt transi�oned to helping the homeless and unhoused and later to preven�ng homelessness by helping clients become more financially stable, the later of which earned him the Tulsa Bar Associa�on’s Golden Rule Award. When he returned to Texas and LANWT in 2017, he developed LANWT’s bankruptcy representa�on so that it was available across all 114 coun�es in their service area. One colleague commented, "It is rare to have such a talented atorney, who was presented lucra�ve opportuni�es many �mes over the years to harness his skills for the powerful, remain dedicated to providing needed legal aid to those who are not powerful, but struggle day to day to meet life’s basic needs."

The second awardee was Maureen O’Connell, who has worked an impressive 45 years advancing the cause of people with disabili�es. Ms. O’Connell has been successful in her endeavors because she has created fundamental changes in the law and, just as importantly, in the percep�on of those who apply those laws. Furthermore, she has helped disadvantaged individuals by crea�ng resources that educate them and empower them to confront their problems.

She spent the first part of her career working for legal aid organiza�ons across the country, including with the group that preceded Disability Rights TX. In 2001, she co-founded the Southern Disability Law Center, which worked to benefit clients in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. Her work here would reshape the educa�on and healthcare systems in Texas to meet the needs of people with disabili�es and chronic health condi�ons. Her success with this work comes from her recogni�on that the problem is about changing the behaviors and percep�ons of the people working in the systems and not just about realloca�ng resources.

Maryann Overath, who nominated Ms. O'Connell, says of her, "Maureen’s commitment to providing legal services that meet her exac�ng standards and her volunteer work on behalf of people with disabili�es has never wavered. She brings the same energy and enthusias�c advocacy today that she did when I met her almost three decades ago." Ms. O’Connell made a career building rela�onships and making subtle changes by ge�ng people to empathize with her clients’ plights and think about the problems her clients face in a different way. She has always seen the individual in the group and the impact addressing the individual’s problem can have on the group.

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Star of Justice Award The Star of Jus�ce Award recognizes individuals who have done excep�onal work on behalf of legal services to the poor and who improve access to jus�ce for all Texans.

Recipients of the award have gone above and beyond the call of duty in their work and have advanced the access to jus�ce movement.

No one received the ATJ Star of Jus�ce award in 2023. This award, like the Emily C. Jones Award, is only awarded when someone truly deserving has been nominated and, because of this, is not necessarily awarded on a yearly basis.

B. Communica�ons and Networking The Commission has continued to expand and refine its communications and engagement with the public and the national access to justice community, both to learn about and to educate the community about access to justice issues in Texas.

The Commission’s website (www.texasatj.org) continues to serve as its main form of digital outreach, and its news page is used to educate the public on Commission activities, such as meetings and, most recently, on all of the work and activities of the Working Group. The website also provides information on critical topics such as policy initiatives, forms for pro se litigants, access to the Texas Transfer toolkit and other standardized forms, as well as how to donate to access to justice efforts in Texas. The website also includes phone and email contact information so that Commission staff can respond to inquiries and provide requested information.

The Commission is also active on Facebook (Business), LinkedIn (Business), Twitter/X, and Instagram. In 2023, the Commission used social media campaigns to spread the word about legislative efforts, the various programs and events that are part of the Commission’s yearly schedule, and to promote awards and award winners. Particularly popular in the last year were social media posts about the Access to Justice Internship Program and the passage of SB380. The Commission’s following across the aggregate of its social media channels increased over the course of 2023.

And finally, the Commission staff attend a number of national conferences and meetings. Annual conferences include the National Legal Aid and Defender Association Annual Conference, the Equal Justice Conference, and the American Bar Association National Meeting of State Access to Justice Commission Chairs. Additionally, the Commission staff regularly attend a monthly Access to Justice Commission staff call, hosted by the American Bar Association. These conferences and meetings have been and continue to be important forums for the Commission to learn about Commission and access to justice activities in other jurisdictions, as well as to share our own initiatives with the national community.

C. Development and Fundraising Efforts

17

Justice for All Campaign The Jus�ce for All Campaign encourages lawyers to support access to jus�ce by making a financial contribu�on, over and above the amount required for their annual dues. The annual dues statement allows a lawyer to add a voluntary contribu�on in the suggested amount of $150 or in any other amount. Please see Exhibits J and K. The Jus�ce for All Campaign has, to date, raised $1.610 million, which represents contribu�ons made by over 11,000 Texas lawyers. A year end appeal is planned before the end of 2023.

Pro Bono Contribu�ons The Commission considers it important to note that lawyers contribute their �me and talent by providing pro bono legal services each year. Recent reports have noted that Texas lawyers have provided pro bono legal services valued at over $17 million.

Champions of Justice Society The Commission established the Champions of Jus�ce Society in 2012 for individuals who wished to show their strong support of access to jus�ce in Texas. Membership levels are as follows: Guardian

$1,000 (per year for five years)

Hero

$ 1,000

Defender

$ 500-$999

Advocate

$ $250-$499

As of November 2023, there were 1,035 Society members. See Exhibit J. Champion of Jus�ce Society members are recognized each year at the ATJ Recep�on held during the State Bar of Texas Annual Mee�ng. This year Jus�ce Bret Busby congratulated all the Champion of Jus�ce Society members in atendance at the recep�on. Jus�ce Busby was joined by his colleagues on the Texas Supreme Court at the celebra�on.

Champions of Justice Gala Benefitting Veterans The Commission honored Veterans throughout the state during its annual gala Tuesday, April 25, at the Bullock Texas State History Museum in Aus�n. The event raised $490,150, the proceeds of which will be distributed by the Texas Access to Jus�ce Founda�on to legal aid programs providing civil legal services to low-income Texas Veterans.

Harry M. Reasoner, Chair Emeritus of the Texas Access to Jus�ce Commission, chaired the Gala Commitee, as he will do again for the Gala to be held in 2024. Gala co-chairs included prominent Texas atorneys who donated their �me and talents and the support of their firms or Founda�ons for the 2023 event: Jerry Clements with Locke Lord LLP; Elizabeth Gibson with Toyota Motor North 18

America; Monica Karuturi with CenterPoint Energy, Inc.; David R. McAtee II with AT&T; Richard Warren Mithoff with Mithoff Law; Ross R. Moody with The Moody Founda�on; Stephen C. Mount with H-E-B; Marie Yeates with Vinson & Elkins LLP, and Carlos M. Zaffirini, Jr. with the Audrey & Carlos Zaffirini, Jr. Family Founda�on.

Texas Supreme Court Jus�ce Bret Busby, the Court's liaison to the Commission, served as the master of ceremonies for the evening. Chief Jus�ce L. Nathan Hecht served as the speaker for the “Macey & Harry Reasoner Access to Jus�ce Lecture Series”, which is the keynote for the event.

As a veteran himself, the Chief Jus�ce spoke movingly about the importance of a jus�ce system that is accessible and available to assist veterans when they need it most. Illustra�ng his point were a pair of veterans, joined by the legal aid professionals who helped them, who recounted their own experiences naviga�ng the jus�ce system and the enormous impact legal aid had in helping them solve their legal problems.

Jus�ce Busby presented the 2023 James B. Sales Boots on the Ground Award to Victor L. Hunt, of Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, and Maureen O’Connell, of Disability Rights Texas; the 2023 Harry M. Reasoner Jus�ce for All Award to Thomas S. Leatherbury, director of SMU Dedman School of Law’s First Amendment Clinic; and the 2023 Emily C. Jones Life�me Achievement Award to Bety Balli Torres. Please see Sec�on IV of this report for details regarding the awardees.

V. CONCLUSION The Commission is excited to con�nue working on many of the above projects and to explore new ini�a�ves to serve low-income Texans. These projects are all possible through the collabora�on and partnership of access to jus�ce stakeholders throughout the State who have contributed to the success of the above projects by atending mee�ngs, par�cipa�ng in conversa�ons, and serving on working groups. These collaborators include, but are not limited to, representa�ves from: • • • • • • • •

The Supreme Court of Texas The State Bar of Texas The Office of Court Administra�on The Texas Bar Founda�on Texas Legal Services Center Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas Lone Star Legal Aid Texas RioGrande Legal Aid

The Commission is commited to con�nue this work and is grateful for the opportunity to serve the community.

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Exhibit A

506 Gate Tree Lane, Austin, Texas 78745 • 512-791-3455 • bbower1555@outlook.com BRUCE P. BOWER Employment and Employment-related: 1989 to 2022: Texas Legal Services Center (TLSC), Austin, Texas. Retired as of September 1, 2022. Last position was as Director of Training (part-time). Before my semi-retirement I served as Deputy Director. Upon request I still provide support to the programs and projects of TLSC, particularly in public benefits matters, elder law, and general civil law. I conducted and coordinated trainings, including State Bar-certified trainings, pertaining to the foregoing areas. I provided back-up and support to volunteer attorneys handling pro bono referrals from legal aid and local bar pro bono projects. I conducted disaster-related trainings for local bar associations.

Served as first managing attorney of the Legal Hotline for Texans. Recruited and trained attorney staff on legal issues affecting older persons and individuals with disabilities.

Have trained Benefits Counselors by use of mock hearings to conduct actual Medicare hearings and other administrative law hearings. Have trained Benefits Counselors to prepare advance directives. Established original TLSC library of information items (pamphlets and brochures) for use as part of the services of the Legal Hotline for Texans.

Served on workgroup convened by the Texas Department of Health (as it was then known) that developed Texas’ Out-of-Hospital Do-Not-Resuscitate Order form. Chaired the Texas Department of Health’s Women, Infants, and Children’s (WIC) Advisory Committee (2002). Served as Institute Director of the State Bar of Texas Guardianship Issues in Probate Court Institute (1998).

Previous: UAW-GM Legal Services Plan, 1983 to 1989, Janesville and Oak Creek, Wisconsin (general practice); Prairie State Legal Services, 1979 to 1983, Rockford and Bloomington, Illinois (civil law including complex litigation); Birmingham Area Legal Services, 1975 to 1983, Birmingham and Bessemer, Alabama (civil law including complex litigation); University of Notre Dame, 1972 to 1975, Notre Dame, Indiana (German teacher).

Professional Licenses and Additional Law-related Activities: Current Active law license in Texas and Alabama; retired member of the State Bar of Wisconsin and of the Illinois Bar. Member, American Bar Association and the ABA Senior Lawyers Division.

Member of these Sections of the State Bar of Texas: Military and Veterans Law, Poverty Law, Family Law, Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law, and Computer and Technology.

Member and Fellow, Austin Bar Association.

Secretary of the Board of the Texas Silver-Haired Legislature Foundation.

Previous Illinois State Bar Association Correctional Facilities and Services Committee (Member, 1981-1983, Chair, 1983).

Member of the Alabama State Bar Speaker’s Bureau regarding prison reform orders of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama (1977).

Professional Honors and Awards Named “Attorney of the Year” by the Texas Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys in 1999.

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Recipient of the State Bar of Texas’ J. Chrys Dougherty Award in 2001 for legal services to the poor.

Recipient of the James B. Sales Boots on the Ground Award of the Texas Access to Justice Commission in 2012.

Recipient of a Texas Civil Rights Project Justice for All Award in 2012.

Recipient of the Noble Lifetime Achievement Award of the Poverty Law Section of the State Bar of Texas in 2013.

Recipient of the Emily C. Jones Lifetime Achievement Award of the Texas Access to Justice Commission in 2022.

Publications: Advocacy for Older Texans (Course 103 of the Texas Silver-Haired Legislature Online Academy (co-author)); Texas Kincare Primer (an initial co-author and editor); Texas Health Information, Counseling, and Advocacy Program Electronic Manual (an initial co-author and co-editor); Texas Poverty Law Handbook (former editor); Due Course of Law: The Case to Extend Judicial Review to Applicants and Recipients of Public Benefits in Texas, Texas Tech Journal of Texas Administrative Law, Spring 2001, Pp. 125 – 143 (co-author).

Enactments Pursued: Served with others as a civilian (non-Legislator) advocate for the enactment of: Texas Government Code Section 81.1011, which permits Benefits Counselors, specially trained and certified, to prepare advance directives; Texas Government Code Section 531.019, which permits state court judicial review of final administrative decisions regarding supplemental nutrition assistance, Medicaid, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families; Texas Family Code Chapter 34, which provides for the authorization agreement for children being raised by grandparents, aunts, uncles, or older siblings.

Texas Family Code Sections 154.062(b)(5) as amended and 154.066 (b), which guide courts in protecting Veterans’ non-service-connected disability pension benefits in child support cases.

Texas Estates Code Chapter 114, which allows for the use of a transfer on death deed to transfer real property to beneficiaries selected by the owner.

Worked with others at the request of Legislative authors and sponsors to obtain the foregoing enactments.

Reported decisions in which I was attorney of record: Tedder v. Fairman, 92 Ill. 2d 216, 441 N.E.2d 311 (1982) (argued), Partington v. Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, 91 Ill.App.3d 205, 414 N.E.2d 540 (1980) (co-counsel), Kohl v. Housing Authority of the City of Bloomington, Il., 537 F.Supp. 1207 (C.D.Ill. 1982) (co-counsel), and Soila Comacho et al. v. Texas Workforce Commission et al., 408 F.3d 229 (5th Cir. 2005) (co-counsel). In addition I have been attorney of record in several unreported federal cases which succeeded in securing relief for low-income persons; a list of those will be provided upon request.

Education: University of Notre Dame (A.B. in Modern Languages with honors, 1972; J.D., 1975); Spanish studies at St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas and at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México in San Antonio, Texas.

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JOHN A. TULL 4145 RIDGE ROAD, NEDERLAND COLORADO 80466 303-517-8715 Johnatull@gmail.com

CURRICULUM VITAE

EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE John A. Tull & Associates Self-employed Management Consultant January 1985 to January 1994, June 1998 to present Conducts a successful consulting business supporting non-profit organizations and government departments engaged with the civil and criminal justice system, including legal aid law firms, Access to Justice Commissions, policy and advocacy organizations, courts, bar associations, and other law related organizations regarding their management and operation. Areas of expertise include: •

Planning, both through structured strategic planning processes and through ongoing coaching and assistance to leaders and managers in planning and managing their organizations strategically

•

Organizational development, including promotion of effective leadership, management and supervision, personnel management, client relations, technology planning, conflict resolution, supervision of legal work, training and development and grants management

•

Organizational evaluation

•

State and regional planning for effective delivery of services

•

State and regional planning for effective use of information technology

•

Training

Major accomplishments include: •

Strategic planning, organizational development and evaluation of numerous law related institutions, including: ♦ National and state based policy and advocacy organizations, ♦ Numerous legal services programs, including many of the largest legal aid law firms in the United States, ♦ Access to Justice Commissions, 22

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

State Supreme Courts, State Courts of Appeals, Various statewide and regional planning efforts, Statewide pro bono legal services systems, Legal aid development in other nations.

•

On behalf of the Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defendants of the American Bar Association, served as Reporter for both the Standards for the Provision of Civil Legal Aid (Adopted by the ABA August, 2006) and the earlier Standards for Providers of Civil Legal Services to the Poor (adopted by the ABA in 1986)

•

On behalf of the Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defendants of the American Bar Association, drafted the Standards for the Monitoring and Evaluation of Providers of Legal Services to the Poor (Adopted by the ABA in 1991)

•

Conducted numerous trainings in state, regional and national meetings and conferences on topics such as long range planning, effective use of information technology, managing change, increasing productivity, personnel management and evaluation, supervision, professional development, effective operation of boards of directors, legal work management and professional ethics.

•

Assisted with various projects to anticipate the effect of technology on low income communities and legal services on their behalf and to implement appropriate changes to respond.

Legal Services Corporation (LSC) The Legal Services Corporation is a quasi-federal agency that at the time operated with an annual budget of approximately $375M to fund 134 non-profit organizations to provide legal services to low income persons with civil legal problems.

Vice-President for Programs October 1997 to June 1998 Assisted the President of the Legal Services Corporation with leadership and management of the Corporation, focusing principally on management of internal operations and oversight of grant making and compliance functions.

Director, Office of Program Operations January 1994 - October 1997 Managed a budget of $2.4 million and supervised the awarding of grants and contracts totaling $278M to $375M annually for the purpose of providing civil legal services to low income persons. Assisted in

Curriculum Vitae of John A. Tull 23

obtaining annual Congressional appropriations to support Legal Services Corporation activities.

Major accomplishments included: •

Directed the design and implementation of a competitive bidding process to award grants. Accomplished the goal of implementing a thorough, fair and efficient process to award funds, while using competition to improve the quality of legal services provided to clients.

•

Directed the design and implementation of a system to evaluate the performance of LSC grantees. Accomplished the goal of using peers to measure programs’ performance against established standards in order to help them better serve clients.

•

Directed the design and implementation of a new system to monitor the compliance of LSC grantees with statutory and regulatory restrictions and requirements. Accomplished the goal of assuring the efficient and effective monitoring of grantees’ compliance to identify and address deficiencies.

•

Shared major responsibility for managing the down-sizing of the Legal Services Corporation’s staff and budget by 30%. Accomplished the goal of reducing staff, while successfully redirecting LSC to accomplish an entirely new Corporate mission mandated by the U.S. Congress.

•

Worked directly with the Office of the General Counsel to draft 16 interim and permanent regulations for adoption by the Board of Directors to implement Congressionally enacted restrictions and requirements governing the operation of LSC grantees. Directed the design and implementation of a system to assure programs’ compliance with newly adopted restrictions.

•

Directed the design and implementation of systems to assist grantees to improve the quality of legal assistance provided their clients and to improve operations.

Legal Services Corporation Regional Counsel, Denver Regional Office March 1980 to December 1984 Worked in a six state area in the West and Southwest evaluating federally funded legal services programs, reviewing grant applications and making recommendations regarding their funding. Provided technical assistance and training to improve effectiveness of programs.

Acting Associate Director, LSC Office of Field Services, Washington, DC. July 1981 to December 1981 Curriculum Vitae of John A. Tull 24

Assisted the Acting President and Acting Director of the Office of Field Services in development and implementation of national policies regarding legal services delivery.

Southern Arizona Legal Aid, Tucson, Arizona Executive Director November 1974 to February 1980 Served as chief executive officer of a federally funded legal services program serving a multi-cultural low income community in a five county area. Worked closely with client groups from the Mexican-American, African-American and Yaqui Indian communities. Established Four Rivers Indian Legal Services to serve members of 5 Native American tribes in Central Arizona Staff Attorney and Reginald Heber Smith Fellow September 1970 to November 1974 Represented individual clients and community groups with particular focus on cases related to utilities regulation and rate making, education and school administration, immigration and housing.

EDUCATION: Yale Law School, 1970 Degree: JD Williams College, 1965 Degree: BA Honors: Phi Beta Kappa Cum Laude with Highest Honors in History

OTHER RELEVANT EXPERIENCE: Peace Corps Volunteer, Sucre, Bolivia July 1965 to July 1967 - Worked in community development with a community of persons in transition from a rural, agrarian non-Spanishspeaking cultural environment to an urban, Spanish-speaking one Participating author and editor, International Legal Aid Manual. Coauthor of a guide for establishing public defender and civil legal assistance programs in developing nations (published 2010) Assistance creating successful Legal Aid Project in Russia, April 2000 – May 2001. Assisted with establishment of a legal aid program operated through the Petrozavodsk State University Law Department, in Karelia, Russia. The Legal Aid Program utilizes law students and private attorneys

Curriculum Vitae of John A. Tull 25

to deliver civil legal assistance in Karelia’s capital city Petrozavodsk and outlying regions.

Assessment of the need for civil legal services in the Republic of Rwanda, 2007. At the request of the Rwandan Minister of Justice, conducted an assessment of the need for civil legal services in the country and prepared a recommendation regarding how such a system might be designed and operate.

Extensive travel in Central and South America, Eastern and Western Europe, Northern India, Australia and New Zealand Author of numerous articles and publications

PROFESSIONAL LICENSING: State Bar of Arizona, Retired

LANGUAGE: Fluent in Spanish

REFERENCES: Will be provided on request

Curriculum Vitae of John A. Tull 26

Exhibit B

Texas Center for the Judiciary, Attn: Mark Atkinson: The Texas Access to Justice Commission has undertaken a strategic planning process with an overarching goal to further the highest level of access to justice achievable for low-income individuals and families in Texas. To accomplish that goal, the Commission seeks to identify the most critical needs that affect access to justice in the state that the Commission and its partner institutions are positioned to address. To accomplish that we are conducting a planning survey to identify where we should direct our focus.

It would be extremely helpful to our fact-finding efforts to get the viewpoint of judicial officers, including JPs, who daily see access to justice issues from their central, important role on the bench. Accordingly, if you consider it appropriate, we would appreciate your asking judges for their input through whatever means you deem appropriate, including forwarding this email directly to them.

To access the survey, they would just need to click on the following link, or post it to their browser’s address bar. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TAJC_CTS. Responses to the survey will be sent to our consultants John Tull and Bruce Bower and will only be reported in the aggregate. Any comments in the survey will be quoted in reports in a way that does not directly or indirectly disclose the identity of the person commenting.

The survey will be open until November 20. It will take 10 to 15 minutes to complete.

Thank you for your time and insights to support our planning efforts.

Sincerely,

Harriet Miers, Chair Texas Access to Justice Commission

Lora Livingston, Interim Director Texas Access to Justice Commission

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Exhibit C

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 10, 2023 Contact: The Honorable Lora J. Livingston, Ret. Texas Access to Justice Commission lora.livingston@texasatj.org | 512-427-1855 Texas Access to Justice Commission Announces New Executive Director AUSTIN — The Texas Access to Justice Commission announces the selection of April FaithSlaker as its new Executive Director and Director of the Legal Access Department of the State Bar of Texas. Ms. Faith-Slaker will begin her duties in late October 2023.

“The Commission is pleased to report that the selection of Ms. Faith-Slaker resulted from an extensive, nationwide search for an experienced leader of extraordinary dedication to the complex issues which confront the access to justice community,” Commission Chair Harriet Miers said. “Ms. Faith-Slaker is just such a leader.”

In her most recent position as the Executive Director of the Office of Eviction Defense for the City of Detroit, Ms. Faith-Slaker implemented a successful Right to Counsel program for eviction cases, and coordinated with local legal aid organizations, as well as the courts, to provide services to indigent tenants. She is an experienced manager and has handled multimillion-dollar budgets in her extensive experience. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated strong organizational skills.

Ms. Faith-Slaker also served as the Associate Director of the Access to Justice Lab at Harvard Law School. At Harvard, Ms. Faith-Slaker designed and implemented research studies in the civil and criminal arenas and was instrumental in data collection and analysis. She is an experienced grant writer, and she has served as a Managing Editor of a legal publication. Her strong research and writing skills will serve her well in this new position.

Ms. Faith-Slaker has extensive experience in the national access to justice community, and she is recognized as a thought leader. Her strengths include coalition-building among various important stakeholders, and she is skilled in cultivating partnerships to achieve common goals. ### The Texas Access to Justice Commission was created in 2001 by the Supreme Court of Texas to develop and implement policy initiatives designed to expand access to and enhance the quality of justice in civil legal matters for low-income Texans. The Commission has created several initiatives to increase resources and awareness of legal aid. For more information, please visit www.TexasATJ.org.

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Exhibit D

APRIL FAITH-SLAKER

773-412-2057 | aprilfaithslaker@gmail.com Bar Membership: Wisconsin

EMPLOYMENT 2023 – Present 2017 – 2023 2019 – 2020

Executive Director, Office of Eviction Defense City of Detroit, Law Department Implementation of the new Right to Counsel Program in the City of Detroit.

Management of annual budget of $8 million for legal services and intake hotline.

Coordination with legal service providers and other housing organizations to establish and maintain legal representation and wrap around services for indigent tenants facing evictions.

Implementation of data collection and evaluation of the program to determine effectiveness and strategically plan for expansion of the program.

Associate Director, Access to Justice Lab Harvard Law School Designed and implemented research studies in the civil and criminal arenas, including research design, field development, data collection, and analysis.

Established new programs and interventions for research, including for example, the creation of two bail organizations.

Grant writing, management, and reporting to support the Lab’s activities.

-

Consultant, Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defendants American Bar Association Conducted national data collection of legal aid funding, created the process for subsequent annual data collections, and created interactive data visualization for public presentation of the data.

-

Managing Editor Political and Legal Anthropology Review Managed the publication of biannual journal issues, included public relations management, submission processing, coordination of peer-reviews, and collaboration with copy editors and publishers.

2007 – 2016

2015 – 2017 -

Director, Resource Center for Access to Justice Initiatives Senior Attorney, Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service American Bar Association Led the expansion of state-level infrastructure for civil justice (“Access to Justice Commissions”) Cultivated partnership and coalition-building among state supreme courts, bar associations, civil legal aid programs, non-profit organizations, and academics.

Engaged in policy research and writing; public speaking and educational activities; organizing convenings, strategic planning; technical support; and assistance with legal aid fundraising campaigns.

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2013 – 2015 2012 – 2013 2008 – 2012 2007 – 2008 2001 – 2003 -

Manager of Research and Evaluation Legal Aid of Nebraska Improved data collection efforts and conducted evaluations to expand the delivery of legal services and to support statewide pro bono initiatives.

Collaborated with justice stakeholders (bar association, courts, etc.) to conduct evaluations and to inform statewide program/policy recommendations.

Grant writing, management and reporting to support service programs.

Research and Policy Analyst Standing Committee on the Delivery of Legal Services American Bar Association Conducted nationwide policy research and analysis and produced recommendations for program and policy changes, focusing on the moderate income population.

Disseminated results and recommendations through report writing, conference presentations and collaboration with committee members for advocacy work.

Research and Teaching Assistant Human Development and Social Policy Program Northwestern University Conducted research on the juvenile justice system and managed undergraduate research assistants Teaching assistant for classes on Learning and Organizational Change Research Associate; Center on Children, Families and the Law University of Nebraska Conducted research on the effectiveness of pre-hearing conferences in family law case, children’s participation in their foster care hearings, and the effectiveness of the NE Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children.

Coordinated with the University of Nebraska faculty, NE Department of Health and Human Services, and the NE Chief Justice to improve court access.

Research Assistant, Department of Psychology University of Chicago Collaborated with other students and faculty to design and implement lab-based experiments, conduct analyses, and present results.

EDUCATION 2012

M.A. in Human Development and Social Policy Northwestern University

2007

J.D. with a focus on public interest and family law University of Wisconsin Law School

2003

B.A. in Philosophy and Psychology University of Chicago

30

FELLOWSHIPS and INTERNSHIPS 2005 – 2006 -

2006 -

Project Intern/Fellow on Family Law and Restorative Justice Projects, Frank J. Remington Center University of Wisconsin Law School Represented incarcerated clients with legal issues by conducting client interviews in prisons across the state of Wisconsin, conducting legal research, drafting legal memos and pleadings for court; and facilitating community-based alternative forms of justice.

Student Attorney (IL-711 License) Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Represented indigent clients in family law cases and acted as a guardian ad litem for children involved in probate court cases: conducted client interviews, drafted pleadings, filed motions, and appeared in court to advocate for the children’s interests.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE 2022 – Present

Volunteer Attorney (at weekly clinic) Southwest Detroit Immigrant and Refugee Center

2022 – Present

Advisory Board, The Justice Index National Center for Access to Justice

2021 - Present

Working Group, Standards for Assessing Regulatory Reform National Center for State Courts

2019 - 2020

Advisory Committee, U.S. Justice Needs Project Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System and The Hague Institute for Innovation of Law

2019 - 2021

Working Group, Data Collection and Legal Services for Low-income Americans The Academy of Arts and Sciences

2019 – 2021

Advisory Committee, ABArray Legal Aid Funding Data Collection Project Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defense American Bar Association

2015 – 2020

Board President, Treasurer Ensemble Dal Niente

31

Exhibit E

University of Houston Law Center

Asking the Right Questions: My Summer at the Catholic Charities

Trinity Buchanan Access to Justice Internship Program August 25, 2023 Word Count: 2564

32

This summer, my work with the Catholic Charities taught me how to ask the right questions and has been an enlightening and rewarding experience. I have gotten to experience parts of the immigration and non-profit sector that I could not have imagined working in when I first started law school. Through the summer, I worked on the Humanitarian team of the Catholic Charities which was created specifically in response to the Taliban taking over the government in Afghanistan in August of 2021 to help all the people who came to Houston from Afghanistan gain legal status. The Catholic Charities has provided me with the opportunity to grow and learn through working directly with clients from Afghanistan who need asylum and help with their Special Immigrant Visas (SIV).

This summer I have been able to help in a meaningful way through setting up workshops for Afghan clients to be screened for asylum; helping attorneys with asylum applications through writing briefs, declarations, and conducting client interviews; and through helping those with green cards apply for naturalization and prepare them for the questions they will be asked at their interviews with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

A bulk of my work at the Catholic Charities has been setting up events where Afghan clients of the Catholic Charities can come in and be interviewed so we can begin their asylum applications.

These were called workshops and they took meticulous planning as well as a lot of work to get the clients in the door. Twice a week, me and the other humanitarian team interns would sit down with a call list provided by our supervisor and begin calling clients until we got between 3 to 10 people to come in on our workshop day. On these phone calls, we would detail to the clients the reason we were asking them to come in and ask questions to figure out what kind of paperwork we would need to prepare for them for their appointment. Because most of the clients that go to the Catholic Charities 33

from Afghanistan do not speak English, I got to spend a lot of time learning how to use translators effectively through phone calls and asking questions in a way that was easy for the translator to translate and easy for the client to understand. After we collected a list of clients for the week, we would begin putting together folders of paperwork for each client coming into our workshop. Usually, this meant printing out the Catholic Charities internal paperwork, the long list of questions that are required for a temporary protected status application, the first four pages of an asylum application, and interview questions for an asylum screening. We would then set those folders aside until the day the workshop came. I would then schedule interpreters and send the interpreter information to my fellow interns so that they could have access to the interpreter they needed the day of the workshop.

Asylum workshops happened every Wednesday and Friday. I would get to the Catholic Charities early on workshop days and begin setting up the room. I would grab the camera for passport pictures and the measuring tape and scale for Temporary Protected Status applications. As other interns and attorneys arrived, I would give them the specific information they needed to know about their clients for the morning. As the workshop started, I would pair the client with the correct person and begin my own appointment as well. Usually, my appointments consisted of doing initial paperwork because they had never come to the Catholic Charities before. Then, we would move on to figuring out what kind of relief they might need. This consisted of asking a series of screener questions about their time in Afghanistan. These questions usually included what was necessary to complete the internal paperwork, the questions required for the temporary protected status application, and some of the first questions that are required for asylum applications. These questions taught me how important it is to be able to explain things you wouldn’t otherwise think of explaining to someone. For example, I 34

know practically what communism is. However, I have never had to explain it to anybody in my own language, much less somebody who spoke a completely different language than me, that came from a country with different access to resources and education. In doing these interviews, I learned that communism is not something that is ever talked about in Afghanistan, because everyone has similar religious beliefs and there aren’t ideologies related to property and political philosophy like that in Afghanistan. The first time somebody from Afghanistan asked me what communism was, I was taken aback because I had never thought about trying to explain such a large and complicated subject to somebody who spoke a totally different language and who had never been exposed to political philosophies of that nature. After some internet research and serious thought, I explained it to them as best I could but this experience made me recognize some of the large cultural differences, educational differences, and differences in access to resources that exist across the world that I would have never thought of before.

If a client was a normal, everyday citizen in Afghanistan, they were usually identified as needing temporary protected status, re-parole, and asylum. When this was the case, the interview would turn into interviewing the client to discover specific reasons why they were afraid to return to Afghanistan.

This usually involved asking very sensitive questions about any threats they experienced by the Taliban because of their race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, and political opinion. We would structure the interview so that we or the attorneys could go back and look at the interview notes and be able to structure asylum application briefs and declarations and their arguments. For example, if a client talked about a family member working with the US government, we would ask questions around that and take more detailed notes and get more specific questions and 35

answers because we knew it would be used to argue they were members of a particular social group–being related to somebody who worked with the US government.

If a client worked with US Forces in Afghanistan, the interview would be directed more towards asking about what kind of work they did with the US government and if it involved using weapons, weapons training, or harming other people on behalf of the US government. This is important because in order to qualify for asylum, you cannot have persecuted anybody, even if it was on behalf of the US government. If there were clients who had experience working with the US military and had weapons training or killed people on behalf of the US government, we would refer them to two attorneys in the office who specialize in working with these clients so they can get letters from the US military proving their service in Afghanistan. If the attorneys are able to get these letters from the US military, then these clients don’t have to go to asylum interviews and get their status to stay in the United States a lot faster. If they cannot get these letters from the US military, they have to spend extra time with the client preparing them for the difficult questions that will come up in their asylum interview and help them be mentally prepared to talk about their military experience.

I also spent my summer writing asylum declarations and briefs. An attorney would usually give me a client who was already on their caseload and give me their asylum screening and I would structure the declarations and briefs around the kind of persecution suffered by the person whether it be their race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. I would spend time reading through the client’s screening to get a good idea of their story so I could tell it in a way that made sense and was true to the events that happened. When writing a declaration, I would organize the sections by the particular arguments that were going to be made in the brief. Writing

36

declarations was a useful way to get practical experience in writing arguments in both a topical and chronological fashion. I would write as much of the declaration as I could with just the asylum screening.

After I drafted these declarations, I would call the client in for an in person meeting. I would interview them more specifically on things that would be useful for the declaration. For example, if they talked about something in their screening like being related to somebody who worked with the US government but didn’t go into much detail, I would ask broad follow up questions to see how much more information I could get. Sometimes, these follow up interviews could be difficult because occasionally the screenings were done over a year ago and I am tasked with asking a client to relive some of the worst trauma of their life so I can write a good application for them. Further, we learned during our training how trauma can affect how memories are made and stored. Trauma can prevent information from being saved in the brain and can change how the brain recalls memories. Because it has been almost two whole years since most people left Afghanistan and sometimes two whole years since they gave their initial intake with the Catholic Charities, clients won’t remember the details of their escape from Afghanistan like they did when they first got to America. Even if they remembered some details, because their memory recall had been so affected by the trauma they have experienced, they might not remember the details of their lives in the order that they happened like they did when they did their initial interview. Getting to interview these clients was very valuable because not only did I get the opportunity to tell their stories in ways they couldn’t because they didn’t speak english, but it also gave me hands on experience on working with people who have been traumatized and learning the limits of what can be accomplished in an interview happening after a traumatic event.

37

When a declaration had been drafted, it was easier to write a brief because all the information that needed to be asked of the client was readily available. A brief usually started with the story of the life of the client before the Taliban took over and then their escape to the United States and the specific reasons why they could not return to Afghanistan. The brief is written from the attorney’s perspective (as opposed to being written from the client’s perspective like the declaration is), so it is more argumentative and can include information about persecution the client may face that the client may not be aware of. For example, in my time at the Catholic Charities I ran into several clients who were Tajik (one of the ethnic groups in Afghanistan) who did not understand that the Taliban wanted to hurt them because they were Tajik. We would not write this in the declaration since the client did not know or understand that the Taliban wanted to hurt them because of their ethnicity, but the attorney can make this argument in their brief because it is written from their perspective and they are more aware of the reasoning the Taliban is persecuting certain people. With this, I would write not only why the client specifically feared returning to Afghanistan and make arguments based on this, but also made arguments based on facts that the client may not have been aware of. Briefs also included quotes from articles written in the last two years about the state of Afghanistan and the beliefs of the Taliban.

These were used to show that the country conditions in Afghanistan have been bad for the last two years and will continue to be bad as long as the Taliban is in power.

At my time at the Catholic Charities I also got the opportunity to help people with green cards apply for naturalization. This was also done in a workshop format. Clients would arrive, do their initial intake with paralegals, and then be sent to me and the other law interns so we could fill out their actual application for naturalization. Because I worked mainly with the people from Afghanistan this 38

summer, this experience was valuable in that it gave me the opportunity to work with a completely different population of people. I got the opportunity to work with a lot of people from Honduras and Mexico at these workshops and help them get through a happier part of the immigration process. I would sit down with the clients and go through the application with them. With these application interviews, I heard less about the trauma that brought them to America and more about the things they have done in America and their hopes and dreams in America after becoming naturalized citizens.

I got to talk them through their applications and hear about all the jobs and education they had in America and how they impacted their journeys and their path to citizenship. This also gave me the opportunity to reflect on my ideas of the country I live in and learn to appreciate that even when I don’t agree with the leadership of the country or the values reflected in politicians, there are people in this country who have come from places that do not want them there because of the way they look or act and that I am lucky to live somewhere where that is not a problem for me. There is a part of the naturalization application that is focused on the Oath that green card holders who are naturalizing have to take. While filling out these applications with the clients, I got to explain to them that they would be taking this Oath and many of the clients were very excited about taking it. They were enthusiastic and asked questions to make sure they fully understood the Oath. Helping the clients understand the Oath made me very happy because they seemed excited to take it and excited that they finally got to become naturalized citizens of the United States.

Working for the Catholic Charities this summer has been a very valuable and life-changing experience for me. It gave me the opportunity to explore an area of law that I had never thought of going into before law school and gave me the space to learn more about it and grow to appreciate the 39

hard work that happens in immigration law. It also gave me the chance to gain valuable client interaction with a sector of society that I don’t get to interact with on a daily basis. I gained a deeper understanding of what it is like to be an immigrant in America and a deeper understanding of the sorrow of people who are forced to leave their country for their own safety. I also got an opportunity to learn and better understand the non-profit environment and how important non-profits are to the sectors of society that are not able to afford lawyers. My experience at the Catholic Charities was amazing and I have really appreciated getting to know the staff, the clients, and gaining appreciation for immigration law.

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Exhibit F Internship Experience at Lone Star Legal Aid

Introduction My experiences at Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) have enriched my legal education. While at LSLA I had the opportunity to improve my legal research and writing while interacting with community members to help disadvantaged communities. Below I endeavor to describe the work I performed at LSLA over the course of the semester.

Illegal Dumping Campaign on Behalf of Super-Neighborhood 48 Before working at LSLA I had written my capstone paper on the harm caused by the disparate enforcement of illegal dumping by the City of Houston. LSLA had taken the lead on this by filing a civil rights complaint to the Department of Justice (DOJ). I reached out to LSLA and was brought onto the team (with financial assistance from the Texas Access to Justice Foundation).

The substance of the LSLA complaint is that the City has neglected enforcement of illegal dumping in certain low income communities of color in Northeast Houston. Shortly after being brought on, I began having meetings with community leaders to get their stories. A short time later, I attended a meeting between community leaders and the DOJ. The meeting was primarily to assist the DOJ in their investigation of the City to determine whether its policies had a disparate impact. After the meeting, I drafted a follow-up letter to the DOJ emphasizing the key aspects of their visit. For example, I reminded the DOJ that the community had proposed numerous solutions to the City, none of which had been implemented. A few months later the City (no doubt feeling the pressure of the DOJ’s investigation) announced the One Clean Houston plan. The plan detailed the City’s 18-million-dollar effort to combat illegal dumping citywide. Here again, I was tasked with drafting a memorandum for my supervising attorney to discern the relative strengths and weaknesses of the plan. At a virtual town hall style meeting, I presented the findings of the memorandum to an audience of community members and attorneys. My supervising attorney used my work as a tool in their negotiations with the DOJ, encouraging them to fight for greater protection for the communities that LSLA represents.

41

Project Eleven Project Eleven refers to the effort by the Army Corps of Engineers to dredge the Houston ship channel and store the dredged materials in low-income communities across the Houston area.

Before I began working at LSLA, it had already submitted a complaint against the Corps. I was tasked with performing research on the areas surrounding the dump sites. My goal was to assess the risk of leakage from the site by assessing the 100-year flood plain and other measures of historic flood risk. Moreover, I researched the demographics of the communities surrounding the dump sites. Unsurprisingly, the communities surrounding the sites were predominantly low income, communities of color, which generally had less education, and were much less likely to speak English. I presented this information to my supervising attorney in a memorandum.

Fifth Circuit Brief on Behalf of Clean Air and Water for a Better Brazoria LSLA had filed a complaint on behalf of Clean Air and Water for a Better Brazoria (CAWBB) before I had started working there. The substance of the complaint was that the Maritime Administration (MARAD) had violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) by failing to consider various factors in approving the permit application of a major fossil fuel facility off the coast of Freeport called the Sea Port Oil Terminal (SPOT). Freeport is an economically disadvantaged community that already has significant industrial development. The current level of industry has already resulted in impairment of the air and water. LSLA coordinated with many other national environmental organizations to draft the brief on appeal to the Fifth Circuit. LSLA took the lead on drafting standing declarations and drafting the section of the brief that concerned the Deepwater Port Act. I undertook both assignments. For the standing declarations this entailed having phone conversations with community members that LSLA represented. The goal was to establish that the community members have a concrete injury, traceable to the development of the facility, that could be redressed by a favorable ruling of the court. This experience was incredibly formative for me because I got one-on-one time with the clients to discuss their harms. When I drafted LSLA’s portion of the brief I had to research Deepwater Port Act regulations and draft a convincing argument to stop the construction of the SPOT facility.

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Fifth Circuit Reply Brief on Behalf of Port Arthur Community Action Network Before I joined LSLA, they had filed a complaint on behalf of the community group, Port Arthur Community Action Network (PACAN), against the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for approving Port Arthur LNG’s (PALNG) operating permit under the Clean Air Act. Port Arthur is a low-income community of color which has suffered from rampant pollution due to the presence of multiple industries. PACAN argued that the PALNG facility did not conform with state and federal law, which required the facility to use the best available control technology (BACT). In recent months, better control methods to prevent pollution have been implemented at facilities like PALNG, thus raising the bar for what constitutes the BACT. PACAN was intent on protecting its community from more pollution by insisting that the new technology be employed at PALNG as well. The lower court held in favor of LSLA, but TCEQ and PALNG appealed. I was tasked with performing legal research to rebut arguments made by TCEQ and PALNG in their briefs. I researched the state and federal standards for BACT to persuasively argue that the PALNG facility was not in compliance with the BACT and to comply, more stringent pollution control was required. I drafted a legal memorandum to my supervising attorney and assisted them in drafting our reply brief to the Fifth Circuit. The brief incorporated the arguments that I made in the memorandum. Upon submission of the brief, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) decided to visit Port Arthur to determine whether the EPA needed to intervene in the case. I attended a community meeting with PACAN and the EPA to make the case for the EPA to intervene on behalf of the community of Port Arthur.

Capacity building for South End Charlton-Pollard Greater Historic Community Association Towards the end of my time with LSLA I was given the opportunity to help to build community organizations to advocate for their communities. One such new community organization is the South End Charlton-Pollard Greater Historic Community Association (SECPGHCA). Based in Beaumont, the group aspires to represent a community that is located only a few meters from the fence line of many major oil and gas facilities and that has steadily experienced disinvestment over the course of many years. In general, Beaumont is considered a low-income community of color. Like Freeport and Port Arthur, it is also a cluster of industrial development. I got the chance to drive to Beaumont with my supervising attorney to meet with the 43

leader of SEC-PGHCA. He explained to us the desired structure of the organization and what they hoped to achieve in the community. My task afterwards was to work with my supervising attorney to draft Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws for the organization so that they could acquire their status as a non-profit and start working to better their community.

Conclusion The above is just a fraction of the many projects that I worked on at LSLA over the course of the spring semester. None of this would have been possible without the investment of the Texas Access to Justice Foundation, which sponsored my internship. This experience has been incredibly formative. I have become a significantly stronger legal advocate while fighting in the trenches for social justice and equity. Thank you for this opportunity!

Word Count: 1,300

44

Exhibit G Supreme Court of Texas Probate Forms Task Force

P.O. Box 12487 ● Austin, TX 78711-2487 ● Tel: 512-427-1855 ● Fax: 512-427-4160

Chair Hon. Polly Jackson Spencer

June 27, 2023

Members Mr. Carlos Aguiñaga Ms. Barbara Anderson Ms. Julie Balovich Mr. Craig Hopper Ms. Cathy Horvath Mr. Jerry Jones Hon. Steve M. King Ms. Trish McAllister Ms. Christy Nisbett Ms. Arielle Prangner Supreme Court of Texas Liaison Hon. Eva M. Guzman Supreme Court of Texas Staff Representative Osler McCarthy

Justice Brett Busby The Supreme Court of Texas Supreme Court Building 201 West 14th Street, Room 104 Austin, Texas 78701 RE:

Report to the Supreme Court of Texas, Misc. Docket No. 16-9003

Dear Justice Busby and Justices of the Supreme Court of Texas: The members of this task force appointed by the Supreme Court on January 21, 2016, are Judge Polly Jackson Spencer as chair, Carlos Aguinaga, Barbara McComas Anderson, Julie Balovich, Craig Hopper, Cathy Horvath, Jerry Frank Jones, Judge Steve M. King, Trish McAllister, Christy Nisbett, and Arielle M. Prangner. Of our original group, Christy Nisbett retired. Julie Balovich and Cathy Horvath both took different jobs but remained actively involved in the second phase of our assignment, the preparation of Muniment of Title Forms and Small Estate Affidavit Forms. We have continued to meet almost monthly either in person or by Zoom to work on this project, although the pandemic did interfere with our work as it did with basically everyone else’s work. We also experienced quite a bit of turnover in the support people who have worked with us with a resulting loss of some of our work.

The process continues to be interesting, challenging, and educational but also much more difficult and time-consuming than any of us anticipated. Our committee consists of very detail-oriented people from different backgrounds – estate planning attorneys, Legal Aid attorneys, judges, and clerks – all of whom see problems relating to the use of these forms from different perspectives. We have tried to accommodate the concerns raised by each of us in drafting this second set of forms while keeping in mind our mandate to write forms in “plain language” for people to complete without the assistance of an attorney.

Preparation of the Muniment of Title Forms was perhaps the easiest of our assignments. We developed an application which we believe meets the statutory requirements and several affidavits that might be required at the time of a hearing with instructions regarding when those affidavits would be used. In the Instructions, we tried to explain and guide people to places where they could make determinations about the types of wills they might be trying to have probated, such as handwritten, witnessed, and/or self-proved wills. We also tried 45

Supreme Court Probate Forms Task Force Report to the Supreme Court of Texas June 27, 2023

to point people to some pitfalls they might encounter in doing this without an attorney, such as some other need for administration (a reason that probate as a muniment might not be appropriate), the fact that a MERP claim might exist and constitute a debt of the estate, and certain local rules which might have different requirements from those of other courts.

The Small Estate Affidavit forms were quite a bit more challenging. Trying to explain to lay people the differences between separate and community property as well as the nuances of Texas intestacy laws regarding the disposition of such property when there are children from more than one relationship, children who have been adopted by another, children for whom parental rights have been terminated, inheritance rights for half-siblings as opposed to full blood siblings and the potential overlay of homestead rights along with exempt property and associated rights is very difficult. Rather early into the development of these forms, we simply decided that the adopted child and half-sibling issues along with the concept of dividing property into paternal and maternal moieties was beyond anything that should be addressed by pro se people and referred them to an attorney. We initially developed some demonstrative charts as visuals for division of intestate property, but the charts became so complicated that even we could not understand them. They were discarded and simpler ones were developed by two members of the committee – Julie Balovich and Cathy Horvath. In our Instructions, we tried to include examples of how to complete the forms in a variety of family situations with different types of property, both separate and community and exempt and non-exempt.

We are pleased to present these forms to the Court as a product into which much time, thought and effort has gone. We recognize that the forms will be reviewed and likely revised by the Court.

We also recognize that no form will be perfect and that they will probably be revised from time to time as the public uses them and provides information about their ease of use and general value. I speak for all of us when I say we would like to discuss any revisions the Court makes. I know I speak for all of us when I say that it has been an honor for us to be asked to be a part of this important work and this task force. We are now working on the final part of our assignment – development of TODD forms - and hope to provide those to the Court within the next few months.

Very truly yours,

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Page 2 of 2

Exhibit H

S.B.ANo.A380

AN ACT

1 2

relating

to

3

interpreters.

payment

of

certain

court

costs

associated

with

4

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

5

SECTIONA1.AAThe heading to Section 57.002, Government Code,

6

is amended to read as follows: Sec.A57.002.AAAPPOINTMENT OF INTERPRETER OR CART PROVIDER;

7 8

CART PROVIDER LIST; PAYMENT OF INTERPRETER COSTS.

9 10

SECTIONA2.AASection 57.002, Government Code, is amended by adding Subsections (g), (h), and (i) to read as follows:

11

(g)AAA party to a proceeding in a court who files a statement

12

of inability to afford payment of court costs under Rule 145, Texas

13

Rules of Civil Procedure, is not required to provide an interpreter

14

at the party ’s expense or pay the costs associated with the services

15

of an interpreter appointed under this section that are incurred

16

during the course of the action, unless the statement has been

17

contested and the court has ordered the party to pay costs pursuant

18

to Rule 145.

19

interpreter services or other auxiliary aids for individuals who

20

are deaf, hard of hearing, or have communication disabilities,

21

which

22

pursuant to federal and state laws.

23 24

shall

Nothing in this subsection is intended to apply to

be

provided

to

those

individuals

free

of

charge

(h)AAEach county auditor, or other individual designated by the

commissioners

court

of

a

county,

1 47

in

consultation

with

the

S.B.ANo.A380 1

district and county clerks shall submit to the Office of Court

2

Administration

3

prescribed by the office, information on the money the county spent

4

during

5

interpretation services in civil and criminal proceedings.

6

information must include:

the

of

the

preceding

Texas

Judicial

fiscal

year

System,

to

in

provide

the

manner

court-ordered The

7

(1)AAthe number of interpreters appointed;

8

(2)AAthe number of interpreters appointed for parties

9

or witnesses who are indigent;

10 11

(3)AAthe amount of money the county spent to provide court-ordered interpretation services; and

12

(4)AAfor

civil

proceedings,

whether

a

party

to

the

13

proceeding filed a statement of inability to afford payment of

14

court

15

applicable to the appointment of an interpreter.

16 17

costs

under

Rule

145,

Texas

Rules

of

Civil

Procedure,

(i)AANot later than December 1 of each year, the Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System shall:

18

(1)AAsubmit to the legislature a report that aggregates

19

by county the information submitted under Subsection (h) for the

20

preceding fiscal year; and

21 22

(2)AApublish

the

report

on

the

office ’s

Internet

website.

23

SECTIONA3.AAThe change in law made by this Act applies to an

24

action pending on the effective date of this Act or filed on or

25

after the effective date of this Act.

26

SECTIONA4.AAThis Act takes effect immediately if it receives

27

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

2 48

S.B.ANo.A380 1

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.

If this

2

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

3

Act takes effect September 1, 2023.

______________________________ ______________________________ President of the SenateAAAAAAAAAAAAASpeaker of the House I

hereby

certify

that

S.B.ANo.A380

passed

the

Senate

on

MarchA27,A2023, by the following vote:AAYeasA26, NaysA4.

______________________________ AAAASecretary of the Senate I

hereby

MayA9,A2023,

by

certify the

that

S.B.ANo.A380

following

passed

vote:AAYeasA113,

the

House

NaysA30,

on two

present not voting.

______________________________ AAAAChief Clerk of the House

Approved:

______________________________ AAAAAAAAAAAAADate

______________________________ AAAAAAAAAAAGovernor

3 49

Exhibit I

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 15, 2023 Contact: The Honorable Lora J. Livingston, Ret. Texas Access to Justice Commission lora.livingston@texasatj.org | 512-427-1855

Texas Access to Justice Commission Recognizes Outstanding Contributions AUSTIN — Each year since 2009, the legal aid community has recognized Pro Bono Week in an effort to inspire increased participation in pro bono activities by the legal community as a whole. Pro Bono Week occurred from October 23-29 in 2023, and Gov. Abbott issued a special declaration noting it as such in Texas. Furthermore, the Supreme Court of Texas issued its own proclamation recognizing October 23-29 as Pro Bono Week and commending the efforts of Texas lawyers in their commitment to pro bono services.

The Texas Access to Justice Commission celebrated pro bono week by highlighting the contributions of some of Texas’s most ardent pro bono advocates. At the New Lawyer Induction ceremony, the swearing-in ceremony for all Texas lawyers who recently passed the bar exam, Justice Brett Busby presented two prestigious awards on behalf of the Texas Access to Justice Commission.

The first award, the 2023 Law Student Pro Bono Award, a recognition of exceptional commitment to pro bono work, saw an incredible number of nominees this year. Struggling to choose just one recipient, the Commission decided to honor two remarkable students for their outstanding contributions: 1. Justin Atkinson, University of Texas School of Law 2. Shayla Hoang Nguyen, Texas A&M School of Law Both students exhibited exemplary commitment to pro bono service and have demonstrated an unyielding passion for helping those in need. To acknowledge their remarkable efforts, each student received a well-deserved stipend.

The 2023 Law School Commitment to Service Award, recognizing a law school's significant impact on its community and its commitment to instilling in its students a passion for pro bono work, is traditionally a challenging decision due to the exceptional commitment of all Texas law schools. However, this year, the committee, after extensive deliberation, chose to honor the University of Texas School of Law. The law school's unyielding dedication to public service and its extensive influence on its community truly set it apart.

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At its Access to Justice reception later in the day, with much of the Supreme Court in attendance, the Commission was able to recognize the contributions of attorneys who have consistently exceeded the State Bar’s aspirational goals for pro bono work to address the substantial unmet legal needs of the underprivileged. Membership in the Pro Bono College, which was established by the State Bar in 1992, requires attorneys to enroll annually after completing a minimum of 75 hours of pro bono services. The following attorneys have been doing this for decades, and their efforts represent an amazing commitment to improving their communities: • • • •

Joseph A. Connors III (25 years) Mary Jo Holloway (20 years) Kurt A. Malmquist II (25 years) Edward L. Piña (20 years)

The Texas Access to Justice Commission is delighted to celebrate the exemplary commitment of students, law schools, and attorneys who are making a profound impact on access to justice and the legal needs of the underprivileged across Texas. Their exceptional dedication to service demonstrates the legal community's ongoing commitment to improving the lives of those in need. ### The Texas Access to Justice Commission was created in 2001 by the Supreme Court of Texas to develop and implement policy initiatives designed to expand access to and enhance the quality of justice in civil legal matters for low-income Texans. The Commission has created several initiatives to increase resources and awareness of legal aid. For more information, please visit www.TexasATJ.org.

Note to editors: Photos are available on request. Please contact David Bristow: david.bristow@texasbar.com

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Exhibit J

The Supreme Court of Texas CHIEF JUSTICE NATHAN L. HECHT JUSTICES DEBRA H. LEHRMANN JEFFREY S. BOYD JOHN P. DEVINE JAMES D. BLACKLOCK J. BRETT BUSBY JANE N. BLAND REBECA A. HUDDLE EVAN A. YOUNG

201 West 14th Street Post Office Box 12248 Austin TX 78711 Telephone: 512/463-1312 Facsimile: 512/463-1365

CLERK BLAKE A. HAWTHORNE GENERAL COUNSEL NINA HESS HSU EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT NADINE SCHNEIDER DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS AMY STARNES

February 15, 2023

As lawyers, we know the value of legal representation. We know that our work can change lives, improve communities, and impact justice for all. We also know that the five million Texans who qualify for legal aid in our State cannot afford basic civil legal services.

Thank you to Texas lawyers who contributed over $1.6 million dollars to the Justice for All Access to Justice Contribution Campaign last year as well as those who provided over 2.72 million hours of pro bono service. This investment helped those in our communities who have no access to our justice system.

Just one investment from you can change lives.

We are again encouraging your support to enhance our system of delivering justice as we work to provide civil legal services for vulnerable populations. Only ten percent of the legal needs of poor Texans are being met, leaving most low-income Texas families with no access to our justice system and unable to represent themselves in complex court proceedings.

When you pay your annual dues, please take a moment and consider making the voluntary $150 contribution to support access to justice in our state. Doing so means you are providing tangible, life-saving opportunities for the men, women, and children who make up our state. No amount is too big or too small as every dollar goes to provide civil legal services.

Providing essential legal aid services through monetary or pro bono contributions means you are helping a family stave off a wrongful eviction and not end up on the street, you are protecting a woman and her children from an abusive family member, and you are ensuring a veteran who served our country is receiving the benefits he or she so rightfully deserves, among helping many other Texans in need.

Texans need our help. Thank you for your investment of dollars, time, or both, which have the power to change a life.

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P.S.: If you would like to invest in this life changing work, but your firm pays your bar dues, login to MyBarPage at the below link to be directed to the donation platform and click the “Donate” button under ATJ Contributions. https://www.texasbar.com/Template.cfm?Section=MyPage&template=/security/login.cfm Cordially,

_________________________ Nathan L. Hecht, Chief Justice

________________________ Debra H. Lehrmann, Justice

_______________________ Jeffrey S. Boyd, Justice

_________________________ John P. Devine, Justice

_________________________ James D. Blacklock, Justice

_______________________ J. Brett Busby, Justice

_________________________

_________________________ Rebeca A. Huddle, Justice

________________________ Evan A. Young, Justice

Jane N. Bland, Justice

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Exhibit K Dear Texas Lawyer:

Re: Your Generosity Can Change Lives

The Texas Supreme Court’s letter enclosed with your dues statement reminds us that we all have a great opportunity as we pay our State Bar dues to help those in our State who are impoverished, and desperately need legal help in civil cases that is beyond their reach. Day in and day out, too many poor in Texas need a justice system open to them to: CHAIR Harriet E. Miers Dallas COMMISSIONERS Chad Baruch Dallas Hon. Brett Busby Austin Hon. Nicholas Chu Austin Alistair Dawson Houston Joe Escobedo Edinburg Hon. Roy B. Ferguson Alpine Gabriela Garcia El Paso Lisa Hobbs Austin Roland K. Johnson Ft. Worth Thomas S. Leatherbury Dallas Hon. Michael C. Massengale Houston David R. McAtee II Dallas Karen Nicholson Midland Hon. Latosha Lewis Payne Houston

• • • •

stop abhorrent behavior such as domestic abuse and child abuse, prevent an illegitimate eviction, prevent consumer debt fraud, and access veteran’s benefits wrongfully denied.

As you likely know, those needs too often go unmet. By making a contribution at this time, we have an opportunity to make a significant difference in the lives of so many Texans in need of legal services.

Many of us have seen that a lack of access to our court system can cause great hardship, if not tragedy. Most unfortunately, an estimated 90% of our low-income neighbors in need of a lawyer are unable to obtain the help of a lawyer when they need one the most.

Many of our lawyers are doing their part to address the civil needs of the poor who direly need help. Last year, Texas lawyers donated almost 2.72 million hours of pro bono service and contributed more than $1.6 million to the Justice for All Access to Justice Contribution Campaign.

We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of the Texas lawyers who have contributed pro bono or financial assistance in previous years, and we thank them!

Our low-income population in Texas has grown following the pandemic, and more help than ever is required to address their legal needs. This means our efforts to meet the need must also increase.

Your generosity can and will make a difference to someone in need.

EX-O FFICIO MEMBERS For the Governor James Sullivan Austin

When paying your State Bar dues this year, we respectfully request that you check the box and make a voluntary contribution of $150—or more if you are able. Every dollar counts, and every contribution, no matter the amount, is significant to this important and worthwhile effort. If your dues are already paid, you can still donate today through the Texas Access to Justice Commission website or via your MyBarPage at texasbar.com. If you have already made or renewed your commitment, we appreciate your generosity so very much! Your contribution will help the Access to Justice Commission and Foundation provide much-needed support to legal aid organizations throughout the State of Texas.

For the Lieutenant Governor Hon. Judith Zaffirini Laredo

On behalf of the Access to Justice Commission and the Access to Justice Foundation,

Terry O. Tottenham Austin Maj. Gen. Alfred Valenzuela San Antonio Kennon Wooten Austin

For the Speaker of the House Rep. Gene Wu Houston CHAIRS EMERITUS Harry M. Reasoner Houston INTERIM DIRECTOR Lora J. Livingston

Harriet Miers

Honorable Deborah Hankinson

Texas Access to Justice Commission | 1414 Colorado | Austin, Texas 78701 512.427.1855 office| 512.427.4362 fax | atjmail@texasatj.org Increasing Access to Justice for Low-Income Texans To become a Champion of Justice Society member, visit www.texasatj.org/champion-justicesociety. To unsubscribe from contribution campaign communications, please email us at atjmail@texasatj.org.

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Exhibit L

Thank You for Making a Difference in Thousands of Lives Across Texas.

2023 C H A M P I O N O F J U S T I C E S O C I E T Y M E M B E R S GUARDIAN

HERO

$5,000 over 5 years

$1,000 +

David J. Bertoch David Anthony Bloomer Travis Bryan Sara E. Dysart John Fleming Michael W. Hilliard Roland Johnson Alexander Knapp Dwaine Morris Massey

Paul E. Anderson

Kevin Bernard Gerrity

Stephen S. Mosher

Sharon Beausoleil

Andrew Gould

Kelly O'Neill

Ron Dale Betz

Jose R. Guerrero

Alexander Piala

Rebecca Bishop

George B. Hernandez, Jr.

Paul E. Pryzant

Eric Boettcher

Morgan Hollins

Ann Kaylene Ray

Ronnie Earl Bounds

Lynne James Hudson

Kevin Simmons

Marian Lyia Brancaccio

Jeanine Hudson

Jane Snoddy Smith

Alice A. Brown

AnnMarie Johnson

Ben Vaughan

Harriet E. Miers

William R. Crow

Eileen Keiffer

Peggy Montgomery Corrie Thomas Reese Terry H. Sears J. Michael Solar Macey Reasoner Stokes Terry O. Tottenham Carlos M. Zaffirini, Jr.

Sabrina DiMichele

Lawrence Kelly

Carol E. Dinkins

Stephanie Lynn Koury

Quinton Alan Farley

Robert Bruce Laboon

Kem Frost

Allen Ladd

Robert Gage

Heather Mackenzie

Kara Elizabeth Gehan

Hon. Michael C. Massengale

DEFENDER $500 to $999 Maria Nan Alessandra

Emma Doineau

Mary Taylor Henderson

Austin Mathis

Stuart Charles Smith

Theodora McShan Anastaplo Richard A. Edwards

Hon. Federico G. Hinojosa

Robert T. Mowrey

Sarah Williams

Beth Apperley

Julia Patterson Forrester

Jason Aron Itkin

Karen Sue Neeley

William L. Willis

Kevin Barnes

Neill Fuquay

Lamont A. Jefferson

Wendy Pellow

Chad Wilson

John P. Beall

Hon. Royal Furgeson, Jr.

Kristina Kastl

Howard K. Prol

Barbara C. Wingo

Michael Caywood

Gary Gex

Caroline Rene Kirksey

Aleed Janet Rivera

Lori Wrotenbery

Richard Alfred Cort

Michael Louis Goldstone

Jeanne Leslie

Penny Robe

Brian Cramer

Manuel Guerra

Nathaniel Lounsbury

Beth Sanchez

Katrina Crenshaw

Carl Gustafson

Michael Lowenberg

Dan Settle

Mario Davila

Mark Edward Heidenheimer Elizabeth E. Mack

James Skipton

(as of August 24, 2023)

The support of donors like these is critical to improving access to civil legal aid for low-income Texans.

Become a Champion of Justice Society Member. Visit TexasATJ.org and join the growing community of access to justice supporters who are making access to the courts a reality for everyone.

TexasATJ.org

@TexasATJ 55

Appendix 1

Report to the Supreme Court of Texas January – November 2023

The Texas Access to Justice Foundation (TAJF) is the leading funding source for civil legal aid in Texas. Since its inception in 1984, TAJF has granted more than $1 billion to nonprofit organizations in Texas to provide free legal services to disadvantaged Texans. Civil legal aid provides access to legal help for people to protect their livelihoods, their health and their families and is a vital component of a fair and equitable legal system.

With TAJF funding, legal aid organizations provide assistance in civil matters to more than 120,000 low-income Texas families each year. Legal aid continues to struggle to meet the demand for services in our large, diverse state. Approximately five million Texans, or 17.9% qualify for legal aid, and Texas has the second-highest number of poor people in the nation. To qualify for legal aid, a person must not earn more than $18,225 per year. A family of four must not earn more than $37,500 per year.

The 35 legal aid programs throughout Texas funded by TAJF help disadvantaged Texans with critical civil legal issues impacting their very existence, such as: families fleeing domestic abuse; elderly wrongly denied life-sustaining prescriptions; veterans denied critical medical care, disability and other benefits; and families evicted from their homes. In addition to awarding grants to non-profit legal aid programs, TAJF supports pro bono programs of local bar associations, law school clinical programs, a law student loan repayment assistance program to attorneys choosing a career in public service law, as well as post-graduate fellowship work through the Equal Justice Works program.

During the 88th Legislative Session, with the leadership of the Supreme Court of Texas, TAJF was grateful to secure and maintain general revenue funding for civil legal aid and add funding for legal services targeted to youth dealing with mental health issues exacerbated by the pandemic. The Legislature also passed a bill that helps utilize specific unclaimed property to provide essential and legal aid services to disadvantaged Texans. After many years of historically low interest rates and a shortfall in revenue generated from the Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program, rising interest rates are leading to unique, limited time opportunities for funding. TAJF also continues to leverage federal funds for housing stability issues continuing to plague low-income Texans.

The Texas Access to Justice Foundation is committed to supporting the critical legal aid work in our state and finding additional ways to support these efforts to ensure justice for all.

Texas Access to Justice Foundation Report, January – November 2023

A1 - Page 1

GRANTS PROVIDED BY TEXAS ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOUNDATION TAJF currently administers 147 grants totaling more than $140 million for grant year 2023-2025 to 35 nonprofit organizations that provide legal aid. TAJF grantees, which provide legal services from 125 offices throughout Texas, include LSC-funded programs, domestic violence programs and shelters, law school clinics, bar association pro bono programs and programs advocating on behalf of the elderly, persons with disabilities, homeless and veterans.

Impact and Results from Grantees TAJF-funded grantees serve Texans who cannot afford private counsel and who are in desperate need of legal help. Legal aid grantees of TAJF reach every population group and geographic region of Texas. Below are 2022 statistics, the most current statistics available, on how legal aid provided critical legal help: TAJF grantees closed 120,757 cases in 2022 benefiting the lives of approximately 275,000 Texans. Grantees closed approximately 11% more cases in 2022 than the prior year Legal aid helped secure for their clients more than $22 million in back awards or lump sum settlements and helped win $3,500,000 in monthly benefits for clients, including Social Security and SSI, child support, pensions, back wages and unemployment compensation More than 26,000 victims of domestic violence received legal help and protection.

TAJF grantees assisted more than 11,781 homeless persons Approximately 26,880 people with disabilities were able to access a lawyer to help solve a legal problem TAJF funds six law school clinical programs and law students were actively involved in closing 5,175 cases – almost triple the number of cases closed by the clinical program grantees in 2021 Private attorneys in Texas volunteering legal services, pro bono, to low-income clients closed more than 10,000 cases in 2022

• •

• • • • •

Current TAJF Grant Funding Grants currently administered by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation for legal aid during the 2023-2025 grant year include: • • • • •

• •

$70,000,000 in Basic Civil Legal Services (BCLS) to 17 grantees $19,839,142 in Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Account (IOLTA) funds to 18 grantees $7,973,339 in Legal Aid to Veterans funds to 13 grantees $10,000,000 in Legal Aid for Survivors of Sexual Assault (LASSA) funds to 9 grantees $19,9000,000 in Emergency Rental Assistance Program-2 (ERAP-2) Funds for Housing Stabilization Services and eviction defense legal services from the Texas Department of Housing & Community Affairs to 8 grantees for helping tenants seeking housing stability assistance which includes eviction defense $164,282 to 1 grantee to fund the Parent Resource Helpline and $120,000 to fund the Parental Order Legal Line in partnership with the Office of Attorney General $5,000,000 in Crime Victims Civil Legal Services (CVCLS) grants to 14 grantees

Texas Access to Justice Foundation Report, January – November 2023

A1 - Page 2

• • • •

$151,220 in emergency assistance to 1 grantee to support a legal aid office in Uvalde $1,482,389 to fund the Virtual Court Access Project to maintain 25 kiosks in existing locations to increase access to the justice system for low-income people $3,700,000 for basic civil legal services for children and young people in child welfare systems and those experiencing mental and physical health challenges in schools and communities to grantees $5,000,000 for basic civil legal services to individuals and families with an opioid use disorder

Basic civil legal services and IOLTA grants comprise the majority of the work funded by TAJF. Clients for these services include victims of crimes or domestic violence, veterans and military families struggling in civilian life, families at risk of losing their homes, workers cheated out of wages or denied lawful benefits, children who need a stable home or special education, the elderly whose economic security or health care is in jeopardy, and people denied opportunities.

Legal Aid for Texas Veterans (LAV) The Texas Supreme Court received $7 million from the Texas Legislature to fund grants to legal aid programs that provide legal services to veterans and their families for the 2023-2025 biennium. TAJF awarded grants to 13 legal aid programs, law school clinics and bar association pro bono programs that provide civil legal services for low-income Texas veterans.

In addition to the legislative appropriation, proceeds from the annual Champions of Justice Gala for Veterans and funding from TAJF provide these grants to help legal services for veterans. The annual Gala is co-sponsored by the Texas Access to Justice Commission and the State Bar of Texas and has been raising several hundreds of thousands of dollars annually.

These grants help Texas veterans and their families with critical civil legal services in areas such as family law, employment, housing, consumer, bankruptcy, and probate, as well as advocacy for disability benefits. In 2022, 6,338 veterans received assistance from TAJF grantees. During the grant term beginning September 2021 and ending August 2023, LAV grantees closed 6,654 cases for veterans and their families and 8,220 veterans attended 1,343 veterans’ clinics held throughout the state. Services have benefitted from a return to in-person opportunities to connect with veterans with coordination with the Veterans Administration.

Legal Aid for Survivors of Sexual Assault (LASSA) For the biennium 2023-2025, the Supreme Court received $10 million from the Texas Legislature for civil legal services for survivors of sexual assault, including human trafficking. The ongoing funding for these grants is obtained through a state fee levied on certain types of sexually oriented businesses. Nine organizations have received LASSA funds to provide a statewide network of access to civil legal services related to victimization, including a statewide hotline. LASSA’s website (LASSATexas.org) connects the statewide collaborative to better serve survivors.

Since the LASSA program’s inception in October 2015, the LASSA network of legal aid providers has closed 25,785 cases for survivors of sexual assault. Many of these cases include protective Texas Access to Justice Foundation Report, January – November 2023

A1 - Page 3

and restraining orders, housing and employments issues, divorce and child custody issues, and public benefits and assistance to victims. During the grant period beginning September 2021 and ending August 2023, LASSA grantees closed 5,288 cases for survivors of sexual assault. The hotline that provides coordinated referrals throughout the network received 1,274 calls from September 2022 through August 2023.

Emergency Rental Assistance Program-2 (ERAP-2) TAJF grantees continue to provide a full range of legal services as appropriate, including legal advice, brief services, and extended litigation services to tenants; negotiating with landlords; and incorporating rental assistance program benefits for those eligible individuals facing imminent eviction actions in justice of the peace courts or on appeal at the county court level. While providers primarily focus on those counties and courts with high incidents of eviction cases and high levels of poverty, they remain flexible to help in other counties and courts as needed. This eviction assistance project seeks to maintain housing and improve housing stability for all clients.

Services have been provided in over 183 counties to date.

Since ERAP-2 work began on September 1, 2022, TAJF grantees: • Closed 11,657 cases on behalf of Texans experiencing housing instability • Opened 6,345 additional cases • Held 1,038 housing stability clinics • Provided information and advised 10,304 households at those clinics • Assisted more than 200 households with rent relief until funds were depleted in late 2022 Family Helplines Since 2008, the Supreme Court of Texas, the Office of the Attorney General of Texas (OAG), and TAJF have worked together to provide free legal services so Texas parents better understand the rights and responsibilities created by their parenting orders. Texas Legal Services Center’s (TLSC) Parenting Order Legal Line (POLL) project utilizes family law attorneys to provide limited legal representation to parents to increase their parenting time. During 2022-2023, TLSC provided brief services or settlement negotiations to resolve parenting conflicts to more than 3,100 parents.

TAJF also funds a Parent Resource Helpline (PRH) through TLSC where attorneys help interpret the details of the Child Protective Services system in a simple, meaningful way, relevant to the callers’ unique situation. During 2022-2023, the PRH handled over 1400 calls and provided legal information and assistance with family court orders to more than 730 Texans. The Supreme Court of Texas Children’s Commission and the Texas Center for the Judiciary Children’s Justice Act help fund this project.

Crime Victims Civil Legal Services (CVCLS) TAJF has administered the Crime Victims Civil Legal Services funds on behalf of the Texas Supreme Court since 2002 to support civil legal services to victims of crime and their immediate family members. TAJF awarded 17 grants totaling $2,477,500 statewide to 16 CVCLS grantees for 2022-2023. The civil legal problems that crime victims often face requiring legal help include

Texas Access to Justice Foundation Report, January – November 2023

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rape, physical assault, attempted homicide, domestic violence, sexual assault, incest human trafficking, and child abuse. For the grant year 2022-2023, legal services were provided by grantees that benefited 15,236 persons across 164 counties.

Virtual Court Access Project With funding from the Texas Access to Justice Foundation, the Texas Legal Services Center (TLSC) launched the Virtual Court Access Project in April at the Little Walnut Creek Branch Library in Austin with Justice Brett Busby performing the ribbon cutting. The statewide pilot project is designed to improve low-income Texans’ ability to receive free legal services through deploying 25 accessible, physical virtual court kiosks to communities across the state. The kiosks act as virtual legal aid centers featuring computer stations implemented in high-traffic locations, where Texans can access life-changing community resources like connecting virtually with courts and receiving legal aid services. As of October 2023, all 25 kiosks of the pilot project were in place and operational. (See Exhibit A) In October, the TAJF Board approved a six-month grant that will allow TLSC to maintain the current infrastructure of the project and conduct an extensive assessment of the value it brings to the community by increasing access to justice supported by the continued interest of the Courts. With TAJF funding, TLSC also translated content on the TexasLawHelp.org website to Spanish and Vietnamese. Nearly five million users access TexasLawHelp.org annually for resources to help solve their legal problems.

Legal Aid for Children’s Health and Security (LACHS) The 88th Legislature funded a new request of the Supreme Court of Texas for $3.7 million to provide basic civil legal services to eligible children and young people in the child welfare systems and those experiencing mental and physical health challenges in schools and communities. Applicants for these funds provided data-driven issues related to children’s needs in targeted focus areas in specific locations. In October, the TAJF Board recommended granting funds to seven grantees to provide services in targeted geographic areas in the following focus areas: child welfare, foster youth, education, and access to benefits. The grant period begins December 1, 2023, and ends August 31, 2025.

Opioid Use Disorder Legal Services (OUDLS) TAJF administers distribution of $5 million appropriated by the 87th Legislature for legal services for indigent persons directly impacted by opioid-use disorders, including children who need basic civil legal services because of opioid-use disorders by a parent, legal guardian or caretaker. Awards to seven grantees were made in December 2022 for the grant term beginning January 1, 2023, and ending August 31, 2024.

Civil legal aid attorneys can help those affected by opioid addiction with a full range of civil legal problems that can impact housing, jobs, medical care and families. Legal assistance can address the consequences of opioid addiction and overdose such as child custody issues or unemployment, but also help promote stability, recovery, and independence for those affected.

Texas Access to Justice Foundation Report, January – November 2023

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Grantees meet regularly to coordinate efforts to serve this population and connect with collaborative partners to provide services. TAJF grants fund 14.18 FTE attorneys.

Grantee Assessment Site Visits TAJF conducted in person grantee site visits and program assessments during this period, engaging in personnel interviews and document reviews. By the end of 2023, TAJF will have conducted 12 on-site site visits with accompanying fiscal desk audit reviews. TAJF continues to ensure compliance by its grantees through ongoing communication, including monthly and quarterly programmatic and financial reports, annual audit reviews, special program updates, and annual assessment reports, specific requests for information, grantee meetings and webinars for technical assistance.

PROGRAMS and PROJECTS Texas Student Loan Repayment Assistance Program (SLRAP) The Texas Access to Justice Commission created the Texas SLRAP in 2003 to assist attorneys who choose to pursue careers in legal aid in Texas. TAJF can assist all qualifying applicants up to the maximum monthly loan amount of $500 due in large part to the generous support of the State Bar of Texas. The COVID pandemic suspension of payments and interest on federally held student debt was lifted on September 1, 2023, with all affected loans returning to repayment in October 2023. TAJF has hosted periodic Student Loan Update webinars, with renowned expert Heather Jarvis, to help educate all those working in legal aid regarding the changes affecting their student debt. The most recent was held on October 18, 2023, with 234 attendees.

Additionally, the webinar was made available via recording for all who were unable to attend.

The average salary of those currently eligible is approximately $69,472, the average total student loan debt is $136,940, and the average monthly SLRAO loan payment for these attorneys is $475.

Equal Justice Works (EJW) Fellowships TAJF partners with Equal Justice Works to support post-graduate fellows who take an innovative and entrepreneurial approach to addressing critically needed legal services in partnership with their host organizations. TAJF is proud to support five fellows for the two-year term that began in September 2023, and continues support of five fellows from the 2022 class.

The 2023-2025 Fellowship Class, their projects and legal aid organization are: •

• •

Chris Rogers (Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, El Paso) - Co-sponsored with Greenberg Traurig to help noncitizen US military veterans and active duty service members obtain citizenship, veterans benefits, and/or public assistance benefits for which they may qualify.

Gladys Marcos (Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, McKinney) – Provide bilingual immigration services focused on labor trafficking and exploitation in rural Texas, while creating a lasting program that continues legal advocacy in the field of immigration.

Mónica Palma (San Antonio Legal Services Association, San Antonio) – Leverage a collective-impact model to provide effective legal services and education to the special

Texas Access to Justice Foundation Report, January – November 2023

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•

•

needs community at the Multi-Assistance Center (MAC) at Morgan’s Wonderland in San Antonio.

Tabitha Dwyer (Disability Rights Texas, Lubbock) - Designated Richard L. Tate Rural Justice Fellow. Advocate against the use of illegal and harmful disciplinary practices against students with disabilities by school districts in rural North and West Texas and represent youth who have been subjected to such practices.

Christy Ramos (Catholic Charities – Cabrini Center, Houston) - Work to protect Afghan, Ukrainian, and other immigrants newly arrived in the Greater Houston area from deportation through direct representation, community collaboration, and innovative pro se legal workshops.

FUNDING for LEGAL AID IOLTA Revenue After many years of historically low interest rates and devastating losses in IOLTA revenue, in March 2022 the Federal Open Market Committee began raising the target Federal Funds interest rate. Correspondingly, revenue generated by the Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA) has finally increased. We welcome this change as a unique, short-lived opportunity to enhance the basic civil legal services delivery system.

During the 88th Legislative Session, Texas Sen. Charles Perry, State Rep. Jeff Leach and State Rep. Lulu Flores helped pass a bill creating a mechanism for utilizing unclaimed IOLTA funds in lawyers’ accounts for civil legal aid. Senate Bill No. 658 authorizes the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts to deposit money that is unclaimed or unidentified in a client trust account established by an attorney or law firm, or in an abandoned IOLTA, to the credit of the judicial fund. Money in the judicial fund will be appropriated to the Texas Supreme Court for approved programs that provide basic civil legal services for those in need.

TAJF continues to promote the Prime Partner program, which includes banks and credit unions that voluntarily help compensate for some of the loss in IOLTA revenue in prior years by paying 75% of the Federal Fund Interest rate on IOLTA bank accounts. In the rapidly changing interest climate, we have been able to secure higher rates from a few larger banking institutions. Our Prime Partners have contributed approximately 24% of the IOLTA revenue year to date in 2023, despite only holding 11% of the IOLTA bank balances.

State Legislative Funding The legal aid community, through the support of the Texas Supreme Court and its partners in access to justice, was fortunate to maintain its general revenue appropriation for basic civil legal services, veteran legal services and legal aid for survivors of sexual assault in the 88th Texas Legislative Session. New general revenue funding was appropriated for basic civil legal services to, or on behalf of, eligible children in the child welfare system or those experiencing mental and physical health challenges in schools and communities.

The general revenue funding administered by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation for the biennium 2023-25, includes: Texas Access to Justice Foundation Report, January – November 2023

A1 - Page 7

• $20,280,784 for Basic Civil Legal Services (BCLS) • $7 million for Legal Aid to Veterans (LAV) • $5 million for Crime Victims Civil Legal Services (CVCLS) • $10 million for Legal Aid for Survivors of Sexual Assault (LASSA) network • $3.7 million for basic civil legal services for children and young people in child welfare systems and those experiencing mental and physical health challenges in schools and communities (LACHS) In addition to general revenue appropriations, TAJF receives state funds through BCLS funds (mandatory Access to Justice Fee assessed to qualifying Texas attorneys, filing fees, "And Justice for All" license plate proceeds, pro hac vice funds) and certain funds received by the attorney general.

Federal Funding – Legal Services Corporation (LSC) Three of the largest legal aid providers in Texas receive funds from the Legal Services Corporation: Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, Lone Star Legal Aid and Texas RioGrande Legal Aid. For 2023, these Texas grantees received $49,344,881 from the LSC for civil legal services.

Partnering with TDHCA for Federal Funds to Keep Texans Housed TAJF is in its third year of work with the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA). TDHCA contracted directly with TAJF to disperse $43.8 million in Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) funding. These funds are on a cost reimbursement basis so funds and services have to be delivered before grantees are reimbursed. The first $23.8 million (ERAP-1) was expended in full December 30, 2022. ERAP-2 included $20 million in funds to continue housing stability work on behalf of lower income Texas tenants for September 2022 – August 2024 and was awarded to grantees that had fully expended ERAP-1 grants.

The funds are provided through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program from the U.S. Treasury Department, which was authorized under the Consolidated Appropriations Act in 2021. Services provided with ERAP-2 funding mirror ERAP-1 and include eviction defense, help accessing local and state rental assistance where available, and other legal services that keep Texans and their families in stable housing.

TAJF staff has worked diligently with TDHCA to ensure all the original funds are utilized in a timely manner. TAJF has continued to prioritize the opportunities afforded the legal aid community by ERAP funding which has enabled Texas to tackle the housing crisis, increase legal services in Texas, and develop new relationships to benefit low-income communities across Texas, now and in the future.

PEOPLE and EVENTS Luncheon with the Supreme Court of Texas The Foundation hosted the annual Luncheon with the Supreme Court of Texas, Oct. 30, in Austin. Ron Flagg, President of the Legal Services Corporation, served as the guest speaker.

Chief Justice Nathan Hecht and Justice Brett Busby presented several awards to deserving individuals and organizations that supported legal aid this year.

Texas Access to Justice Foundation Report, January – November 2023

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Legislative Hero Awards The Foundation and Commission recognized Legislative Heroes: Texas Sen. Judith Zaffirini, Texas Sen. Charles Perry and State Representatives Joe Moody, Jeff Leach, and Lulu Flores. The legislators were honored for significantly advanced access to justice in Texas by assisting with the appropriation of funds or other substantive activities related to the provision of legal aid in the state.

Access to Justice Awards TAJF also presented the Access to Justice Award to the law firm of Arnold & Itkin for hosting a fundraising gala in April that benefited the new legal aid office in Uvalde, and to the Hispanic Issues Section in recognition of their annual LAWteria fundraising event.

Texas Veterans Legal Aid Week (TVLaw) TVLaw, a statewide effort in honor of Veterans Day coordinated by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation took place, Nov. 4-11. Legal aid programs, local bar associations, law schools and pro bono private lawyers provide free civil legal services to qualified Texas veterans through clinics, virtual events, social media presentations, and online chat. Chief Justice Nathan Hecht authored an op-ed piece on the importance of legal aid for veterans that was published statewide. (See Exhibit B) LAWteria Game Night In partnership with the Hispanic Issues Section of the State Bar of Texas, TAJF hosted the fourth annual LAWteria, a virtual fundraiser based on the popular Mexican Loteria game. The event took place via Zoom on September 14 and included the following distinguished guest callers: Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses, U.S. District Judge David S. Morales, Justice Dennise Garcia, and Justice Amparo Guerra. Former State Bar President Sylvia Borunda Firth served as the host and special guest Texas Supreme Court Justice Brett Busby attended by video. The event raised more than $50,000 that will support legal services in Texas.

Emily C. Jones Lifetime Achievement Award – Betty Balli Torres The Texas Access to Justice Commission presented TAJF Executive Director Betty Balli Torres with the Emily C. Jones Lifetime Achievement Award at the Champions of Justice Gala on April 25. The award reflects the Commission's highest honor given for a career dedicated to supporting legal services for Texans in need.

New and Reappointed Board Members Jose “Pepe” Aranda Jr., of Eagle Pass joined the TAJF Board of Directors in September for a three-year term. TAJF Chair Deborah Hankinson and Houston attorney Travis Torrence were reappointed to three-year terms on the Board.

Texas Access to Justice Foundation Report, January – November 2023

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A1 - Exhibit A

Virtual Court Access Project Media coverage wrap-up report

x

Texas veterans deserve access to justice

A1 - Exhibit B

Dallas Morning News Dallas, Texas, US

Saturday, November 11, 2023 Page 12, Section: General 872 words, 99in² in size 271,811 circulation

Texas veterans deserve access to justice To best serve these Texans and honored veterans, we must invest

Legal aid can be lifesaving, as it was for a WWII vet who almost lost his home

in programs ... that will enrich their experiences as a civilian.

By NATHAN L. HECHT

D

ecades ago, Seaman First Class Chester Robey defended our freedoms and values in World War II and the Korean War. Yet he might have died homeless without our defense of him — the assistance of a legal aid lawyer.

Robey is one of many. Across our state’s 254 counties are hundreds of thousands of military heroes who have selflessly served to protect the freedoms that Texans and the rest of our nation enjoy every day. In fact, Texas is now home to the largest population of veterans in the U.S., with more than 1.5 million individuals who served in the armed forces calling our great state home. Unfortunately, nearly 7% of these heroes live in poverty, according to census data, and struggle to access their legal right to basic necessities, as well as their constitutional right to access to justice.

We must improve access to justice for all. In doing so, we owe a special obligation to those willing to serve in the military who have defended our homeland and its justice system.

Upon their return to civilian life, access to the promise of justice for all Americans must not be beyond their reach. To best serve these Texans and honored veterans, we must invest in programs, initiatives and opportunities that will enrich their experiences as a civilian.

While the U.S. Department of

File Photo/The Dallas Morning News

A group of bikers passed Dallas City Hall during the Greater Dallas Veterans Day Parade in 2019. We must improve access to justice for all, and in doing so, we owe a special obligation to those willing to serve in the military who have defended our homeland and its justice system, writes Texas Supreme Court Chief Nathan L. Hecht.

Health and Human Services declared the COVID-19 pandemic to be over on May 11 of this year, our nation and state continue to feel the residual impacts brought upon by the hardships from that time. An already vulnerable population, veterans are 50% more likely to become homeless than others due to poverty, lack of support networks, and dismal living conditions in overcrowded or substandard housing.

Created in 1984 by the Supreme Court of Texas, the Texas Access to Justice Foundation provides funding for civil legal aid in Texas regardless of income. The 88th Texas Legislature

appropriated $7 million to serve the civil legal needs of low-income veterans in Texas. Additionally, this year, the Texas Access to Justice Commission and the State Bar of Texas hosted the Champions of Justice Gala Benefiting Veterans, where funds raised were distributed by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation to 13 legal aid organizations throughout the state.

At that event, Robey told his story.

He bravely served in World War II and the Korean War. Today, Robey is mostly blind and deaf, and suffering from Parkinson’s disease. His poor health affects his daily routine, which causes him to lean on his neighbor for

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assistance.

Living on two lots of land, Robey applied for a homestead exemption but was granted an exemption only for the lot where his trailer was located. As a result, he paid the full tax rate for the additional lot for 30 years. As his property tax value increased over time, the Texas veteran faced the possibility of losing his home. That is, until Lone Star Legal Aid’s Military and Veterans Unit stepped in to review Robey’s property and tax records. They found he was entitled to a homestead exemption for both lots — and to a tax refund.

As a veteran relying solely on his

Social Security income, legal aid was also able to assist Robey with applying for benefits he was entitled to but did not know about, including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, Medicaid and Veterans Affairs pension benefits. This was life-changing for Robey, a veteran who volunteered his life for many so long ago.

Assistance like what Robey received is invaluable. It literally changes and saves lives. And access to civil legal aid should be available for all.

Held the week of Veterans Day, Texas Veterans Legal Aid Week is an annual initiative where legal aid organizations, local bar associations and law schools throughout the state will serve Texas veterans by hosting free virtual legal clinics, offering legal guidance and support. Visit texaslawhelp.org/tvlaw or call the statewide hotline at Texas Legal Services Center, 1-800-622-2520, option 2, to locate a clinic or assistance in your area throughout the year.

This Veterans Day and every day after, we must never forget the men and women who chose to risk and sacrifice their lives so that we may enjoy the liberties this great country affords. That was their duty. Ours is to remain active in the fight to deliver the access to justice they defended and continue to safeguard.

Nathan L. Hecht is the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Texas and is a U.S. Navy veteran. He wrote this column for The Dallas Morning News.

APPENDIX 2

EFFORTS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO JUSTICE

BY THE LEGAL ACCESS DIVISION OF THE STATE BAR OF TEXAS 2023

Contents

Disaster Response ........................................................................................................................................... 3 COVID-19 Statewide Legal Aid Partners ....................................................................................................... 3 Disaster Hotline............................................................................................................................................ 3 Disaster Manual ........................................................................................................................................... 3 Assistance to Indigent Defendants ............................................................................................................... 3 All Things Pro Bono ......................................................................................................................................... 4 New Opportunity Volunteer Attorney (NOVA) Pro Bono Program .............................................................. 4 Pro Bono Texas ............................................................................................................................................ 4 National Pro Bono Week .............................................................................................................................. 4 State Bar of Texas Pro Bono Workgroup ...................................................................................................... 4 Family Law Essentials Seminars (FLES) ......................................................................................................... 5 Pro Bono College .......................................................................................................................................... 5 Language Access Fund and Communications Access Fund ............................................................................. 5 Legal Aid Task Forces....................................................................................................................................... 6 Legal Research Network.................................................................................................................................. 6 Malpractice Insurance Exchange Network ..................................................................................................... 6 Poverty Law Conference and Pro Bono Coordinators Retreat ....................................................................... 7 Texas Coordinating Council for Veterans Services.......................................................................................... 7 Legal Services to the Poor State Bar of Texas Standing Committees ............................................................. 8 A2 - 1

Legal Services to the Poor in Civil Matters Committee ................................................................................ 8 2023 Pro Bono Excellence Awards ........................................................................................................... 8 Frank J. Scurlock Award ........................................................................................................................ 8 J. Chrys Dougherty Award .................................................................................................................... 9 Judge Merrill Hartman Pro Bono Judge Award .................................................................................... 9 Pro Bono Award ................................................................................................................................. 10 Pro Bono Coordinator Award ............................................................................................................. 11 Pro Bono Support Staff Award ........................................................................................................... 11 W. Frank Newton Award .................................................................................................................... 12 Legal Services to the Poor in Criminal Matters Committee ........................................................................ 13 2023 Indigent Defense Awards .............................................................................................................. 14 Warren Burnett Award ....................................................................................................................... 14 Michael K. Moore Award for Excellence in Research or Writing in the Area of Indigent Criminal Defense .............................................................................................................................................. 15

Exhibit A: New Opportunity Volunteer Attorney (NOVA) Program Roster …………………………………..…………16 Exhibit B: Family Law Essentials Seminar (FLES) Sign-Up Sheets …………………………………………….………………18 Exhibit C: 2023 Pro Bono Coordinators Retreat (PBCR) Agenda ………..……………………………………………………30 Exhibit D: 2023 Poverty Law Conference (PLC) Agenda …………………………….……………..…………………………….33

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Disaster Response COVID-19 Statewide Legal Aid Partners

Three years following the COVID-19 pandemic, the volume of calls to the disaster line has significantly decreased, prompting its redirection to a different department. The Legal Access Department has ceased handling these calls and now primarily concentrates on managing the Legal Access Division call queue.

Disaster Hotline

The State Bar of Texas’s disaster hotline, activated in response to the COVID-19 crisis, has been active since March 2020. Designed as a resource for vulnerable Texans to address legal issues arising from a disaster, the majority of calls are automatically routed to the appropriate legal aid provider for their area. Callers who are uncertain about which legal aid organization covers their area are given the option to leave a message. While largely unrelated to any kind of disaster relief, at this point, LAD staff return calls to any member of the public who leaves a message and provides them with applicable legal aid resources in their area.

Disaster Manual

Due to the sheer volume of Texans needing help when a major disaster strikes, most legal aid organizations engage the majority of their staff to help address those issues. The result is that attorneys frequently have to deal with issues that are outside their standard scope of practice and that are rarely encountered in less turbulent times. The disaster manual is meant to help with this, serving as a quick resource documenting all the most common problems and their potential legal solutions so that legal aid and pro bono attorneys can be confident they are giving the best advice possible. Issues covered include FEMA assistance, housing law, consumer law, disability law, and family law issues. Attorneys from Sidley Austin, LLP; legal aid attorneys from across the state; and LAD staff conduct an annual review to ensure the continued accuracy of the manual. It is available digitally at TexasLawHelp.org, ProbonoTexas.org, and the State Bar’s website.

Assistance to Indigent Defendants

On January 21, 2022, the Supreme Court issued Emergency Order 22-9007 permitting attorneys licensed in other jurisdictions in the United States to provide legal services as an employee of a public defender service or through a managed assigned counsel program to indigent defendants arrested for certain misdemeanor offenses in Texas. That order, which was set to expire on December 1, 2022, was renewed through December 1, 2023, with Emergency Order 22-9105 and then renewed again on November 17, 2023, with Emergency Order 23-9096. In accordance with the original Order, the State Bar created and maintained a registration process for attorneys who were interested in participating in the program. LAD has maintained that registration program on behalf of the State Bar and will continue to do so through the expiration of the renewal order.

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All Things Pro Bono New Opportunity Volunteer Attorney (NOVA) Pro Bono Program

The NOVA Pro Bono Program was created in May 2018 to recruit inactive and retired Texas attorneys and attorneys residing in Texas who are licensed in other states to provide pro bono legal services to low-income Texans through an approved legal aid organization. Each year, attorneys are required to re-certify to remain in the program and complete 3 hours of continuing legal education. We have received forms from attorneys as far as Utah and attorneys recently retired in the state of Texas. Between January and June of 2023, we had 42 NOVA participants. See Exhibit A for a roster of current participants.

Pro Bono Texas

In 2016, the Bar created ProBonoTexas.org as part of the State Bar’s commitment to encouraging and supporting pro bono efforts in Texas. The Legal Access Division maintains the Pro Bono Texas website and continues to find innovative ways to promote pro bono efforts. In January 2021, Pro Bono Texas launched the Pro Bono Opportunity Portal in partnership with Paladin, a justice tech company, to create a centralized site where attorneys, law students, and legal professionals can search for pro bono opportunities in realtime, sign up, and be directly connected with pro bono organizations. Legal aid and pro bono providers are also able to easily update, manage, and track pro bono interest and engagement in real-time.

National Pro Bono Week

Each year, the closing week of October holds a distinctive significance as we come together to observe and celebrate National Pro Bono Week. Throughout this meaningful week, renowned legal entities, such as the American Bar Association, state bar associations, and various organizations, unite to honor the unwavering commitment of legal aid organizations, pro bono attorneys, and legal professionals. These dedicated individuals have exemplified exceptional devotion by providing crucial legal services to those who would otherwise be unable to access such invaluable assistance. Beyond merely acknowledging and applauding their outstanding contributions, this week-long celebration serves as a poignant reminder of the urgent and ongoing need for pro bono services in our society. It stands as a collective call to action, urging us to recognize the importance of ensuring equal access to justice for all individuals, regardless of their financial means. This year, the event was celebrated on October 23 -29th.

State Bar of Texas Pro Bono Workgroup The State Bar of Texas encourages its members to participate in pro bono activities in their local communities. Recent reports indicate that Texas lawyers contributed over two million hours of free legal services to the poor. Periodically, the State Bar of Texas conducts a Pro Bono Survey which seeks to capture information from licensed attorneys regarding the number of hours attorneys spend on pro bono legal services. The survey requests information about legal services provided without any expectation of payment as well as information about legal services provided at a substantially reduced fee. The next survey is expected to be conducted in 2024.

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The Pro Bono Workgroup is co-chaired by Roland Johnson and Terry Tottenham. The members include: Betty Balli Torres Judge Ann-Marie Carruth Alisa De Luna Alicia Hernandez Roland Johnson Andrea Marsh Stephen Rispoli Frank E. Stevenson Terry Tottenham

Keri Brown Christian Garza Kevin Deitz Bill Holston Tristan Longino Cicely Reid Selena Solis Travis Torrence

Family Law Essentials Seminars (FLES)

The Legal Access Department (LAD) has provided administrative support to the Family Law Section’s Pro Bono Committee since 2001 to support its Family Law Essentials Seminars (FLES). The FLES was designed as a two-pronged project to benefit interested pro bono attorneys and the three legal aid programs that serve Texas. Attorneys who attend a Family Law Essentials Seminar must agree to take at least two pro bono cases from the local legal aid program within a year of the seminar in exchange for receiving free CLE credit. Members of the FLES Pro Bono Committee select six rural cities to host the seminars each year based on input from Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, Lone Star Legal Aid, and Texas RioGrande Legal Aid about what Texas cities/counties have the largest caseloads and would benefit from pro bono attorney support.

Historically, each seminar includes a one-hour judges panel discussion and nine 30-minute segments with live speakers, eight of which cover a variety of substantive family law-related subjects and one segment is about legal aid involvement and case handling.

After a few years of virtual and hybrid FLES, 2023 saw the FLES return to its original in-person format.

Seminars were scheduled in College Station, Eagle Pass, El Paso, San Angelo, Wichita Falls, and South Padre Island. The College Station FLES was canceled due to low in-person registration. In the other five FLES, a total of 40 attorneys promised to take 82 cases. (see exhibit B).

Pro Bono College

Created in 1992 by the State Bar of Texas, the Pro Bono College recognizes attorneys who have far exceeded the State Bar's aspirational pro bono goal in their efforts to address the vast unmet legal needs of the poor. In recent years the State Bar of Texas introduced branches of the Pro Bono College to recognize paralegals and law school students. The Pro Bono College currently has 139 attorney members, 51 law student members, and 2 paralegal members.

Language Access Fund and Communications Access Fund

Created in 2013, the Language Access Fund connects legal aid organizations and their pro bono volunteers with much-needed translation and interpretation services for clients with limited English language proficiency. This year the fund enabled legal aid advocates to serve clients speaking 74 different languages, including a total of 261, 873 minutes of interpretation on over 10,887 phone calls, and 29 translated A2 - 5

documents. Similarly, the Communication Access Fund provides funding for Texas attorneys serving clients with disabilities who need auxiliary aids or services such as ASL interpreters for effective communication with their attorneys. This year, the fund helped 13 lawyers make legal services accessible to Texans with disabilities.

Legal Aid Task Forces

In the current fiscal year, we maintained active engagement with 5 out of the 8 task force committees.

Notably, the Poverty Law Conference witnessed a robust presence from all task force groups, with two committees successfully concluding their meetings by establishing new chairs and co-chairs. Ms. Becky Mosely of LANWT and Mr. Alex Gilbert from TRLA have assumed the co-chair positions for the Housing and Consumer Law Task Force. Mr. Michael Shippey, succeeding Ms. Ndidi Gbulie, now chairs the Public Health and Benefits Law Task Force. Additionally, Mr. Alan Dicker from TRLA is set to co-chair the Employment Law Task Force alongside Ms. Sidonia Mitchel.

The Community Development and Environmental Task Force Group demonstrated substantial participation, with over 20 attendees present in person and additional participants joining online during the Poverty Law Conference. Meanwhile, the Immigration Law Task Force Committee experienced significant growth, attracting over a dozen new members. Efforts are currently underway to coordinate meetings for the upcoming year.

It is noteworthy that the task force committees, collectively, continue to thrive and expand, consistently making positive impacts in the communities we serve. This sustained growth underscores our commitment to addressing critical issues and contributing meaningfully to the betterment of our communities.

Legal Research Network The Legal Research Network program is a partnership between the State Bar and qualifying civil legal aid and pro bono organizations. The current contract is with Westlaw, which provides licenses to Westlaw and Westlaw’s Form Builder to 450 attorneys. Westlaw provides an additional 90 licenses to paralegals at no cost.

Access to Westlaw’s legal research tools is provided to civil legal aid paralegals and attorneys and pro bono attorneys who handle cases through Pro Bono Texas to support attorney work on client cases involving litigation. The program has been in place for nearly 20 years and costs have decreased over time.

Malpractice Insurance Exchange Network

The Malpractice Insurance Network Exchange Program is a partnership between the State Bar and legal aid and pro bono programs to provide malpractice insurance at a reduced and reasonable cost. For nearly 30 years, the program has been a major benefit to State Bar members who wish to provide pro bono services to low-income Texans but are reluctant to handle poverty law cases because they often fall outside their practice area or because, like many Corporate Counsel attorneys, they do not carry their own malpractice insurance. Under the program, the State Bar provides baseline professional liability coverage to eligible organizations. During the 2023 policy renewal process, 60 legal aid and pro bono organizations were provided coverage under the program, which will provide malpractice insurance to 1,066 legal aid attorneys and 7,794 pro bono attorneys handling pro bono cases through a qualified legal aid provider.

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Poverty Law Conference and Pro Bono Coordinators Retreat

The Legal Access Department (LAD) hosted its hybrid Pro Bono Coordinators Retreat (PBCR) on August 29 and 30 and Poverty Law Conference (PLC) on August 30 – September 1 in Austin, Texas. LAD offers both conferences annually. Pre-pandemic, the conferences were hosted in-person; during the pandemic, the conferences were offered virtually; and last year the entire conference was offered in a hybrid format. This year the hybrid offering continued, albeit more limited in scope—two of the six conference tracks were hybrid offerings. LAD did not want to return to an entirely in-person format and potentially exclude anyone who could not make the trip for whatever reason because the conferences are instrumental in providing substantive and relative continuing legal education for legal aid providers across the state. The conference was a great success thanks to the presenters, who contributed their time and expertise; PBCR and PLC attendees, whose interest and participation make it the special event that it is; and LAD staff and volunteers for their work and commitment to serving low-income Texans.

Eighty-one pro bono coordinators from legal aid offices, law firms, law schools, and corporate law departments attended the day and a half training. Six substantive, interactive sessions were offered: topics included best practices for pro bono volunteer recruitment and management, fundraising, and case management. State Bar of Texas Executive Director Trey Apffel kicked off PBCR with a welcome address, which was followed by a Texas Access to Justice Foundation update from Kimberly Schmitt and a Texas Access to Justice Commission update from Lora J. Livingston. See Exhibit C for the PBCR agenda.

The PLC included 386 poverty law practitioners, private and government attorneys, and legal advocates. Inperson attendees were able to choose from six substantive, concurrent tracks that offered 58 sessions, while remote participants were able to choose from two concurrent tracks offering 18 sessions. Sessions covered practice areas that included housing, family, disaster, guardianship, consumer law issues, and more. The keynote speaker for this year’s conference was Director Rachel Rossi of the Department of Justice’s Access to Justice Office. See Exhibit D for the PLC agenda.

Texas Coordinating Council for Veterans Services

The Coordinating Council is comprised of approximately twenty state agencies. The Council hosts nine workgroups, including a work group related to pro bono legal services for veterans. The State Bar of Texas is among the state agencies involved in the Coordinating Council. The staff of the Legal Access Department of the State Bar of Texas participates in the pro bono work group.

In each even numbered year, the Coordinating Council generates a report that is published and shared among the public and members of the legislature. The report seeks to identify the needs of veterans, identifies services currently being provided, and makes recommendations to the Texas Legislature for consideration of ways in which those unmet needs might be addressed.

The work of the Coordinating Council has just recently begun. The report is expected to be published in the fall of 2024.

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Legal Services to the Poor State Bar of Texas Standing Committees Legal Services to the Poor in Civil Matters Committee

Created in 1974, the Legal Services to the Poor in Civil Matters Committee is a standing committee of the State Bar of Texas Board of Directors. It promotes legal aid and pro bono efforts to assure delivery of legal aid to Texans who cannot afford a lawyer in civil matters. The committee also oversees the annual Pro Bono Excellence Awards.

2023 Pro Bono Excellence Awards Frank J. Scurlock Award The Frank J. Scurlock Award honors an individual attorney, in good standing, who has provided outstanding pro bono work. The award is named for the late Frank J. Scurlock, the first chair of the Legal Services to the Poor in Civil Matters Committee. Scurlock was known for his tireless efforts to provide legal services to the poor.

Hillary Holmes (Houston) Hillary Holmes is widely recognized as one of the best attorneys practicing law in Harris County, Texas. She is known for her sharp legal mind and her ability to provide her clients and organizations with top-notch legal advice.

After completing her bachelor’s degree in public policy and Women’s Studies from Duke University, Hillary went on to the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. After the successful completion of her law degree, she secured a position at Baker Botts in Houston, Texas.

Hillary has been actively involved with the Houston Volunteers Lawyers program since getting her law license and joining the Houston Bar Association in 2003. She worked as an Associate Attorney for several years, during which time she gained extensive experience handling a wide array of cases. She quickly earned a reputation for being a meticulous and skilled lawyer, and her clients soon began seeking her services in all areas of law. She served on the HVL board from 2017 to 2021. And since 2021, she has been serving as Treasurer of the Houston Bar Foundation, the charitable arm of the Houston Bar Association that funds HVL in addition to many other legal assistance, relief, and advocacy programs.

In 2023, Hillary received the Heart of Pro Bono award from the Houston Bar Association, a special award that had previously been awarded only once before, and posthumously at that, to recognize a lifetime of pro bono service to the Houston community. That award recognizes the contributions Hillary has made to pro bono efforts here in Houston through her own pro bono work, her service as a board member of HBA and HVL, and the environment she fostered as Pro Bono Partner at Gibson Dunn that actively encourages and motivates attorneys and staff to assist with pro bono matters. This environment is reflected in another group recognized by the award: the first-year class of six attorneys at Gibson Dunn Houston who, with Hillary's leadership and encouragement, provided almost 700 A2 - 8

hours of pro bono service between them in 2022 alone despite most of them starting in the fall.

J. Chrys Dougherty Award The J. Chrys Dougherty Award recognizes an outstanding legal services staff attorney. The award is named for J. Chrys Dougherty, a private attorney and Bar leader, whose efforts helped to build a strong working partnership between the State Bar of Texas and legal services providers. The award includes a $1,500 stipend from the Texas Bar Foundation and a contribution from Graves, Dougherty, Hearon & Moody.

Monique Lopez-Hinkley (Fort Worth) Monique Lopez-Hinkley is a prominent attorney in Tarrant County, Texas, known for her impressive record in representing clients across a wide range of legal matters. With extensive experience in both corporate and private practice, Lopez-Hinkley has developed a strong reputation for her sophisticated legal analysis, effective advocacy, and unwavering commitment to her clients.

In 2010, Lopez-Hinkley moved to Tarrant County to join the law firm of Thompson & Knight LLP, where she focused on representing clients in commercial litigation and employment matters. She quickly established herself as one of the top attorneys in the region, earning praise for her legal skills and client-focused approach. In 2017, Lopez-Hinkley founded her own law firm, the Law Offices of Monique Lopez-Hinkley, where she continues to represent clients in a wide range of legal matters. She has developed particular expertise in representing clients in employment disputes, including discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims.

Throughout her career, Lopez-Hinkley has been acknowledged for her legal acumen and commitment to justice. She has been named a "Rising Star" by Super Lawyers magazine and has earned numerous other accolades and awards from legal organizations and publications. With the help of a former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas and bono attorneys from Jones Day, the case worked its way to the Supreme Court of Texas. In a unanimous landmark decision for all low-income litigants in the State of Texas, Chief Justice Nathan Hecht required an injunction that was broad enough to “prevent repetition of the evil sought to be stopped here, the District Clerk’s ‘policy, practice, and procedure’ of seeking costs against indigent litigants. … When a policy or procedure is challenged as conflicting with state law, any injunction that issues will necessarily affect individuals beyond the named parties.” Wilder v. Campbell, 487 S.W.3d 146 (Tex. 2016). The case has had far-reaching consequences throughout the State of Texas, leading to a revision of the Texas Rules of Court that liberalized the showing needed to establish indigency and expanded the rights of indigents to obtain needed papers and activities without cost.

Monique Lopez-Hinkley is known for her legal expertise, dedication to her clients, and strong commitment to her community. Her success is a testament to her hard work, perseverance, and unwavering commitment to justice.

Judge Merrill Hartman Pro Bono Judge Award The Judge Merrill Hartman Pro Bono Judge Award honors a judge, sitting or retired, who has provided exemplary pro bono service, including: outreach to attorneys to increase the A2 - 9

quantity and quality of pro bono representation; modifications to court processes to increase access to justice; advocacy on behalf of access to justice; or service as a volunteer judge for pro bono clinics or other pro bono proceedings. The award is named after the late Judge Merrill Hartman of Dallas, a tireless advocate for low-income communities’ access to justice.

No nominations for the year of 2023.

Pro Bono Award The Pro Bono Award honors a volunteer attorney organization (e.g., legal aid organization, local bar association, non-profit organization) that has made an outstanding contribution toward guaranteeing access to the legal system by the poor.

DVAP-Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program (Dallas) The Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program (DVAP) is a private and public investors-funded, nonprofit group devoted to supplying legal aid to underprivileged people in the Dallas community. This program entails pro bono civil legal services to poor people in Dallas County, with the support of volunteer lawyers, running several legal representation programs. Since its inception, this group has made an extraordinary attempt to improve access to justice in various communities manifested by its passion for networking with attorneys and legal organizations to combat racial disparities and financial deficits in accessing justice — developing innovative legal programs to cater for unrepresented litigants, and most importantly, offering legal aid to vulnerable populations. The Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program has made an outstanding contribution towards guaranteeing access to the legal system for the poor in Dallas County. With its unique features, which include building partnerships, offering legal representation services, and fighting social injustices, DVAP stands out as a beacon of hope for unrepresented litigants seeking to access justice. The program’s commitment to these services demonstrates that equality and access to justice are vital pillars of a healthy society, and the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program has firmly established itself as a significant player in ensuring that these fundamental elements are maintained in our community.

This program has stood out as an essential contribution towards ensuring access to the legal system for the poor over the years. Primarily, DVAP has heavily invested in partnerships, such as collaborations with volunteer lawyers, private firms, corporations, and even the public sector. This group utilizes a confidential online platform to connect clients to volunteer lawyers experienced in civil law issues such as housing, domestic violence, and consumer matters. Through these relationships, DVAP has assisted more than 10,000 Dallas area residents in either resolving their legal issues or assisting them in their efforts to represent themselves in court.

Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program has made considerable strides in ensuring equality within their legal services by advocating for and fighting against systemic racism and other social injustices that create a substantial impact on underserved communities. By recognizing that legal issues do not exist “in a vacuum,” DVAP, along with their affiliate partners, offers social solutions that complement their legal services. For instance, they A2 - 10

operate community clinics tailored to health while extending these forums to discuss legal issues that typically impact marginalized groups in the community. Through such support, DVAP is acting proactively, developing innovative legal programs for their clients, and ensuring access to the legal system, thus providing thoughtful remedies to the challenges faced by low-income families in Dallas.

Pro Bono Coordinator Award The Pro Bono Coordinator Award is presented to an individual who has made an exceptional contribution to the delivery of, and access to legal services for the poor, while serving as the pro bono coordinator for a volunteer attorney organization or group, local bar association, law firm, law school, corporate legal office, governmental law department, or legal services organization. Attorney and non-attorney pro bono coordinators are eligible and may selfnominate.

Julie Stanger (Houston) Julie is a dedicated member of the legal community and is known to bring law firms and inhouse attorneys together for Pro Bono efforts. She is an active member of the Houston Bar Association and the Houston Volunteer Lawyers. Part of Julie’s success in recruiting pro bono attorneys and coordinating their pro bono work has been her ability to ensure that her team has sufficient easy-to-use resources accessible to guide her team. Julie’s pro bono coordinator predecessor, Alyssa Schindler, organized resources for the “Divorce in a Box”.

Using this template, Julie helped guide Chevron attorneys to efficiently run the pro bono projects.

One of the most impactful qualities that Julie brings to Houston Volunteer Lawyers is the methodology she uses to put together a pro bono project. With this information in hand, Julie passionately advocates for her colleagues to step-in where the need is the highest.

Julie recently learned that Houston Volunteer Lawyers is, once again, having difficulty finding pro bono attorneys interested in handling divorces. Julie’s response was to declare that Chevron’s main 2023 pro bono projects will involve getting teams together to help individuals stabilize their families by obtaining a divorce. Under Julie’s leadership, the Chevron Houston Pro Bono Committee also offered virtual pro bono opportunities to Chevron lawyers in California and other Chevron locations. She has played a key leadership role in various pro bono initiatives in 2022, including bringing together law firms and inhouse attorneys from Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Pillsbury, Foley, Norton Rose Fulbright, and Jones Day. Julie Stanger is an accomplished attorney and dedicated community leader who has made a significant impact in the legal profession and beyond. Her unwavering commitment to her clients, her community, and her profession make her an excellent role model for aspiring attorneys everywhere.

Pro Bono Support Staff Award The Pro Bono Support Staff Award recognizes the outstanding and exemplary contributions of non-attorney volunteers such as paralegals, administrative assistants, interpreters, and other support staff who work on pro bono projects. The award promotes the awareness of pro bono activities that non-attorneys can participate in and encourages non-attorneys who work in the legal profession to volunteer their time and specialty skills to pro bono projects A2 - 11

within their community. To qualify for this award, an individual must provide legal assistance, without compensation, in a non-mandatory program, that requires specific legal skills, knowledge, or training, under the supervision of a licensed attorney or qualified organization. Services may be provided through such organizations as, but not limited to, legal aid programs, community legal clinics, bar associations, courts, or government agencies.

Courtney Smith (Houston) Courtney graduated in May of 2000 from Texas Southern University. Currently, Courtney is a Paralegal Manager with Yetter Coleman who has been working in Harris County for over a decade. She is a highly skilled and accomplished professional who has earned a reputation for her dedication and expertise in the field of paralegal management. In that role, she oversees a team of five highly skilled paralegals who provide critical support on commercial litigation that is handled on behalf of a diverse range of clients in the energy, technology, and financial services industries. Courtney oversees the assignment and management of the team’s heavy caseload while also handling her own large docket of cases and ensuring that the team members provide support and perform their roles effectively and efficiently with our lawyers who are in courts all over Texas and around the country.

Courtney is an eager and active participant in pro bono work and regularly contributes her paralegal skills to cases assigned through the Houston Volunteer Lawyer Program and other organizations that the firm’s lawyers support. Likewise, in reflection of the firm’s commitment to pro bono work and in her role as the firm’s Paralegal Manager, Courtney considers pro bono work on par with billing cases when balancing the workload of our paralegal team. Courtney regularly seeks out pro bono opportunities and has averaged 32 hours annually during the last five years in her role as a paralegal with the firm. Courtney has received Yetter Coleman's pro Bono Leaders Award, which recognizes those at the firm who bill at least 20 pro bono hours, since its inception in 2021.

Since joining Harris County, Courtney Smith has been committed to providing the highest level of service to the county’s legal department. She has worked tirelessly to improve the operations of the paralegal team, implementing new processes and systems to streamline operations and increase efficiency. Her efforts have not gone unnoticed, and she has earned the respect and admiration of her colleagues and superiors. Courtney initially joined the Firm as a receptionist in 2012. She quickly demonstrated an exceptional aptitude for challenging research and other case assignments while handling her other duties and several years later she was promoted to a paralegal position and subsequently promoted to her current role as Paralegal Manager. Courtney’s exceptional paralegal talent and skill on some of the firm’s thorniest cases have been brought to bear as she manages the firm’s heavy trial schedule, which has already seen two major trials in 2023 and seven major trials in 2022. She is a true asset to Harris County and an inspiration to anyone looking to build a successful career in the legal profession.

W. Frank Newton Award The W. Frank Newton Award recognizes the pro bono contribution of attorney groups (e.g., law firm, corporate law department, government attorney office, law school faculty, Bar section) whose members have made an outstanding contribution in the provision of, or A2 - 12

access to, legal services to the poor. The award is named for W. Frank Newton, former Dean of Texas Tech University School of Law and long-time pro bono advocate.

Gibson, Dunn, & Crutcher LLP (Houston) The Houston office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP (“Gibson Dunn”) allows and encourages attorneys to choose their own pro bono projects and offers unlimited one-to-one billable credit for attorney hours billed to pro bono matters. The firm has a long and proud history of providing pro bono legal services to those in need in Houston and across the state of Texas.

This self-motivated approach to pro bono work has created a program with diversity and passion where our partners and associates—of all levels and practice groups—work closely together. This culture puts a premium on bottom-up initiative and continues to empower the most junior attorney’s: first-year associates. In 2022, six freshly licensed attorneys opened four new pro bono matters and collectively contributed 694 hours to 26 pro bono projects across their first months with us. Across the entire Houston office of 62 attorneys, Gibson Dunn aided on over 85 different pro bono projects in 2022.

One of the ways that the firm provides legal services to the poor is by partnering with local legal aid organizations. Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP of Houston has worked closely with organizations such as Lone Star Legal Aid and the Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program to help provide legal services and representation to those who cannot afford it.

The firm has also taken on a number of individual pro bono cases over the years. These cases have ranged from representing indigent criminal defendants to handling pro bono appeals for individuals who have been wrongfully denied disability benefits. The firm’s lawyers have gone beyond to help those in need, devoting countless hours to these cases to ensure that their clients receive the legal assistance they require. The firm’s pro bono culture has resulted in many remarkable individual and group pro bono efforts in the Houston office, including the Houston first-year class of six attorneys providing over 700 hours of pro bono service in 2022, and Lexine Ruffins, a legal secretary, providing over 250 pro bono hours herself in her work on five divorce cases for the Houston Bar Association. In addition to their work for the Houston community, Gibson Dunn Houston attorneys play key roles in the firm’s broader pro bono ecosystem as well. Houston attorneys contributed significantly to many firmwide and global pro bono endeavors, particularly in civil rights litigation and asylum support efforts. Gibson Dunn leverages its global presence and broad platform to address needs where they arise around the globe, and that allows our Houston attorneys to have worldwide impact for those in need in addition to the significant work they do here at home. Additionally, please see attached supporting materials packet.

Legal Services to the Poor in Criminal Matters Committee Created in 1994, the Legal Services to the Poor in Criminal Matters Committee is a standing committee of the State Bar’s Board of Directors. It collects data and develops recommendations to improve the quality of the representation available to indigent Texans in criminal matters.

This year the committee worked on planning a 20th anniversary event to commemorate the passage of Texas’ Fair Defense Act; developing a guide to best practices for prosecutors in cases involving indigent defendants; A2 - 13

and revising the Performance Guidelines for Non-Capital Criminal Defense Representation. The committee also selected the winners of the Indigent Defense Awards.

2023 Indigent Defense Awards Warren Burnett Award Named for the late legendary Texas Attorney Warren Burnett, the award recognizes extraordinary contributions to improving the quality of criminal legal representation to indigent Texans. The award honors either an individual or organization for their work in the courtroom, legislature or in the public sphere.

Michelle Moore (Burnet) Paula Michelle Moore is a dedicated attorney who has made a name for herself in the legal community. In her last role before retiring, she served as a Public Defender at the North Hill County Public Defender's Office in Burnet County, Texas.

Her passion for law began when she was young. She pursued justice with a determination that has led to several accolades. After completing her undergraduate studies at Texas A&M University, Paula enrolled in law school at the University of Arkansas. During her studies, she focused on criminal defense and became well-versed in various areas of the law. Upon graduation, she started her career as an attorney, and her exceptional work in the field quickly caught the attention of her peers. In 2003, she supervised a team of misdemeanor public defenders in Dallas County and assisted with SMU Deadman School of Law clinics.

Paula's impressive knowledge of the law and her independent thinking, keen analysis, and strategic planning has been essential to her ongoing success as a Public Defender. In 2007, while working with IPTX (Innocence Project of Texas) she successfully assisted in the exoneration of several wrongfully convicted individuals. Her clients consistently commend her for her unwavering commitment and dedication to protecting their rights. Having worked on numerous cases, Paula has earned a reputation for being a formidable opponent in the courtroom. “Day after day, Michelle has just done the work, without seeking praise or honor- just the work that needs to be done for the people who need it.”

As a Public Defender, Paula Michelle Moore continues to uphold the noble values of the legal profession, which involve ensuring that every person charged with a crime is treated fairly under the law. In 2011, she founded the Burnet County Public Defender’s Office and by 2021 expanded the office to cover two additional counties. Her efforts have contributed significantly to the Burnet County Public Defender's Office's success, earning the trust and respect of the legal community and beyond. She excelled in creating a first-class Indigent Defense Program and received the IDC Gideon Recognition Award in her second year of service. Under her leadership the Public Defender’s Office has created a more efficient and effective justice system for the county, maintaining the County's main goal to ensure that the client is represented by qualified counsel as soon as possible. Paula remains an excellent role model for young attorneys who aspire to follow in her footsteps.

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Michael K. Moore Award for Excellence in Research or Writing in the Area of Indigent Criminal Defense No nominations for the year of 2023.

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Appendix 2 - Exhibit A

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Appendix 2 - Exhibit B

The Pro Bono Committee of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Texas and Lone Star Legal Aid are pleased to present this ONLINE FREE CLE event: FAMILY LAW ESSENTIALS SEMINARS - GIVING BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY Register to receive the Zoom access information.

MODERATORS: Kimberly Naylor & Amy Rod, SBOT Family Law Section Council Members COORDINATORS: Suzanne Hack & Lena Engelage, Lone Star Legal Aid STATE BAR OF TEXAS Co-sponsors: TexasBarCLE, Texas Bar Books, and the Legal Access Division FREE CLE for attorneys who pledge to take TWO pro bono cases within the next year!

MCLE Credit (No. 174185280): 5.50 hours includes 1.50 hours ethics. This course has been approved by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for certification and recertification continuing legal education requirements for attorneys and legal assistants in Civil Trial Law, Civil Appellate Law, and Family Law. This program begins at 9:00 am (CDT) with a welcome at 8:45 am (CDT). Send complete registration form to Lone Star Legal Aid by fax (254-756-3381) or at SHack@lonestarlegal.org. For additional information about the seminar or if arrangements are needed for a participant with a disability to attend this seminar, please contact Suzanne Hack by phone 254-756-7944 ext. 2225 or at SHack@lonestarlegal.org.

PLUS – Texas Bar Books will grant a complimentary one-year subscription to the online version of the Texas Family Law Practice Manual to the first ten eligible attorneys at this seminar who sign up, attend, and agree to take four pro bono cases from Lone Star Legal Aid within a year of this course date. All other attorney attendees may receive a one-year subscription to the online version for 25% off the regular price of the subscription.

Attorneys must attend the entire seminar to qualify for the promotion.

Registration spots are limited. Please register by Friday, June 23 (one week before the course)!

(See following page for agenda and registration form)

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CLE AGENDA Timeline below subject to change.

8:45 am

11:45 am

Welcome Remarks The Clock Is Ticking: Temporary Orders Under Time Pressure Discovery Tips and Traps Cutting Edge Evidence Break Using Summary Judgments in Property Cases Enforcement and Contempt: Pleadings, Techniques and What To Do (and Not Do) Break for Lunch

Noon

Judge’s Panel

1:00 pm 1:30 pm

Legal Services Presentation Break 20 Silver Bullets: Procedure and Evidence Tools You Need To Know Orders with Bite - Drafting Orders with an Eye for Enforcement A Mixed Bag of Tricks: SAPCR Case Law Update Closing Remarks

9:00 am 9:30 am 10:00 am 10:30 am 10:45 am 11:15am

1:45 pm 2:15 pm 2:45 pm 3:15 pm

Kimberly Naylor & Amy Rod McKenzie R. Eccleston John C. Maher Ashley N. Green Rebekah Birdwell Chandler Winslow Hon. Wendy Hencerling, Brazos Family Law Court More panelists TBA. Lena Engelage & Suzanne Hack Steve Naylor Jim Evans Jessica Phillips Kimberly Naylor & Amy Rod

Registrants will be provided with the Zoom access information after registration.

Friday, June 30, 2023 DEADLINE: Send complete registration form to Suzanne Hack & Lena Engelage by fax (254-756-3381) or email (SHack@lonestarlegal.org) by Friday, June 23.

FREE CLE for attorneys who pledge to take TWO pro bono cases within the next year!

NAME: BAR NO. EMAIL: FIRM: MAILING ADDRESS: PHONE: FAX: MATERIALS FORMAT

Check the box that applies: ✔  hardcopy of FLES articles presented in a spiralbound book  digital copies of FLES articles presented on a flash drive

FREE CLE IF YOU TAKE You must: TWO CASES PRO BONO  Agree to handle two pro bono cases from Lone Star Legal Aid within 12 months of this course ATTORNEY SIGNATURE

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The Pro Bono Committee of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Texas and Texas RioGrande Legal Aid are pleased to present this FREE CLE event: FAMILY LAW ESSENTIALS SEMINARS - GIVING BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY Eagle Pass Public Library 589 Main St. Eagle Pass, Texas Friday, May 12, 2023 MODERATORS: Roxie Cluck & Natalie Webb, SBOT Family Law Section Council Members COORDINATOR: Alberto Sandoval, Jr., Texas RioGrande Legal Aid STATE BAR OF TEXAS Co-sponsors: TexasBarCLE, Texas Bar Books, and the Legal Access Division FREE CLE for attorneys who pledge to take TWO pro bono cases within the next year!

MCLE Credit (No. 174185280): 5.50 hours includes 1.50 hours ethics. This course has been approved by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for certification and recertification continuing legal education requirements for attorneys and legal assistants in Civil Trial Law, Civil Appellate Law, and Family Law. This program begins at 9:15 am (CDT) with a welcome at 9:00 am (CDT). Send complete registration form to Texas RioGrande Legal Aid by fax (956-591-8752) or email (FLES@trla.org). For additional information about the seminar or if arrangements are needed for a participant with a disability to attend this seminar, please contact Alberto Sandoval, Jr. by phone (956-718-4608) or by email (FLES@trla.org).

PLUS – Texas Bar Books will grant a complimentary one-year subscription to the online version of the Texas Family Law Practice Manual to the first ten eligible attorneys at this seminar who sign up, attend, and agree to take four pro bono cases from Texas RioGrande Legal Aid within a year of this course date.

All other attorney attendees may receive a one-year subscription to the online version for 25% off the regular price of the subscription.

Attorneys must attend the entire seminar to qualify for the promotion.

Registration spots are limited. Please register by Friday, May 5 (one week from course date)!

(See following page for agenda and registration form)

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CLE AGENDA (Presentation times may change without notice) 9:00 am

Noon

Welcome Remarks The Clock Is Ticking: Temporary Orders Under Time Pressure Discovery Tips and Traps Cutting Edge Evidence Break Using Summary Judgments in Property Cases Enforcement and Contempt: Pleadings, Techniques and What To Do (and Not Do) Break for Lunch

12:15 pm

Judge’s Panel

1:15 pm 1:45 pm

Legal Services Video Break 20 Silver Bullets: Procedure and Evidence Tools You Need To Know Orders with Bite - Drafting Orders with an Eye for Enforcement A Mixed Bag of Tricks: SAPCR Case Law Update Closing Remarks

9:15 am 9:45 am 10:15 am 10:45 am 11:00 am 11:30 am

2:00 pm 2:30 pm 3:00 pm 3:30 pm

Roxie Cluck & Natalie Webb Natalie Webb, Dallas Greg Beane, Dallas Ann Jamieson, San Antonio Roxie Cluck, Canton Rachael Reuter, San Antonio Hon. Amado Abascal, 365th District Judge More panelists coming soon.

Alberto Sandoval, Jr. David Kazen, San Antonio Hon. David Canales, San Antonio Kay Nehring, Fort Davis Roxie Cluck & Natalie Webb

Eagle Pass Public Library 589 Main St. Eagle Pass, Texas Friday, May 12, 2023 DEADLINE: Send complete registration form to Alberto Sandoval, Jr. by fax (956-591-8752) or email (FLES@trla.org) by Friday, May 5 (one week prior to course date!).

FREE CLE for attorneys who pledge to take TWO pro bono cases within the next year!

NAME: BAR NO. EMAIL: FIRM: MAILING ADDRESS: PHONE: FAX: MATERIALS FORMAT

Check the box that applies:  hardcopy of FLES articles presented in a spiralbound book  digital copies of FLES articles presented on a flash drive

FREE CLE IF YOU TAKE You must: TWO CASES PRO BONO  Agree to handle two pro bono cases from Texas RioGrande Legal Aid within 12 months of this course ATTORNEY SIGNATURE

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The Pro Bono Committee of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Texas and Texas RioGrande Legal Aid are pleased to present this FREE CLE event: FAMILY LAW ESSENTIALS SEMINARS - GIVING BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY El Paso Commissioners' Courtroom 500 E. San Antonio, 3rd Flr. El Paso, Texas Thursday, June 22, 2023 MODERATORS: Adam Dietrich & Kevin Seglar, SBOT Family Law Section Council Members COORDINATOR: Graciela Martinez, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid STATE BAR OF TEXAS Co-sponsors: TexasBarCLE, Texas Bar Books, and the Legal Access Division FREE CLE for attorneys who pledge to take TWO pro bono cases within the next year!

MCLE Credit (No. 174185280): 5.50 hours includes 1.50 hours ethics. This course has been approved by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for certification and recertification continuing legal education requirements for attorneys and legal assistants in Civil Trial Law, Civil Appellate Law, and Family Law. This program begins at 9:00 am (MST) with a welcome at 8:45 am (MST). Send complete registration form to Texas RioGrande Legal Aid by fax (956-591-8752) or email (FLES@trla.org). For additional information about the seminar or if arrangements are needed for a participant with a disability to attend this seminar, please contact Graciela Martinez by phone (915-585-5115) or by email (FLES@trla.org).

PLUS – Texas Bar Books will grant a complimentary one-year subscription to the online version of the Texas Family Law Practice Manual to the first ten eligible attorneys at this seminar who sign up, attend, and agree to take four pro bono cases from Texas RioGrande Legal Aid within a year of this course date.

All other attorney attendees may receive a one-year subscription to the online version for 25% off the regular price of the subscription.

Attorneys must attend the entire seminar to qualify for the promotion.

Registration spots are limited. Please register by Thursday, June 15, 2023!

(See following page for agenda and registration form)

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CLE AGENDA (Presentation times may change without notice) 8:45 am

11:45 am

Welcome Remarks The Clock Is Ticking: Temporary Orders Under Time Pressure Discovery Tips and Traps Cutting Edge Evidence Break Using Summary Judgments in Property Cases Enforcement and Contempt: Pleadings, Techniques and What To Do (and Not Do) Break for Lunch

Noon

Judge’s Panel

1:00 pm 1:30 pm

Legal Services Video Break 20 Silver Bullets: Procedure and Evidence Tools You Need To Know Orders with Bite - Drafting Orders with an Eye for Enforcement A Mixed Bag of Tricks: SAPCR Case Law Update Closing Remarks

9:00 am 9:30 am 10:00 am 10:30 am 10:45 am 11:15am

1:45 pm 2:15 pm 2:45 pm 3:15 pm

Adam Dietrich & Kevin Seglar Tom Daley Lon Loveless Lisa Hayes Rob McAngus Claudia Canales Hon. Lyda Ness Garcia, 383rd Judicial District Court Hon. Marlene Gonzalez, 388th Judicial District Court Hon. Jesus Rodriguez, El Paso County Court at Law #5 Alberto "Beto" Mesta Ashley DeHart Serena Hudson Ashley Murski Adam Dietrich & Kevin Seglar

El Paso Commissioners' Courtroom 500 E. San Antonio, 3rd Flr. El Paso, Texas Thursday, June 22, 2023 DEADLINE: Send complete registration form to Graciela Martinez by fax (956-591-8752) or email (FLES@trla.org) by Thursday, June 15, 2023 (one week prior to course date).

FREE CLE for attorneys who pledge to take TWO pro bono cases within the next year!

NAME: BAR NO. EMAIL: FIRM: MAILING ADDRESS: PHONE: FAX: MATERIALS FORMAT

Check the box that applies:  hardcopy of FLES articles presented in a spiralbound book  digital copies of FLES articles presented on a flash drive

FREE CLE IF YOU TAKE You must: TWO CASES PRO BONO  Agree to handle two pro bono cases from Texas RioGrande Legal Aid within 12 months of this course ATTORNEY SIGNATURE

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The Pro Bono Committee of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Texas and Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas are pleased to present this FREE CLE event: FAMILY LAW ESSENTIALS SEMINARS - GIVING BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY Concho Valley Council of Governments 5430 Link Rd. San Angelo, Texas Friday, May 12, 2023 MODERATORS: Chad Petross & Sarah Darnell, SBOT Family Law Section Council Members COORDINATOR: James Casillas, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas (LANWT) STATE BAR OF TEXAS Co-sponsors: TexasBarCLE, Texas Bar Books, and the Legal Access Division FREE CLE for attorneys who pledge to take TWO pro bono cases within the next year!

MCLE Credit (No. 174185280): 5.50 hours includes 1.50 hours ethics. This course has been approved by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for certification and recertification continuing legal education requirements for attorneys and legal assistants in Civil Trial Law, Civil Appellate Law, and Family Law. This program begins at 9:00 am (CDT) with a welcome at 8:45 am (CDT). Send complete registration form to Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas by fax (325-399-9077) or email (casillasj@lanwt.org). For additional information about the seminar or if arrangements are needed for a participant with a disability to attend this seminar, please contact James Casillas by phone (325-653-6982 ext. 7006) or by email (casillasj@lanwt.org).

PLUS – Texas Bar Books will grant a complimentary one-year subscription to the online version of the Texas Family Law Practice Manual to the first ten eligible attorneys at this seminar who sign up, attend, and agree to take four pro bono cases from Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas within a year of this course date.

All other attorney attendees may receive a one-year subscription to the online version for 25% off the regular price of the subscription.

Attorneys must attend the entire seminar to qualify for the promotion.

Registration spots are limited. Please register by Friday, May 5, 2023!

(See following page for agenda and registration form)

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CLE AGENDA (Presentation times may change without notice) 8:45 am

11:45 am

Welcome Remarks The Clock Is Ticking: Temporary Orders Under Time Pressure Discovery Tips and Traps Cutting Edge Evidence Break Using Summary Judgments in Property Cases Enforcement and Contempt: Pleadings, Techniques and What To Do (and Not Do) Break for Lunch

Noon

Judge’s Panel

1:00 pm 1:30 pm

Legal Services Video Break 20 Silver Bullets: Procedure and Evidence Tools You Need To Know Orders with Bite - Drafting Orders with an Eye for Enforcement A Mixed Bag of Tricks: SAPCR Case Law Update Closing Remarks

9:00 am 9:30 am 10:00 am 10:30 am 10:45 am 11:15am

1:45 pm 2:15 pm 2:45 pm 3:15 pm

Chad Petross & Sarah Darnell Katie L. Lewis Erin Clegg Erin M. Bogdanowicz Lacy Kimball Danny Webb Hon. Jay K. Weatherby, 340th Judicial District Court Hon. Paul R. Rotenberry, 326th District Court James Casillas Raul Sandoval Kelly Burris Mackenzie J. Bramlett Chad Petross & Sarah Darnell

Concho Valley Council of Governments 5430 Link Rd. San Angelo, Texas Friday, May 12, 2023 DEADLINE: Send complete registration form to James Casillas by fax (325-399-9077) or email (casillasj@lanwt.org) by Friday, May 5, 2023 (one week prior to course date).

FREE CLE for attorneys who pledge to take TWO pro bono cases within the next year!

NAME: BAR NO. EMAIL: FIRM: MAILING ADDRESS: PHONE: FAX: MATERIALS FORMAT

Check the box that applies:  hardcopy of FLES articles presented in a spiralbound book  digital copies of FLES articles presented on a flash drive

FREE CLE IF YOU TAKE You must: TWO CASES PRO BONO  Agree to handle two pro bono cases from Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas within 12 months of this course ATTORNEY SIGNATURE

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The Pro Bono Committee of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Texas and Texas RioGrande Legal Aid are pleased to present this FREE CLE event: FAMILY LAW ESSENTIALS SEMINARS - GIVING BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY South Padre Island Convention Center 7355 Padre Blvd.

South Padre Island, Texas Friday, June 9, 2023 MODERATORS: Tammy Moon & Lisa Hoppes, SBOT Family Law Section Council Members COORDINATOR: Alexandra Mora, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid STATE BAR OF TEXAS Co-sponsors: TexasBarCLE, Texas Bar Books, and the Legal Access Division FREE CLE for attorneys who pledge to take TWO pro bono cases within the next year!

MCLE Credit (No. 174185280): 5.50 hours includes 1.50 hours ethics. This course has been approved by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for certification and recertification continuing legal education requirements for attorneys and legal assistants in Civil Trial Law, Civil Appellate Law, and Family Law. This program begins at 9:00 am (CDT) with a welcome at 8:45 am (CDT). Send complete registration form to Texas RioGrande Legal Aid by fax (956-591-8752) or email (FLES@trla.org). For additional information about the seminar or if arrangements are needed for a participant with a disability to attend this seminar, please contact Alexandra Mora by phone (956-982-5555) or by email (FLES@trla.org).

PLUS – Texas Bar Books will grant a complimentary one-year subscription to the online version of the Texas Family Law Practice Manual to the first ten eligible attorneys at this seminar who sign up, attend, and agree to take four pro bono cases from Texas RioGrande Legal Aid within a year of this course date.

All other attorney attendees may receive a one-year subscription to the online version for 25% off the regular price of the subscription.

Attorneys must attend the entire seminar to qualify for the promotion.

Registration spots are limited. Please register by Friday, June 2!

(See following page for agenda and registration form)

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CLE AGENDA (Presentation times may change without notice) 8:45 am

11:45 am

Welcome Remarks The Clock Is Ticking: Temporary Orders Under Time Pressure Discovery Tips and Traps Cutting Edge Evidence Break Using Summary Judgments in Property Cases Enforcement and Contempt: Pleadings, Techniques and What To Do (and Not Do) Break for Lunch

Noon

Judge’s Panel

1:00 pm 1:30 pm

Legal Services Video Break 20 Silver Bullets: Procedure and Evidence Dwayne Smith Tools You Need To Know Orders with Bite - Drafting Orders with an Shailey Gupta-Brietzke Eye for Enforcement A Mixed Bag of Tricks: SAPCR Case Law Robert Tsai Update Closing Remarks Tammy Moon & Lisa Hoppes FAMILY LAW ESSENTIALS SEMINARS - GIVING BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY

9:00 am 9:30 am 10:00 am 10:30 am 10:45 am 11:15am

1:45 pm 2:15 pm 2:45 pm 3:15 pm

Tammy Moon & Lisa Hoppes Trey Yates Rocky Pilgrim Christine Thrash Whitney Vaughan Karen Marvel Hon. Adolfo E. Cordova, Jr., 197th District Court Hon. David A. Sanchez, 444th District Court Pablo Javier Almaguer

South Padre Island Convention Center 7355 Padre Blvd.

South Padre Island, Texas Friday, June 9, 2023 DEADLINE: Send complete registration form to Alexandra Mora by fax (956-591-8752) or email (FLES@trla.org) by Friday, June 2.

FREE CLE for attorneys who pledge to take TWO pro bono cases within the next year!

NAME: BAR NO. EMAIL: FIRM: MAILING ADDRESS: PHONE: FAX: MATERIALS FORMAT

Check the box that applies:  hardcopy of FLES articles presented in a spiralbound book  digital copies of FLES articles presented on a flash drive

FREE CLE IF YOU TAKE You must: TWO CASES PRO BONO  Agree to handle two pro bono cases from Texas RioGrande Legal Aid within 12 months of this course ATTORNEY SIGNATURE

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The Pro Bono Committee of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Texas and Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas are pleased to present this FREE CLE event: FAMILY LAW ESSENTIALS SEMINARS - GIVING BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY Wichita Falls Country Club 1701 Hamilton Blvd.

Wichita Falls, Texas Friday, June 9, 2023 MODERATORS: Lon Loveless & Steve Naylor, SBOT Family Law Section Council Members COORDINATOR: Alexis Ammons, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas (LANWT) STATE BAR OF TEXAS Co-sponsors: TexasBarCLE, Texas Bar Books, and the Legal Access Division FREE CLE for attorneys who pledge to take TWO pro bono cases within the next year!

MCLE Credit (No. 174185280): 5.50 hours includes 1.50 hours ethics. This course has been approved by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for certification and recertification continuing legal education requirements for attorneys and legal assistants in Civil Trial Law, Civil Appellate Law, and Family Law. This program begins at 9:00 am (CDT) with a welcome at 8:45 am (CDT). Send completed registration form to LANWT by fax 940-723-1551 or email ammonsa@lanwt.org. For additional information about the seminar or if arrangements are needed for a participant with a disability to attend this seminar, please contact Alexis Ammons by phone 940-305-7040 or by ammonsa@lanwt.org.

PLUS – Texas Bar Books will grant a complimentary one-year subscription to the online version of the Texas Family Law Practice Manual to the first ten eligible attorneys at this seminar who sign up, attend, and agree to take four pro bono cases from LANWT within a year of this course date. All other attorney attendees may receive a one-year subscription to the online version for 25% off the regular price of the subscription.

Attorneys must attend the entire seminar to qualify for the promotion.

Registration spots are limited. Please register by Friday, June 2!

(See following page for agenda and registration form)

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CLE AGENDA (Presentation times may change without notice) 8:45 am

11:45 am

Welcome Remarks The Clock Is Ticking: Temporary Orders Under Time Pressure Discovery Tips and Traps Cutting Edge Evidence Break Using Summary Judgments in Property Cases Enforcement and Contempt: Pleadings, Techniques and What To Do (and Not Do) Break for Lunch

Noon

Judge’s Panel

1:00 pm 1:30 pm

Legal Services Video Break 20 Silver Bullets: Procedure and Evidence Tools You Need To Know Orders with Bite - Drafting Orders with an Eye for Enforcement A Mixed Bag of Tricks: SAPCR Case Law Update Closing Remarks

9:00 am 9:30 am 10:00 am 10:30 am 10:45 am 11:15am

1:45 pm 2:15 pm 2:45 pm 3:15 pm

Lon Loveless & Steve Naylor Janine McGill Laura W. Fidelie Erin Bogdanowicz John Kappell Michelle McKinney Hon. Gary Butler, Wichita County Court at Law #1 Hon. Jeff McKnight, 30th District Court Hon. Meredith Kennedy, 78th District Court Alexis Ammons Holly Baird Andrew Anderson Jim Loveless Lon Loveless & Steve Naylor

Wichita Falls Country Club 1701 Hamilton Blvd.

Wichita Falls, Texas Friday, June 9, 2023 DEADLINE: Send complete registration form to Alexis Ammons by fax 940-723-1551 or email ammonsa@lanwt.org by Friday, June 2.

FREE CLE for attorneys who pledge to take TWO pro bono cases within the next year!

NAME: BAR NO. EMAIL: FIRM: MAILING ADDRESS: PHONE: FAX: MATERIALS FORMAT

Check the box that applies:  hardcopy of FLES articles presented in a spiralbound book  digital copies of FLES articles presented on a flash drive

FREE CLE IF YOU TAKE You must: TWO CASES PRO BONO  Agree to handle two pro bono cases from Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas within 12 months of this course ATTORNEY SIGNATURE

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Appendix 2 Exhibit C

2023 PBCR Agenda – CLE hours: 6.25 (.50 ethics) August 29 ‐ August 30 | Austin, TX | Hilton Austin | 4th Floor

Tuesday, August 29 ‐ Day 1 9:00 ‐ 9:15

Retreat Welcome and State Bar of Texas Update Presenter: Trey Apffel, Executive Director, State Bar of Texas

9:15 ‐ 9:30

Texas Access to Justice Commission and SBOT Legal Access Division Update Presenter: Honorable Lora J. Livingston, Interim Director, TAJC and LAD

9:30 ‐ 9:45

Texas Access to Justice Foundation Update Presenter: Kimberly Schmitt, Communications Manager, TAJF

9:55 ‐ 11:10

11:15 ‐ 12:30 12:30 ‐ 1:40 1:45 ‐ 3:00

Developing the Relationships Between Legal Service Providers, Law Firms, and Community Partners Presenters: James Casillas, Ashley Kennedy, & Sylvia Chavez Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas Cultivating a Volunteer-Focused Approach to Create Great Opportunity Listings and Engage Pro Bono Attorneys Presenters: Ilana Flemming, Director of Pro Bono Community, Paladin Lunch Closing the Justice Gap: The Judicial Promotion of Pro Bono Projects (.50 ethics) Presenters: Suzanne Hack & Lena Engelage, Lone Star Legal Aid Honorable Stuti Trehan Patel, District Court Associate Judge 458th Judicial District Court in Fort Bend County, Texas Wednesday, August 30 ‐ Day 2

9:00 ‐ 10:15

Effective Integration of Law Student Interns in Your Legal Aid Practice Presenters: Aaryn Lamb & Becky Moseley, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas

10:20 ‐ 11:35

How to Turn a Board or Committee into Major Gift Fundraisers Presenter: Sam Prince, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas

11:00 ‐ 12:30

Lunch

Please note the agenda is current as of 7/20/2023 and is subject to change. Please visit https://www.texasbar.com/Content/NavigationMenu/LawyersGivingBack/LegalAccessDivision/PBCR-Agenda.pdf for the most up to date sessions.

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Tuesday, August 29, 2023, ~ Day 1 9:00 am

Retreat Welcome and State Bar of Texas Update

9:15 am

Texas Access to Justice Commission & SBOT Legal Access Division Update

9:30 am

Texas Access to Justice Foundation Update

9:55 am

Developing the Relationships Between Legal Service Providers, Law Firms, and Community Partners

Presenter: Trey Apffel, Executive Director - State Bar of Texas

Presenter: Hon. Lora J. Livingston, Interim Director - LAD and TAJC

Presenter: Kimberly Schmitt, Communications Manager - TAJF

Presenters: James Casillas, Ashley Kennedy, & Sylvia Chavez - Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas

This session will explore the symbiotic relationship between legal aid providers, law firms, and community partners. We will share details of our successful partnerships with law firms, law schools, and other community partners, as well as annual events to foster networking.

11:15 am Cultivating a Volunteer-Focused Approach to Create Great Opportunity Listings and Engage Pro Bono Attorneys Presenters: Ilana Flemming, Director of Pro Bono Community - Paladin

This session will explore the simple principles of a volunteer-focused approach that attendees can apply to their pro bono programs to craft more effective opportunity listings and draw pro bono attorney interest. The material will draw on a variety of sources, including Paladin user activity data; product research with hundreds of LSOs, law firm attorneys, and pro bono counsel; and internal legal marketing expertise. The second half of the session will be an interactive workshop where attendees will collaborate on sample pro bono opportunity listings, share their sample listings for group discussion, and reflect on lessons learned.

Attendees will leave with actionable takeaways for crafting informative and engaging pro bono opportunity listings.

12:30 pm

Lunch

Please note the agenda is current as of 7/20/2023 and is subject to change. Please visit https://www.texasbar.com/Content/NavigationMenu/LawyersGivingBack/LegalAccessDivision/PBCR-Agenda.pdf for the most up to date sessions.

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1:45 pm

Closing the Justice Gap: The Judicial Promotion of Pro Bono Projects (.50 ethics) Presenters: Suzanne Hack & Lena Engelage, Lone Star Legal Aid; Honorable Stuti Trehan Patel, District Court Associate Judge, 458th Judicial District Court in Fort Bend County, Texas This session will describe how the judiciary spearheaded an effort to bridge the justice gap in Fort Bend County through a collaboration with Lone Star Legal Aid and the local bar association. With a great desire to promote Pro Bono work and professional ethics and a need to recruit and train Ad Litem Attorneys, Judge Stuti Patel contacted Lone Star Legal Aid to discuss potential projects. The collaborative developed a new Ad Litem CLE Series for Fort Bend County designed to recruit volunteers, provide exceptional CLE opportunities, increase the number of attorneys serving as Ad Litems, and provide training to new Ad Litems.

Wednesday, August 30, 2023 ~ Day 2 9:00 am

Effective Integration of Law Student Interns in Your Legal Aid Practice Presenters: Aaryn Lamb & Becky Moseley, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas

We've all got them for one week, one summer, or one semester - interns. How do you provide them with quality experience while also benefiting your program? This session will be a panel discussion of how to incorporate an unlicensed “almost” lawyer into your unit. Examples of helpful projects and tasks will also be discussed.

10:20 am

How to Turn a Board or Committee into Major Gift Fundraisers Presenter: Samuel M. Prince, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas

This session will discuss the basic steps of turning a board, pro bono advisory board, or committee (ad-hoc or otherwise) into a dynamic group of fundraisers. Fundraising is not for the faint of heart, but, once volunteer fundraisers are trained and understand their role, you will be surprised at the results.

End of the 2023 PBCR

Please note the agenda is current as of 7/20/2023 and is subject to change. Please visit https://www.texasbar.com/Content/NavigationMenu/LawyersGivingBack/LegalAccessDivision/PBCR-Agenda.pdf for the most up to date sessions.

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Appendix 2 Exhibit D

Denotes hybrid track available virtually and in person.

Wednesday, August 30, 2023 Salon E

Room 406

Room 408

Room 410

Room 412

Room 415AB

LUNCH

11:00 - 12:00

11:30 - 12:45

Protective Orders: The Wild West

Defending Tenants in Justice Court From A-Z

Parentage & Poverty

Bank Seizures & Wage Garnishments Versus the 800Pound Bankruptcy Preference Gorilla

Disaster Lawyering 3.0

You Got to Between the Lines: Name and Gender Marker Corrections in Texas and How Legal Clinics Can Help

1:00 - 2:15

Helping Survivors Defend Against Coerced Debt

Keeping Tenant Records Clean: Sealing Cases by Agreement

ABCs of Child Support

Dischargability of Student Loans in Bankruptcy

Examining Disaster Preparedness and Response Through an Equity Lens

Everyone Is a Family Defense Attorney: The Role of Poverty Lawyers in a Child Protective Services Context

COFFEE BREAK

2:15 - 2:30

2:30 - 3:45

TASK FORCE MEETINGS 4:00 - 5:00 Section Meeting 5:15 - 6: 30

Housing and Consumer Protections for Survivors of Domestic Violence Employment Law ---------------------------Family Law

Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program – Update on Changes Affecting Tenants and Applicants

Top Ten Questions Parents Ask About Child Access and Visitation

SSI/SSDI: The SOAR Model and the NOSSCR Approach - Incorporating Both to Increase the Likelihood of an Award Letter Presentation

Legal Aid Response to Mass Shootings in Texas

Make It Go Away – Removing Employment Barriers Through Expunctions and Orders of NonDisclosure

Housing and Consumer Law ----------------------------------Disaster Law (off-site)

Immigration Law

Juvenile Justice and Education

Community Redevelopment and Environmental Justice

Public Benefits

Poverty Law Section Annual Meeting (Salon E)

For each session at 11:30 am, 1:00 pm, and 2:30 pm, you may earn 1.25 hrs. of CLE credit.

See specific session descriptions for any ethics-related credit.

Task force meetings qualify as CLE credit earning 1.00 hr. If you attend the PLS annual meeting, you may earn 1.00 hr. of CLE credit.

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Denotes hybrid track available virtually and in person.

Thursday, August 31, 2023 Salon E

Room 406

Room 408

Room 410

Room 412

Room 415AB

Tackling Title IX: How to Advocate for Students Experiencing Sexual or Gender-based Harassment, Discrimination, or Assault

Environmental Justice, Land Use, and Community Engagement

Driver License Restoration Getting Your Client Back on the Road with an Occupational Driver License Presentation

School Discipline and the Law

New Developments in EJ: What’s Working, What’s Not, and New Tools to Protect Our Client Communities

Immigration Intersectionality: Tips and Tools for Legal Aid Workers Assisting Vulnerable Clients

BREAKFAST

7:00 - 8:30 8:30 - 9:45

What the $#%@ Happened in the 88th Session? TCFV Legislative Update

10:00 - 11:15

The Importance of TraumaInformed and CulturallySensitive Lawyering When Working with Crime Victims and Survivors

The Big Bang Theory Expanding Defenses Against Residential Evictions

Preserving the Record and Preparing for Your First Appeal

2023 Legislative Updates for Housing Advocates

Legalese to English to Spanish (And Vietnamese): The Latest on Language Access and Civil Justice in Texas

LUNCH

11:15 - 12:15

12:15 - 1:30

Firearms & Family Violence: Connecting the Pathways to Prevent Violence

1:45 - 3:00

“I Changed My Mind.” Now What? How To Cope When a Client Returns to the Abuser

3:15 - 4:30

Things That Could Have Been Brought to My Attention Yesterday: Tool-Kit for the Family Law Practitioner

How & When to Mandamus in Justice Court

Why Am I Paying the Court for This? Financial Barriers to Justice: Systemic Problems and Systemic Solutions

Bullying and the Public Interest Lawyer

Raising the Right to a Reasonable Accommodation Under the FHA

Special Immigrant Juvenile Status 101 & Texas State Court Proceedings

Applying the Deceptive Trade Practices Act to LandlordTenant Disputes

The Lawyer's Duty to Social Media Search: Researching Social Media and Using It in the Courtroom

McKinney Vento for Legal Aid Attorneys

Exploring the Evolution of HUD’s Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule

Immigration Basics for NonImmigration Advocates

How to Help Texas Homeowners: Soup to Nuts

The Texas Public Information Act: Get Records, Not Grief

When Students with Disabilities Are Injured at School

Lessons from First-Year Community Lawyering: Walking a Tight Rope of Problems, Politics, Personalities, and Prohibitions

Asylum at the Border

For each session at 8:30 am, 10:00 am, 12:15 pm, 1:45 pm and 3:15 pm, you may earn 1.25 hrs. of CLE credit.

See specific session descriptions for any ethics-related credit.

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Denotes hybrid track available virtually and in person.

Friday, September 1, 2023 Room 406

Room 408

Room 410

Room 412

Room 415AB

BREAKFAST

8:00 - 9:00

9:00 - 10:15

Effective Strategies for Engaging and Educating JP Courts

Leveraging Virtual Court Kiosks to Help Low-Income Texans

Overcoming Civil Death

In and Out of the Courtroom: Utilizing a Social Worker or Advocate

Immigration Law – What Do I Need to Know, Updates, and Trends

10:30 - 11:45

Following the Chain of Title: Handling Your First Third-Party Debt Collector Case

Bridging the Rainbow Divide: Connecting the LGBTQ+ Community to Necessary Legal Services

Dying To Find Out: Why Legal Services Matter for Individual and Community Health

You’ve Built It… Now What? How To Maintain and Maximize Your Automated Documents and Tools

In Service of Heroes: What You Need to Know About Representing Active-Duty Military Under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act

12:00 - 1:00

KEYNOTE LUNCH Director Rachel Rossi, Office for Access to Justice

For each session at 11:30 am, 1:00 pm, and 2:30 pm, you may earn 1.25 hrs. of CLE credit.

See specific session descriptions for any ethics-related credit.

By attending the Keynote Lunch, you may earn 0.75 hrs. of ethics CLE credit.

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You may earn 1.25 hrs. of CLE credit for each session listed below. *Denotes hybrid track available virtually and in-person.

Session Descriptions

Wednesday, August 30: 11:30 am – 12:45 pm Protective Orders: The Wild West* Presenters: Christofer Tracy, Sara Fix, & Anwesha Sarkar Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas

Defending Tenants in Justice Court From A-Z* Presenters: Jackie Calvert, Gregory Zlotnick, & Elizabeth Pliego, St. Mary's Law Center for Legal and Social Justice

In this session, attendees will learn about the different types of protective orders available to survivors as well as changes in the law following the most recent legislative session. This will include sexual assault protective orders and 2-year domestic violence protective orders. We will also discuss the current and rapidly changing state of affairs with regard to gun provisions in protective orders.

In this session, attendees will learn how to defend tenants in eviction proceedings using the letters of the alphabet. The session will discuss the defenses used in eviction proceedings and the nature of the justice court.

Parentage & Poverty Presenters: Meagan Belovsky & Vanessa Winton South Texas College of Law, Randall O. Sorrels Legal Clinics A child born during the marriage but not of the marriage, an aunt whose sister died and needs to enroll her nieces in school, an older sibling caring for their minor sibling after their parents were deported, and a same-sex couple facing a divorce with children-these are a few of the circumstances experienced by family lawyers who represent low-income clients. This session will provide an overview of the Uniform Parentage Act – ways to establish parentage, common pitfalls, and cost-effective alternatives to SAPCRs. Disaster Lawyering 3.0 Presenters: Stephanie Duke & Sean Jackson Disability Rights Texas This session will explore how collaborations in blue-sky times with public, private, and nonprofit entities can facilitate and support disaster legal efforts by implementing a community lawyering approach to address inequities experienced in the communities we serve. The need for advocates in the disaster/emergency realm is substantiated by the actionable work needed after an event and the breadth of legal needs as disaster issues can intersect with every substantive area of law. Collaboration and sustained engagement from legal aid providers is critical for building resiliency for our most vulnerable communities, and we will discuss how to build on past successes in this arena.

You Got to Read Between the Lines: Name and Gender Marker Corrections in Texas and How Legal Clinics Can Help Presenters: Gabriel Sanchez, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid & Stephanie Harlien, St. Mary's University School of Law Name and Gender Mark Corrections (NGMC) can be done in Texas! This session will discuss the legal processes for obtaining an NGMC in Texas and the legal bases—or lack thereof—for doing so. Participants will receive an overview of (1) the current terminology used to describe gender identity and gender diversity and (2) the challenges this community faces. Working off of the efficient partnership between Texas RioGrande Legal Aid and St. Mary’s University School of Law, participants will learn how to successfully use and implement the clinic model within their communities. Participants will also become familiar with special circumstances impacting specific clients needing an NGMC and how to navigate these issues given the current climate.

Bank Seizures & Wage Garnishments Versus the 800-Pound Bankruptcy Preference Gorilla Presenter: John Grieger, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas Debt collectors in Texas are increasingly appointing receivers who often seize an individual's bank accounts without notice. Many out-of-state debt collectors use outof-state Wage Garnishment Orders to garnish Texans’ wages. The session will focus on strategies to recover those funds and, if necessary, how the preference provisions in the Bankruptcy Code can be utilized to recover seized funds and garnished wages.

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You may earn 1.25 hrs. of CLE credit for each session listed below. *Denotes hybrid track available virtually and in-person.

Session Descriptions

Wednesday, August 30: 1:00 pm – 2:15 pm Helping Survivors Defend Against Coerced Debt* Presenters: Brittany L. Hightower, Lone Star Legal Aid & Briana Gordley, Texas Appleseed

Dischargability of Student Loans in Bankruptcy Presenters: Samantha Kehl & Amy Allen Legal Aid of Northwest Texas

In this session, advocates will learn what coerced debt is, how to help survivors of domestic abuse identify coerced debt, and the legal remedies available to address it.

Historically, bankruptcy debtors have faced extreme challenges discharging student loans in bankruptcy.

However, in November 2022, the Department of Justice and Department of Education issued a guidance to assist debtors discharge their student loans. This session will discuss the details of the guidance, as well as the process of discharging eligible student loans.

Keeping Tenant Records Clean: Sealing Cases by Agreement* Presenter: Talya Bernstein Galaganov Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas

Examining Disaster Preparedness and Response Through an Equity Lens Presenters: Amanda Bosley & Sapna Aiyer; Lone Star Legal Aid & Stephanie Duke; Disability Rights Texas

This session will teach attendees how best to successfully propose agreements with landlords regarding sealing cases.

In eviction cases, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas has successfully proposed agreements with landlords, pursuant to which cases are sealed not only upon tenants’ fulfillment of their obligations, but also in the interim, in cases in which, for example, tenants were willing to vacate as a part of the settlement agreement. This is a very important and muchneeded development, as even motivated and well-meaning tenants with the means to put down a deposit find themselves turned away when prospective landlords learn these applicants have pending eviction cases. Interim abatement and sealing of cases pending agreed move-out dates costs landlords nothing and makes it possible for tenants to find new housing.

This session will examine the impact that race, environment, and disability have on individuals preparing for and surviving disasters.

Everyone Is a Family Defense Attorney: The Role of Poverty Lawyers in a Child Protective Services Context Presenters: Shanti Khanna, Austin Community Law Center & Leila Blatt, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid Never stepped foot in a CPS courtroom? If you’re a poverty lawyer, you have nevertheless been practicing family defense. From eviction defense and public benefits appeals to mental health directives and worker's rights protection, many common legal aid supports can guard families against CPS involvement and facilitate reunification during or after a case.

Given the pervasive regulation and surveillance of Texans living in poverty, all poverty law practice inevitably intersects with parents involved with, or at imminent risk of involvement with, CPS. This session will provide necessary information for attorneys in a variety of traditional legal aid practice areas and will share frameworks to identify the ways in which CPS issues can be addressed in non-CPS cases.

ABCs of Child Support Presenters: August Mustillo & Kayla Segrest Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas This session will cover the basics of Child Support in Texas and include effective methods of advocating for the client. We will also discuss some of the nuanced issues that arise in many child support cases.

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You may earn 1.25 hrs. of CLE credit for each session listed below. *Denotes hybrid track available virtually and in-person.

Session Descriptions

Wednesday, August 30: 2:30 pm – 3:45 pm Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program – Update on Changes Affecting Tenants and Applicants* Presenter: Fred Fuchs, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid

Legal Aid Response to Mass Shootings in Texas Presenters: Brittanny Gomez, Bernadette Segura, & Hannah Dyal, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid

This session will focus on changes to the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Program in the past years and how those changes affect tenants and applicants. Changes to VAWA, the CARES Act, and TDHCA regulations relating to evictions, tenant selection, and the reasonable accommodation provision of the Fair Housing Act will also be discussed. The session will include suggestions on drafting pleadings and discovery in LIHTC eviction cases.

Tragically, mass shootings have become commonplace. As with other disasters, Legal Aid is part of the response team.

At the same time, trauma is very different from natural disasters. In this session, a panel will look through the lens of two very different events: the El Paso Walmart and the Robb Elementary School massacres. We will discuss the legal needs and other issues confronted by one legal aid program, Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid. TRLA team members will share the hard lessons learned in doing this critical work, the need for organizational planning for these events, and the development of a toolkit to aid in future responses. In addition, learn about the National Compassion Fund, which helps provides funds to victims of mass casualty and its impact on the survivor clients.

Top Ten Questions Parents Ask About Child Access and Visitation Presenters: Mary Rios & DeVondolyn Arrington Texas Legal Services Center “At what age can my child decide where to live or when to visit with each parent?” “When can a parent deny visitation between their child and the other parent?” “How long does a parent have to wait at the exchange location?”

Do these questions sound familiar? Attorneys who staff the Texas Legal Services Center Parenting Order Legal Line (POLL) specialize in possession, access, and visitation legal issues and have compiled the top ten questions asked about access and visitation through their POLL chat service.

Join this session to learn the answers, along with practice tips, in this informative presentation.

SSI/SSDI: The SOAR Model and the NOSSCR Approach Incorporating Both to Increase the Likelihood of an Award Letter Presentation Presenters: David Pogue, Justin Thompson, & Sam Marsh; Beacon Law of Houston Two major national organizations focus on representing claimants who seek disability benefits from Social Security, yet they seem barely aware of each other's existence. This session focuses on what are the basic principles of the SOAR approach as developed by SAMHSA for use by nonattorneys and how they are different from the most common techniques used by the attorneys who specialize in Social Security practice.

Make It Go Away - Removing Employment Barriers Through Expunctions and Orders of Non-Disclosure Presenter: Tiffany Green, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas Many barriers are created once a person has a criminal history. An arrest, resolved, and even a dismissed criminal charge has major implications for clients in the areas of employment, housing, and public benefits. This session will review eligibility for obtaining an expunction and the legal steps and filings to obtain an expunction. We will also review the eligibility requirements for an Order of Nondisclosure and the steps to filing and obtaining an order.

Understanding the difference between these options and understanding how to obtain relief will have a positive impact on our clients.

Housing and Consumer Protections for Survivors of Domestic Violence* Presenter: Farwah Raza-Siddiquee & Spencer Peeler Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas This session will present and discuss housing and consumer protections for survivors of domestic violence. Topics will include kick-out orders, early lease terminations, VAWA protections, coerced debt, and identity theft.

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You may earn 1.25 hrs. of CLE credit for each session listed below. *Denotes hybrid track available virtually and in-person.

Session Descriptions

Thursday, August 31: 8:30 am – 9:45 am Preserving the Record and Preparing for Your First Appeal Presenter: Melissa G. Thrailkill Law Office of Brandy Wingate Voss, PLLC

What the $#%@ Happened in the 88th Session? TCFV Legislative Update* Presenters: Krista A. Del Gallo & Molly Voyles Texas Council on Family Violence In this session, join the Texas Council on Family Violence to learn about family-violence-related legislation that passed in the 88th Texas Legislature. You will also learn how participants can support implementation of new laws that seek to protect survivors and promote options for safety and stability.

The Big Bang Theory: Expanding Defenses Against Residential Evictions* Presenters: Nichole Harden & Stuart Campbell Dallas Eviction Advocacy Center The Dallas Eviction Advocacy Center (DEAC) is a non-profit firm dedicated to representing Dallas County tenants facing eviction. This session is the second of a two-part session geared toward educating volunteer, public interest, pro bono, and for-profit practitioners on the different defenses available to tenants facing residential eviction (improper notice, improper notice delivery, improper plaintiff, ineligible plaintiff, etc.)

Driver License Restoration - Getting Your Client Back on the Road with an Occupational Driver License Presentation Presenters: Stephanie R. Marrone, J. Ricardo Soliz, & Evelyn Garcia Lopez; Beacon Law of Houston This session will provide an overview of the ODL process, including why a client would need one, how to obtain one, helpful tips, and pitfalls to avoid. Not only will the basics of Driver License Restoration be covered, but also how you ensure the best result for your client. This session will discuss things advocates should consider when handling Class C Misdemeanors.

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Think appeals 101. This session will discuss important steps in preserving the record, how to deal with those "oh no" moments, and how to address them in post-trial procedures.

We will discuss the basics of preparing and filing an appeal, as well as the unique issues that pop up in poverty law cases.

Environmental Justice, Land Use, and Community Engagement Presenters: Michael Bates & Wendi Hammond Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas This session will provide an overview of various local, state, and federal environmental justice issues and how to present these issues to the community. The session will also include a discussion on navigating funding restrictions with LSC and non-LSC funding. It will touch upon environmental justice issues, including municipal zoning and land use issues, TCEQ state permitting issues, and federal options for enforcement or permitting.

Tackling Title IX: How to Advocate for Students Experiencing Sexual or Gender-Based Harassment, Discrimination, or Assault Presenter: Amber Banks, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid Sexual assault and harassment are shockingly common experiences for young people, especially female and transgender, genderqueer, or gender-nonconforming ones.

Attorneys can play an important role in helping both K-12 and college students who experience sexual and gender-based assault and harassment. This session will explore different options for representing students who experience sexual assault or harassment at school, by classmates outside of school, and on college campuses. We will discuss how to use school district policies, what protections are granted by Title IX, when and how to make a complaint to the Office of Civil Rights, and how to represent college students in a formal Title IX proceeding. We will also discuss how non-attorney advocates can assist college students.

You may earn 1.25 hrs. of CLE credit for each session listed below. *Denotes hybrid track available virtually and in-person.

Session Descriptions

Thursday, August 31: 10:00 am – 11:15 am The Importance of Trauma-Informed and CulturallySensitive Lawyering When Working with Crime Victims and Survivors* Presenters: Davina A. Ugochukwu, Lone Star Legal Aid; Eileen Dong, Hope Pyx Global; & Kathy Givens, Twelve11 Partners In this session, co-presenting with two crime survivors, we will discuss the importance of trauma-informed and culturally-sensitive lawyering, especially when working with crime victims and survivors, including survivors of human trafficking, domestic violence, and sexual assault. Rather than working from a goal-oriented point of view, trauma-informed lawyering is client-focused at its core, helping to reduce the re-traumatization of survivors while also increasing better communication with survivors. Culturally-sensitive lawyering aims to promote greater access to justice and equity for all members of society, regardless of their status as a crime victim or survivor, cultural background, or identity.

2023 Legislative Updates for Housing Advocates* Presenter: Nelson H. Mock, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid This session will cover the significant legislative changes in housing laws from the Texas 88th Legislative Session with an emphasis on changes and additions to landlord-tenant laws.

Legalese to English to Spanish (And Vietnamese): The Latest on Language Access and Civil Justice in Texas Presenters: Reagan Campbell, Lone Star Legal Aid Martha Beard-Duncan & Stephanie Encarnacion Texas Legal Services Center Language access is a crucial issue in poverty law because many low-income individuals face language barriers that prevent them from accessing legal resources and services.

Our session will feature speakers sharing short presentations offering their perspectives on language access for Texans. We will update the audience on the latest efforts to increase access to high-quality legal information and services, including a brief look at SB380.

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School Discipline and the Law Presenter: Melissa Arano, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas This session will discuss different disciplinary options in public schools and how the Texas Education Code affects school discipline. The session will also address disciplining students receiving special education services and some dispute resolution options that may be available.

New Developments in EJ: What’s Working, What’s Not, and New Tools to Protect Our Client Communities Presenter: Amy Dinn, Lone Star Legal Aid, & Jennifer Richards “Environmental Justice” is a popular phrase, but what does it mean, and how is environmental injustice evaluated? In this session, panelists will define environmental justice and its place in state and federal administrative proceedings. Using examples from existing cases and research, panelists will also discuss current case law and administrative guidance on how to evaluate the impacts of proposed projects on environmental justice communities.

Immigration Intersectionality: Tips and Tools for Legal Aid Workers Assisting Vulnerable Clients Presenters: Lauren Leal, Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) & Bianca Aguilera Shalk, The Refugee and Immigrant Center for Educational and Legal Services (RAICES) This session is designed to share best practices and strategies for assisting noncitizen clients in various legal aid contexts.

We will focus on the intersection of housing and immigration with particular emphasis on tools for assisting vulnerable populations. Speakers will discuss navigating ethical and practical considerations for cross-organizational collaboration. The session will also discuss mandatory reporting requirements when working with victims and youth clients as well as dual representation conflicts of interest.

You may earn 1.25 hrs. of CLE credit for each session listed below. *Denotes hybrid track available virtually and in-person.

Session Descriptions

Thursday, August 31: 12:15 pm – 1:30 pm Firearms & Family Violence: Connecting the Pathways to Prevent Violence* Presenters: Amanda Elkanick-Oder & Sadie McLaughlin Texas Advocacy Project; Phil Davies, RAICES

Bullying and the Public Interest Lawyer Presenter: John Hasley & Aaryn Lamb Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas

This session will provide a critical look into the criminology of perpetrators of mass shootings and what is needed to prevent these crimes from happening again. In this session, presenters will take a deep dive into recent mass shootings, identify red flags, and discuss current laws. Attendees will examine federal and state laws that may provide loopholes offenders use to slip through the cracks and discuss how our communities can collaborate effectively to identify high-risk offenders, create firearm surrender protocols, and secure protections for survivors.

How and When to Mandamus in Justice Court* Presenters: Juan Santamaria, Benjamin Daily, Leesa Everitt & Jonna Treble; Lone Star Legal Aid In this session, you will learn when writs of mandamus against JPs are appropriate and how to do them step-by-step. Our panel encourages you to add this under-utilized remedy to your toolbox. The presenters have filed numerous writs of mandamus against JPs in the last two years and want to share their sample forms and tips. Note: This session will focus on writs of mandamus in the eviction context but is applicable in any JP matter.

Why Am I Paying the Court for This? Financial Barriers to Justice: Systemic Problems and Systemic Solutions Presenters: Mary Christine Reed, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid Colette Billings & Wayne Yang, Texas Legal Services Center Courts, judges, and clerks across the State of Texas are charging nonprofit legal aid providers, their clients, and pro se litigants for services that should be free. The effect of these illegal fees is to take thousands of dollars from those who can least afford them. Why are we paying and what can we not? In this session, we will provide an overview of Texas Rule of Procedure 145, including common court fees that violate the rule; discuss reports we’ve received about courts, judges, and clerks charging indigent litigants for services that should be free, including fees for interpreters, filing, service, records, copies, and court-appointed professionals; and share some successes and strategies for addressing the issues.

Although bullying is an age-old problem, students’ unfettered access to the internet has led to the rise of cyberbullying.

Today, an aggressor can bully a target anytime and anywhere. Texas lawmakers attempted to address cyberbullying in 2017 by passing David’s Law. David’s Law required, among other things, that school districts step in to stop cyberbullying in certain circumstances and notify parents when bullying incidents are reported. The Texas Supreme Court is also trying to address cyberbullying, recently releasing a pro se “Sworn Application and Petition to Stop Cyberbullying,” which may lead to a large number of individuals seeking to stop bullying through the courts.

Raising the Right to a Reasonable Accommodation Under the FHA Presenters: Amanda Powell, Kim Brown Myles, & Velimir Rasic, Lone Star Legal Aid The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination against individuals based on disability. The FHA requires landlords to make reasonable accommodations to the rules, policies, practices, or services when such accommodations may be necessary to afford such person equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling. The session will inform advocates of how this discrimination presents to the disability community. Further, it will educate on the protections available under the FHA and how to enforce these rights in landlord-tenant proceedings and through HUD’s complaint process.

Special Immigrant Juvenile Status 101 & Texas State Court Proceedings Presenter: Diana Goyco, Jacqueline Obregon, & Oscar Alfaro South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project (ProBAR) This session will cover the basics of seeking immigration relief for children through SIJS. It will also cover the interplay of Texas state law, with a particular focus on the use of declaratory judgment.

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You may earn 1.25 hrs. of CLE credit for each session listed below. *Denotes hybrid track available virtually and in-person.

Session Descriptions Session Descriptions

Thursday, August 31: 1:45 pm – 3:00 pm “I Changed My Mind.” Now What? How To Cope When a Client Returns to the Abuser* Presenters: Elizabeth Barrera-Sepulveda, Gabrielle Marshall, & Myda Hernandez; Texas RioGrande Legal Aid This session will be focused on client challenging scenarios that sometimes lead to stress, vicarious trauma, and compassion fatigue.

Advocates will learn the importance of managing boundaries with clients and understanding their need for self sufficiency and empowerment. While appreciating that a client’s decision is fluid, advocates will learn how to create their own toolbox of ideas, strategies, and resources to manage the challenges of being an advocate in this field of law.

Applying the Deceptive Trade Practices Act to Landlord-Tenant Disputes* Presenter: Alex Myers, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas This session will describe what the Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA) is, its elements for a valid claim, the application of the DTPA to landlord-tenant disputes, and pertinent case law. Sections 17.4117.63 of the Business & Commerce Code describe the DTPA as protecting consumers from false, misleading, or deceptive acts or practices in the conduct of any trade or commerce. Apartment complexes around Texas have resorted to false, misleading, or deceptive acts in dealings with tenants, thereby causing tenants to live in units adverse to their health and safety. Finally, the session will cover a case utilizing the DTPA in a claim related to Winter Storm Uri which applied the DTPA in tenant association and group advocacy actions to promote safe living conditions.

The Lawyer's Duty to Social Media Search: Researching Social Media and Using It in the Courtroom Presenter: Eden Kriz Klein, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid Investigating our cases is essential to being prepared. While our clients have their own stories and evidence, we as attorneys also have the “duty to Google” to gather information and evidence for the case. This session will focus on 1) how to use google, social media, and other search engines to gather information; 2) ethical considerations in doing this; 3) safety considerations for you and your client in doing this; and 4) how you might use the information you gather in litigation.

McKinney Vento for Legal Aid Attorneys Presenters: Eric Kwartler & Jonna Treble Lone Star Legal Aid This session will explore the benefits to transient children under the federal law referred to as McKinney Vento.

Exploring the Evolution of HUD’s Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule Presenters: Kimberly Brown Myles, Velimir Rasic, & Amanda Powell; Lone Star Legal Aid The Fair Housing Act includes the mandate that HUD and other governmental agencies administering housing programs not only refrain from discrimination but take affirmative steps to remedy past segregation. See 42 U.S.C. § 3608(e). However, this section of the Act was almost ignored until HUD’s 1995 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rule and that regulation has evolved over the past three decades. HUD’s most recent proposed rule requires HUD program participants to incorporate community engagement in their grant program Equity Plans and introduces an enforcement mechanism for the first time. This session will educate attendees on the concept of the AFFH mandate within the FHA (including notable case law). It will also inform advocates on how HUD’s AFFH rule has evolved over time through this most recent proposed rule. Finally, we will inform advocates of how HUD and other governmental entities have failed to enforce this mandate over time and illustrate how we have used this statute in our advocacy.

Immigration Basics for Non-Immigration Attorneys Presenter: Caitlin Fish, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid Immigrant clients often present with multiple legal issues and questions about how their legal case might affect their immigration status or processing. Clients may also be unsure of the status or procedural posture of their immigration case.

This session will help equip non-immigration practitioners with basic tools to help address client questions and concerns and promote safety and stability for their immigrant clients.

The training will address a variety of topics, including identifying and understanding a client's status and risk factors, issue-spotting urgency, common forms of immigration relief available, and assisting clients with immigration safety planning.

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Session Descriptions

You may earn 1.25 hrs. of CLE credit for each session listed below. *Denotes hybrid track available virtually and in-person.

Session Descriptions

Thursday, August 31: 3:15 pm – 4:30 pm Things That Could Have Been Brought to My Attention Yesterday: Tool-Kit for the Family Law Practitioner* Presenters: Ariel Santillan & Jacqueline Perez Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas Low-income litigants often face several barriers within the legal system. While free legal service providers empower litigants to get their foot in the courthouse door, survivors of domestic violence and crisis are continuously revictimized throughout the litigation timeline. Attendees will explore and learn traps/tips for discovery compliance when assisting lowincome domestic violence survivors. The session will discuss trauma-informed drafting techniques to help survivors obtain discovery in cases where resources are insufficient. Some topics that will be covered by the presenters are discovery hacks specifically for protective orders (Title 4 and Ch. 7B), divorce proceedings, and custody disputes (original SAPCR, modifications, and enforcements).

How To Help Texas Homeowners: Soup to Nuts* Presenters: Amir Befroui, Samantha Guzman, & Mario Pineda Lone Star Legal Aid The scope of this session will include all aspects of a homeowner protection practice. We will cover how to source and set up outreach events aimed at homeowners, how to effectively set up the intake to efficiently identify relevant legal issues, and how to best allocate resources to achieve homeowner client goals.

The Texas Public Information Act: Get Records, Not Grief Presenter: Terrance (Terry) J. O'Neill, Jr., Lone Star Legal Aid The Texas Public Information Act is a powerful practice resource for legal aid attorneys. Knowing how to obtain government records quickly and efficiently can lead to discovering evidentiary gems. Yet sometimes government employees misunderstand or misapply the Act, thereby erecting unintended and impermissible barriers. This session: (i) examine the Act’s core principles and its request, withholding, and review process; (ii) surveys essential Texas public information law authorities; (iii) references related resources; (iv) highlights select public records available; and (v) shares strategies for navigating bureaucratic headwinds.

When Students with Disabilities Are Injured at School Presenters: Colleen Potts & Olivia Lee Disability Rights Texas Headlines tell the grim stories of school staff members assaulting, harming, injuring, and neglecting students with disabilities at a disproportionate rate. From physical restraints to staffing issues, this session will review data, provide case examples, and explore the causes of the rise in these types of stories. Attendees will learn how to advocate locally and at the state level for these students and discuss the drawbacks and benefits of each of those interventions.

Speakers will also provide a brief policy update from the current legislative session and active bills addressing this disturbing trend.

Lessons from First-Year Community Lawyering: Walking a Tight Rope of Problems, Politics, Personalities, and Prohibitions Presenter: Haley Varnadoe, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas Community lawyering differs wildly from “traditional” legal practice. Strategically advocating for community groups presents unique highs and lows and requires both legal and interpersonal skills. This interactive session will share lessons learned from a first-year attorney, including the importance of tailoring representation to client groups by meeting the groups where they are, finding and celebrating the “little wins,” setting clear boundaries to avoid falling into the general counsel role and avoiding and managing conflict within client groups. Participants will be invited to share the lessons they have acquired throughout their careers in community lawyering.

Asylum at the Border Presenter: Yasmin Colon, Aimee Korolev, & Lindsay Schenk South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project (ProBAR) This session will focus on updated processes for asylum seekers at the border, especially following the end of Title 42 and the rise in expedited processing.

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Session Descriptions

You may earn 1.25 hrs. of CLE credit for each session listed below. *Denotes hybrid track available virtually and in-person.

Session Descriptions

Friday, September 1: 9:00 am – 10:15 am Effective Strategies for Engaging and Educating JP Courts* Presenters: Sergio Carrasco & Lani Gholston; Texas RioGrande Legal Aid How do we improve tenant rights and protections through cultivating more amicable JP engagement? TRLA's outreach at FED JP court dockets has proven fruitful in a myriad of ways-from identifying and taming wayward JPs to providing clinics for defendants who have been evicted. Our session will look at JP outreach as part of a larger education plan to show participants the value and benefit of engaging in strategic JP outreach, either virtually or in person. It will also lay out some of the pitfalls of non-engagement with JP courts. Participants will be encouraged to share their personal strategies for engaging with JP courts, including their personal triumphs and lessons learned.

Leveraging Virtual Court Kiosks to Help Low-Income Texans* Presenters: Elliott Fontenette & Kevin Dietz, Texas Legal Services Center During this session, attendees will be able to learn from the experiences of the Texas Legal Services Center and A2J Tech about Virtual Court Kiosks and how to best use them.

Additionally, attendees will learn why these are good service delivery models and how they can help increase their organization's reach into the general community.

Immigration Law: What Do I Need to Know? Basics, Trends, and Updates.

Presenters: Felix Villalobos, Farheen Siddiqi, & Jennifer De Haro; The Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES) Immigration whiplash! Immigration law changes with each U.S. President. Thus, there is a need to know at least the basics of immigration law to understand how it might affect your client and their families. In this session, we will provide updates on removal proceedings; filings before USCIS for immigration benefits; and working with certain groups, such as minors, DACAmented, victims of crimes, and others. We will also provide some resources you will want to keep handy.

Lastly, we will talk about the latest trends we are seeing and what we may see under the next U.S. presidency.

In and Out of the Courtroom: Utilizing a Social Worker or Advocate Presenters: Merissa Kogutt & Sylvia Dominguez-Santillan Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas In this session, an attorney and a social worker will partner together to discuss the important ways a social worker or other advocate can benefit clients in and out of the courtroom. We will discuss issues that come up at all stages of the relationship with the client, from intake through the closing of the case, and how a social worker or advocate can work with the attorney as a team to support each other and their shared client.

Overcoming Civil Death: Guardianship Prevention and Restoration Presenters: Taft Robinson & Kayla Puga Disability Rights Texas This session will discuss the importance of utilizing support and services as alternatives to guardianship and the importance of enforcing due process rights.

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You may earn 1.25 hrs. of CLE credit for each session listed below. *Denotes hybrid track available virtually and in-person.

Session Descriptions

Friday, September 1: 10:30 am – 11:45 am Following the Chain of Title: Handling Your First Third-Party Debt Collector Case* Presenters: Newton Tamayo & Jon-Ross Trevino Lone Star Legal Aid

You’ve Built it… Now What? How To Maintain and Maximize Your Automated Documents and Tools Presenters: Michael Hofrichter, LegalServer Luigi Bai & Aaron Varner, Lone Star Legal Aid

This session is an introduction to consumer debt collection cases and details what new advocates should know to win their cases. It will cover how to handle a third-party debt collector case from start to finish, post-judgment collection proceedings such as turnover and garnishment, and consumer bankruptcy as a possible resolution.

Once you’ve rolled out a fancy new tech tool or online information resource, that’s not the end of the project.

This session will take a look at some of the areas where things beyond the forms themselves play a role. We will discuss ways to drive users to online resources with SEO, how to automate the maintenance of online legal resources, and how to ensure materials are up to date.

Finally, we will discuss ways to link your document assembly forms to your Case Management System.

Bridging the Rainbow Divide: Connecting the LGBTQ+ Community to Necessary Legal Services* Presenters: Victoria K. Smith, Pete Makopoulos-Senftleber, & Clarissa Ayala; Lone Star Legal Aid LGBTQ+ individuals face significant challenges in poverty law due to discrimination and marginalization based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. This can result in limited access to resources and services, including housing and employment opportunities. Additionally, family law issues, such as custody disputes and property rights, can further complicate their legal situation. Despite these challenges, legal organizations and advocacy groups work to provide legal assistance to those in need and raise awareness about the unique challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals. This session will provide practical tips, tools, and outreach recommendations to connect this community to necessary legal services.

Dying To Find Out: Why Legal Services Matter for Individual and Community Health Presenters: Jerry Loza, South Texas College of Law Houston; Keegan D. Warren, Texas A&M University & Stephanie Sommerlatte, Houston Volunteer Lawyers Medical-Legal Partnership (MLP) leverages legal assistance and legal expertise to improve the health of individuals and populations as part of the delivery of healthcare, but all lawyers impact health and well-being. In this session, attendees will hear from practitioners in two nontraditional MLP models and consider ways that they might multiply their own frontline capacity and diversify funding -- regardless of whether they practice within an MLP. A2 - 45

In Service of Heroes: What You Need to Know About Representing Active-Duty Military under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act Presenters: Jonna Treble & Lori Fergie Lone Star Legal Aid The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) gives military members a wide range of legal protections not available to the public, and this session will discuss how to work with its protections for the benefit of our clients.

You may earn .75 hrs. of ethics CLE credit for the Keynote Lunch. *Denotes hybrid track available virtually and in-person.

Friday, September 1: KEYNOTE LUNCH 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Access to Justice*

Presenter: Director Rachel Rossi, United States Department of Justice for Access to Justice President Joseph R. Biden and Attorney General B. Merrick Garland announced the appointment of Rachel Rossi as Director of the Office for Access to Justice in May 2022.

Director Rossi received her law degree from Pepperdine University School of Law, where she won the International Moot Court Competition in Grays Inn, London, and served as Student Articles Editor for the Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal.

She received the Pepperdine University School of Law Larry D. Kimmons Racial and Social Justice Award, was named one of the National Bar Association's Top 40 Under 40 Lawyers, and was recognized as an Influential Capitol Hill Staffer by Lawyers of Color. Director Rossi grew up in Los Angeles, California. She is the daughter of immigrant parents born in the Dominican Republic and Greece.

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