New Commissioners Appointed to the Texas Access to Justice Commissionsion

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 21, 2013 Contact: Georgia Nolan, Development & Communications Director 800-204-2222 x 1892, georgia.nolan@texasbar.com

New Commissioners Appointed to the Texas Access to Justice Commission AUSTIN, Texas – The Supreme Court of Texas and the State Bar of Texas have appointed five new commissioners and reappointed two commissioners to the Texas Access to Justice Commission. These commissioners will assist the Texas Access to Justice Commission in its efforts to expand civil legal aid resources to low-income Texans.

The Supreme Court of Texas appointed new Commissioners Jacqueline Pontello, Director of External Affairs with Lone Star Legal Aid in Houston, and Wayne Watts, Senior Executive VicePresident and General Counsel with AT&T in Dallas. The Supreme Court also renewed the appointment of Justice Gina Benavides, 13th Court of Appeals in Corpus Christi.

The State Bar of Texas appointed new Commissioners Harriet Miers, partner at Locke Lord LLP in Dallas, Timothy Mountz, partner at Baker Botts in Dallas, and Andrew Kerr, partner at Strasburger & Price, LLP in San Antonio. The State Bar also renewed the appointment of Cristy Arscott, Executive Director of the Smith County Bar Association in Tyler.

Jacqueline Pontello is the Director of External Affairs for Lone Star Legal Aid in Houston. She has served with numerous nonprofit organizations and state boards to improve the quality of justice for the poor. In 2010, Pontello was recognized with a Peace Award from Doris Buffett’s Sunshine Lady Foundation for her work on behalf of domestic abuse victims. She will serve a three-year term representing federally-funded legal services programs.

Wayne Watts is Senior Executive Vice-President and General Counsel with AT&T in Dallas. He began his career with Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in 1983 and was Vice-President and Assistant General Counsel for SBC Communications Inc. prior to their consolidation with AT&T. Watts sits on the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law Advisory Board

and is a member of the Salvation Army’s Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex Command. He will serve a three-year term on the Commission as a representative of the corporate community.

Justice Gina Benavides serves on the 13th Court of Appeals based in Corpus Christi. Benavides was elected to the Court of Appeals in 2006. She has had a long-standing commitment to public service and pro bono work and is currently a Fellow with the Texas Bar Foundation and Chair for the Texas Center for the Judiciary. Benavides has been reappointed to the Commission for a three-year term focusing on access to justice issues in smaller counties.

Harriet Miers is a partner and member of the Litigation and Public Policy sections at Locke Lord in Dallas. She served in the administration of President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2007 as Staff Secretary, Deputy Chief of Staff, and Counsel to the President. Meirs has demonstrated a commitment to public service through numerous elected and appointed positions, including being elected in 1992 to lead the State Bar of Texas as its first female President. She will serve a three-year term as an at-large member of the Commission.

Timothy Mountz represents clients in complex commercial litigation matters as a partner at Baker Botts in Dallas. He currently serves as Chair-Elect of the Texas Bar Foundation and as Trustee and Chair of the Dallas Bar Foundation. Mountz was previously a Director of the State Bar of Texas and received a Presidential Citation for distinguished service from the State Bar in 2008. He will serve a two-year term representing the Texas Bar Foundation.

Andrew Kerr is a partner in Strasburger & Price’s Litigation Section in San Antonio. He currently serves as the President of the San Antonio Bar and is a director of the Texas Access to Justice Foundation. Kerr has been active in bar activities throughout his career and was elected this year to the position of State Bar of Texas District Director for the San Antonio area. He will serve a two-year term on the Commission representing the State Bar of Texas.

Cristy Arscott is the Executive Director of the Smith County Bar Association in Tyler. She recently completed a term as a commissioner on the Texas Access to Justice Commission representing state-funded legal service programs. Arscott has been reappointed to the Commission for another three-year term.

The Texas Access to Justice Commission is chaired by Harry M. Reasoner of Vinson & Elkins LLP in Houston and consists of 21 Commissioners. The Supreme Court of Texas and the State Bar of Texas appoint attorney and non-attorney members of the Commission. The Commission also has three ex-officio members appointed by the Texas Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Speaker of the House.

### 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 and 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.