Supreme Court Report - December 2025 by Texas Access to Justice Commission

Texas Access to Justice Commission

2025 Membership

Supreme Court Appointments

Harriet Miers, Chair*

Troutman Pepper Locke

Dallas

Pablo Javier Almaguer

Texas Immigration Law Council

Edinburg

Thomas S. Leatherbury

SMU Dedman School of Law

Dallas

Sandra L. Phillips Toyota Plano

Terry O. Tottenham* Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP

Austin

Roland K. Johnson, ViceChair* Harris, Finley & Bogle, PC Fort Worth

Judge Nicholas Chu Probate Court No. 2

Austin

David McAtee, Special Advisor * AT&T

Dallas

Hilary L. Preston Vinson & Elkins LLP

Austin

Gen. Alfred Valenzuela US Army, Retired San Antonio

Justice Brett Busby Supreme Court of Texas Liaison

Austin

Judge Roy B. Ferguson* Former Texas District Court

Judge Alpine

Judge Latosha Lewis Payne 55th Civil District Court

Houston

Brad Toben*

Baylor University School of Law

Waco

State Bar of Texas Appointments

Dr. Clen Burton

Blinn College District Brenham

Krisi Kastl

Kastl Law, PC

Dallas

Judge Penny A. Roberts

Tom Green County, Retired

San Angelo

Diana Gomez Jackson Walker LLP

Houston

Julia Raney Rodriguez** Texas RioGrande Legal Aid

San Antonio

Marshall Sales Hennan Culp, PLLC

Austin

Fabian Castillo, Sr.**

Fabian’s Construction

San Antonio

Ex-Oﬃcio Members

Trevor Ezell**

For the Oﬃce of the Governor Austin

Chair Emeritus

Harry M. Reasoner Vinson & Elkins LLP Houston

* Executive Committee ** New Appointment

Dean Senator Judith Zaﬃrini

For the Oﬃce of the Lieutenant Governor Laredo

Rep. Gene Wu

For the Speaker of the House Houston

This report describes the main activities undertaken by the Texas Access to Justice Commission (also referred to as “the Commission”) during the period from December 1, 2024, to November 30, 2025. As in prior years, much of the Commission’s work outlined in this report has been carried out in collaboration with other entities and individuals The Commission continues to bring together stakeholders across the Texas access to justice community to advance access to justice for the state’s most impoverished and underserved Texans. Following the completion of its strategic planning efforts and the approval of the Strategic Plan, the Commission is now focused on implementing that plan and strengthening its role and the efforts to increase access to justice within the broader access to justice landscape in Texas. An Implementation Plan has been approved. The Strategic Planning efforts are designed to help the Commission fulﬁll its intended function as the “umbrella” organization as directed by the Supreme Court when it created the Commission. The Commission also coordinates with national organizations to learn from their initiatives, and, where appropriate, to contribute to nationwide efforts that promote greater access to justice.

I. LATEST EFFORTS

A. Strategic Planning and Implementation

Following an in-depth strategic planning process, the Texas Access to Justice Commission adopted its strategic plan at its February 13, 2025, meeting. As recommended by Justice Brett Busby, an additional amendment was approved at the May 1, 2025, Commission meeting to emphasize the importance of technology in increasing access to justice The ﬁnal Strategic Plan with its Amendment are attached as Exhibit A .

As previously reported, the strategic planning process was supported by two highly regarded consultants, Bruce Bower and John Tull. Informed by a framework developed by the National Center for State Courts, Mr. Tull and Mr. Bower assisted the Texas Access to Justice Commission in (1) identifying the most critical needs that the Commission with its partner institutions have the capacity to address and (2) then developing strategies and suggesting initiatives the Commission can consider and undertake to address those needs.

Early in the process, the consultants produced a report summarizing findings from an intensive fact-finding and research phase that involved approximately 60 interviews and a survey of 292 individuals active in and familiar with access to justice activities and needs in Texas. In some cases, the interviews and survey involved individual outside of Texas. After discussion with the full Commission, these reports led to the formation of six substantive working groups to address key initiatives identified by the strategic planners. The six key initiatives developed are: 1) increasing the availability of lawyers for representation of low-income Texans needing help; 2) increasing access to courts for low-income litigants; 3) improving the viability of self-help remedies; 4) addressing the challenge of rural access and “legal deserts”; 5) increasing resources available to support access to justice efforts; and 6) addressing structural and operational needs of the Commission to improve its effectiveness. Additionally, four cross- cutting themes were discussed within all the working groups: technology, law school partnerships, communications and outreach, and client

involvement. The working groups all produced detailed initiatives which informed the drafting of the ﬁnal strategic plan.

Working with the Consultants, the Commission developed the Implementation Plan, attached to this Report as Exhibit B This Implementation Plan was considered by the Commission and was approved by the Commission in October 2025. The Commission’s Strategic Planning efforts are now and have been focused on the implementation stage, including the creation of three new committees of the Commission described below. The Commission considers the Strategic Plan and its Implementation Plan as living documents, to be modiﬁed and revised when circumstances justify adjusting or supplementing the Strategic Plan or the Implementation Plan.

B. Executive Committee Activities

In addition to receiving direction from the Supreme Court of Texas concerning the Commission’s role in enhancing access to justice, the Executive Committee performs decision-making functions as needed between Commission meetings. The Committee has met and conferred with the Commission’s Executive Director and designated staff as necessary and is involved signiﬁcantly in the strategic planning process, managing the budget process, and working with committees on various assignments. It also leads, as appropriate, efforts to increase ﬁnancial resources for access to justice in Texas and to promote Pro Bono service by Texas lawyers.

This year, the Executive Committee of the Commission worked with the State Bar in its implementation of certain structural changes to continue to have a Directorship to manage the State Bar’s Legal Access Department focusing on primarily Pro Bono efforts, with currently two employees assisting that Director, and, to separate those efforts and staff from the efforts and staff of the Access to Justice Commission The Commission will continue to have an Executive Director, and currently four other staff members, including a Deputy Executive Director. While being employees of the State Bar and subject to State Bar personnel rules and responsibilities, the Executive Director of the Commission and its staff will be overseen by the Commission and will carry out the directions of the Commission.

While the Commission will continue to have a role in promoting Pro Bono services, the Legal Access Department will have the major role in encouraging Pro Bono services and supporting the many lawyers providing Pro Bono services. The Commission as well as the Legal Access Department will encourage the development of resources to support Pro Bono services in Texas.

Two signiﬁcant examples of this critical activity are the Take One Campaign for Veterans currently underway, and the efforts of the current President of the State Bar Santos Vargas focused on his Stand With Santos Campaign. The State Bar and Commission agree that consistent and everexpanding efforts to increase Pro Bono work by Texas lawyers and increased resources to support those efforts are critical to achieving success in access to justice work in Texas.

The Commission continues to be grateful to the State Bar for its agreement to provide staff and ﬁnancial support to the Commission, subject to a budgeting process in place since 2001. The importance of the relationship between the State Bar and the Commission in Texas access to justice efforts is of inestimable value.

C. New Committees of the Access to Justice Commission

Pursuant to the Strategic Planning efforts, the Commission has created three new committees, as follows:

1. Judicial Education Committee

As a result of the strategic planning recommendations, the Commission created the Judicial Education Committee. The Committee is co - chaired by Kennon Wooten and Justice Lori Valenzuela. This Committee is proceeding with its formation and is beginning its work.

Rural Access Committee

As a result of the strategic planning recommendations, the Commission created the Rural Access Committee. The Committee is co - chaired by Roy Ferguson and Pablo Almaguer, with Eden Klein serving as vicechair. This Committee is proceeding with its formation and is beginning its work.

Communications and Outreach Committee

As a result of the strategic planning recommendations, the Commission created the Communications and Outreach Committee. The Committee is co - chaired by Marshall Sales and Tom Leatherbury. This Committee is proceeding with its formation and is beginning its work.

D. Librarian Collaboration

As a result of the strategic planning recommendations, the Commission has emphasized its ability to collaborate with law librarians and law libraries across the state. Law Libraries serve as invaluable resources for both attorneys and self-represented litigants, offering free resources and research expertise to patrons, regardless of economic status

Various law libraries in Texas provide a range of services, including assistance with required court forms and e-ﬁling, free internet access for litigants and attorneys to attend remote hearings, and assisted legal research, among other services Law librarians serve as members of the Commission’s Technology Committee and were recruited to serve in the strategic planning process. They offer their expertise to help Commission efforts and foster greater partnership opportunities among legal services organizations

Similarly, law librarians have been regularly attending and participating in Commission meetings. Likewise, the Commission has had a staff member attending monthly meetings of state law librarians to learn more about their ongoing access to justice efforts, shared challenges, and opportunities for collaboration.

II. CAPACITY BUILDING EFFORTS

A. Law School Advisory Committee and Collaborations

The Law School Advisory Committee is chaired by Dean Emeritus Brad Toben of Baylor Law School and Thomas S. Leatherbury of Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law. The CoChairs convene the Law School Advisory Committee at least twice a year to discuss access to

justice initiatives for law students and law schools. All ten of the Deans of Texas’ law schools have agreed to serve on the Commission’s Law School Advisory Committee, and they attend meetings when they are able. As this Report is being completed, eight of the ten Deans were able to attend the last meeting of the Advisory Committee. The Committee includes additional representatives from law schools and others interested in access to justice work and the role of law schools in encouraging access to justice efforts.

The Commission coordinates internship opportunities for law students throughout the year –including Pro Bono Spring Break, Fall term and Spring term Access to Justice Interns and Summer Access to Justice Interns. This year, the Law School Advisory Committee Co -Chairs developed the Texas Law School Pro Bono and Public Interest Survey, which is designed to inform best-practices guidelines for law school clinics and Pro Bono programming Consideration of how the Survey will be managed is under continued study. Additionally, members of the Law School Advisory Committee have been actively involved in the Commission’s Strategic Planning work. Dean Emeritus Bradley J.B. Toben, former dean of Baylor University School of Law, serves on the Executive Committee of the Commission.

Access to Justice Internship Program

The Commission’s mission of increasing access to justice by enabling law students to intern with legal aid programs and serve low-income Texans is advanced through its year-round Access to Justice Internship Program (ATJIP). The ATJIP provides a $2,500 stipend to law students who commit to work 200 hours at a civil legal aid organization during either the fall or the spring semester, and a $5,000 stipend to students who participate during the summer and commit to working 400 hours of service with a civil legal aid program. Action has been taken to increase the amount of stipends to provide more competitive compensation for attracting students to participate in the internships. While formal budgeting the increased stipend amounts will need to be done in the future, the Commission is comfortable that it will be able to budget for and implement the increased amounts to keep the programs attractive for student participation for next year. It also is hoped that the more competitive stipend amounts will increase the number of interns successfully recruited.

The 2025 ATJIP provided funding for nine law students: one in the spring program, six in the summer program, and two in the fall program. Details of the selected students and legal aid partners are included below. ATJIP interns are required to submit a 1000-word essay at the conclusion of their internship. Exhibit C contains sample essays by interns. The Commission has the goal of increasing the number of internships available and ﬁlled.

Pro Bono Spring Break

The Commission once again collaborated with the State Bar to offer its annual Pro Bono Spring Break program. This year ’s event was a hybrid format that included both in-person and virtual placement opportunities over two one-week periods, corresponding with the spring break schedules of Texas law schools. The Commission should explore how to obtain additional resources to fund more placements.

Five law schools observed spring break from March 10-14, 2025 (Baylor Law School, St. Mary’s University School of Law, Texas A&M School of Law, Thurgood Marshall School of Law, and UNTDallas College of Law) and ﬁve observed spring break from March 17-21, 2025 (SMU Dedman School of Law, South Texas College of Law, Texas Tech University School of Law, University of Houston Law Center, University of Texas School of Law).

The Commission’s strong partnership with legal aid organizations made it possible to offer twentyseven different host program locations across the state. Partner programs include:

• Texas Fair Defense Project

• Catholic Charities of Dallas

• ProBAR

• Estrella del Paso

• Earl Carl Institute for Legal & Social Policy Inc.

• Legal Aid of Northwest Texas (LANWT) (14 locations)

• Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program

• Texas Advocacy Project

• American Gateways

• Legal Hospice of Texas

• Human Rights Initiative of North Texas

• Disability Rights of Texas

• Texas Legal Services Center

• Lonestar Legal Aid

All Texas law schools were represented in the eighty- eight law students who were selected to participate and placed with twelve of the legal aid organizations listed above. Selected student reﬂections are excerpted below and attest to the value of this program:

This experience has influenced my career goals and approach to legal advocacy because I know now that no matter what area of law I end up in, I want to make sure that I am working with people who understand the importance and value of Pro Bono work and offer opportunities for me to continue to participate in it as I move forward in my career.

-Briana Bravin Interned at the Texas Advocacy Project St. Mary’s University School of Law

Reflecting on my internship experience, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to engage in meaningful legal work and witness the impact of legal advocacy firsthand. The experience broadened my understanding of various legal issues, from consumer protection to estate planning, and provided me with valuable exposure to both research and practical legal work. Most importantly, it reinforced my passion for law and my desire to use my legal education to advocate for those who need it most.

-Evan Curry

Interned at LANWT – Weatherford Office Baylor Law School

Overall, my Pro Bono Spring Break experience profoundly shaped my perspective on access to justice and serving low-income communities. I came away with a deeper appreciation for the challenges faced by survivors of domestic violence and a stronger commitment to using my legal skills to advocate for those who are most vulnerable. Moving forward, I hope to integrate these lessons into my future career by continuing to explore ways to improve legal protections for low-income individuals, particularly in areas such as consumer finance.

-Charlene Sun

Interned at Texas Advocacy Project University of Texas School of Law

B. Legal Training Program

Twenty- eight legal aid attorneys representing ten different legal aid organizations in eight cities attended the biannual Texas Pretrial Academy at the University of Texas School of Law held June 1011, 2025. The two -day intensive course highlighted pretrial advocacy skills presented by faculty from the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers. This training beneﬁts attorneys practicing in all areas of law.

Reagan Brown of Norton Rose Fulbright in Houston served as course director for the thirteenth and ﬁnal time and recruited seventeen fellows from the American College of Trial Lawyers to volunteer as faculty. The fellows conducted demonstrations of pretrial skills in plenary sessions and served as instructors, observing and critiquing the Pretrial Academy “students” as they performed pretrial advocacy exercises in small-group workshops.

As in previous years, participants praised the training as one of the best litigation training opportunities available Students particularly valued the faculty feedback and found the critiques instrumental in improving their litigation skills.

The Commission extends its deep gratitude to Mr. Brown for his exceptional dedication and service in educating new attorneys through this program for thirteen consecutive summers He has been an invaluable resource for the Commission and the legal aid community, freely lending his expertise and working tirelessly to recruit highly qualiﬁed faculty members each year. Mr. Brown has graciously recommended Eric Nichols of Butler Snow in Austin to serve as course director for the 2026 Trial Academy, and Mr. Nichols has agreed to serve The Commission looks forward to Mr. Nichols’ leadership for this important program, and the Commission is grateful for his stepping forward to lead such a vital program.

C. Educating Local Bar Leaders

The State Bar of Texas Local Bar Leaders Conference was held July 24–25, 2025, in Houston. As in previous years, the Texas Access to Justice Commission organized and presented four sessions comprising the Conference’s Access to Justice Track. Two of these sessions were developed in collaboration with the State Bar’s Legal Services to the Poor in Civil Matters Committee.

The presentations focused on raising awareness of access to justice issues and equipping local bar associations to advance this work in their own communities. Twenty-six attendees registered in advance for the Access to Justice Track, with attendance at some sessions reaching as high as thirty-ﬁve participants.

D. Veterans Committee

The Veterans Committee is co - chaired by Terry Tottenham and retired Major General Alfred Valenzuela. The Committee continues to make strides with its Take One campaign, which calls on lawyers across Texas to accept at least one Pro Bono case on behalf of a veteran.

At the Local Bar Leaders Conference in July, the campaign was featured prominently, and both the current President Santos Vargas and the President-elect G. David Smith are supporting the initiative. The Committee is also working to expand veterans’ clinics. Recent efforts include collaboration with the Tunnel to Towers Foundation in Houston and with Community First Village in Austin, where new legal clinics are being established to serve veterans in need.

E. Technology Committee

The Technology Committee is chaired by Judge Nicholas Chu, Presiding Judge of Travis County Probate Court No. 2. In 2020, Judge Chu was the first judge in Texas to preside over a fully virtual jury trial, and first in the nation to preside over a fully virtual criminal jury trial. The Technology Committee includes attorneys and technology staff from legal services organizations, private attorneys, law librarians, and nonprofit technology professionals.

In 2025, the Technology Committee met seven times, hearing a variety of presentations regarding the impact of emerging technologies on access to justice. The Committee received multiple presentations from legal technologists who have developed innovative tools leveraging artiﬁcial intelligence to facilitate efficient and accessible legal research for attorneys and lay people. One presentation highlighted the Minnesota State Bar’s AI Sandbox project, which provides a controlled environment for organizations to experiment with artiﬁcial intelligence applications to improve access to justice.

The Committee has also engaged with representatives from the National Center for State Courts’ AI Policy Consortium to discuss the risks and beneﬁts of artiﬁcial intelligence in legal practice and best practices for AI in courts. Members further met with representatives of the Texas Broadband Development Office to explore opportunities for collaboration on projects aimed at closing the justice gap. Finally, the Committee heard updates from the Texas State Bar’s Task Force for Responsible AI regarding its ongoing work and transition into the State Bar’s new permanent Emerging Technology Committee.

Two subgroups of the Committee completed projects in 2025. One produced a short instructional policy guide on best practices for legal services organizations to leverage artiﬁcial intelligence, which is currently being ﬁnalized for distribution. The other subgroup completed a survey to collect data on legal services organizations’ technology needs and capabilities. The Committee looks forward to reviewing the survey data and pursuing new projects in 2026 aligned with the Commission’s Strategic Plan.

III. POLICY INITIATIVES

A. Legislative Initiatives

Mr. Tom Leatherbury and the Honorable Ken Wise co - chair the Texas Access to Justice Commission Legislative Committee. The Legislative Committee Co -Chairs work closely with the Commission Executive Committee members, the members of the Legislative Committee, and the Commission’s Deputy Executive Director Sarah Mae Jennings on legislative initiatives at the state and Federal levels. The Commission also collaborates with counsel and the State Bar of Texas to ensure compliance with applicable laws.

Formerly Alistair Dawson also served as a Co -Chair of the Legislative Committee, and he was a former Commissioner of the Texas Access to Justice Commission. His sudden and unexpected death was tragic.

The Commission continues to extend its condolences to the Dawson family and expresses its profound gratitude for the life and service of Alistair B. Dawson, who passed away in August 2025 after years of exceptional leadership as a Commissioner and Co -Chair of the Legislative Committee. A pillar of the Texas legal community, Mr. Dawson exempliﬁed integrity, generosity, and dedication to justice throughout his distinguished career at Beck Redden LLP and in numerous other professional and civic roles. His deep commitment to Pro Bono service and his tireless advocacy for expanding access to justice leave an enduring legacy that continues to inspire the Commission and the broader legal community.

Legal Services Corporation Support

On April 9-10, 2025, lawyers from Texas, including Supreme Court Justice Brett Busby and Justice Ken Wise, traveled to Washington, DC to meet with the members of our Texas Delegation and request their support of continued funding for the Legal Services Corporation. This year, teams from the sixteen Texas delegates who went to Washington, D. C. met with nearly all our Representatives offices and the offices of Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz. The delegates provided written educational materials for the offices related to the importance of providing legal help to lowincome Texans desperately needing help and to discuss the federal government’s role in the provision of civil legal services across the United States and in Texas. These discussions, as normally is the case, focused on the great unmet and dire needs for representation of low-income Texans unable to receive legal help, the sometimes lifesaving nature of the needs, and the provable

value to the State and the individuals served of provided legal services when needed. The delegates also provide to help the Congressional staffs materials to let them know to whom they can direct their constituents calling in seeking legal help and eligible to get free legal help.

The Texas delegation also attended a breakfast event honoring recently retired 27th Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court, the Honorable Nathan L. Hecht, who received the 2025 ABA Grassroots Award in recognition of his longstanding commitment to highlighting the grave need for access to justice for the poor in our country and his extensive work to effectively increase access to justice efforts across Texas and the Nation.

In May, the Legal Service Corporation invited civil justice stakeholders nationwide to submit recommendations for its FY27 congressional budget request. The Commission and the Texas Access to Justice Foundation submitted joint comments fully supporting sustained LSC funding. Exhibit D contains these comments.

The report of the Texas Access to Justice Foundation attached to this Report in Appendix 1 provides additional details on LSC funding in Texas. The Commission thanks the Texas Access to Justice Foundation for its leadership in the Nation and here in Texas. By way of example of some of its impact, the Foundation’s support for kiosks located around the State is part of what may be termed a revolutionary effort to provide greater access to justice for the unrepresented in our State. The Commission appreciates greatly the leadership of Justice Deborah Hankinson, Chair of the Foundation Board, Betty Balli Torres, the Executive Director of the Foundation, and all the members of the Foundation Board.

89th Legislative Session

The Legislative Committee Co -Chairs and the Commission staff led the work with the Commission to develop a proposed legislative agenda for the 89th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature Four legislative proposals were submitted to and approved by the State Bar. These proposals included two language access bills and two record clearing bills to help close the access to justice gap in Texas

The Commission’s Ex Officio members assumed new leadership roles at the Texas Legislature. Representative Gene Wu, the Commission’s ex officio member from the House of Representatives, served as the Democratic Caucus Chairman. The Honorable Judith Zaffirini, the Commission’s ex officio member from the Senate, assumed her role as Dean of the Senate. Dean Senator Zaffirini ﬁled all four of the Commission’s legislative proposals. Her record of service is historic, and we are most fortunate to have her serving with us on the Commission. The Commission was honored to present Dean Zaffirini with its Star of Justice Award in 2024

One of the Commission’s language access bills, SB 1537 (Zaffirini, 89R), was signed into law on May 30, 2025. The bill is designed to create uniformity among language access policies by amending Article 38.30(a) of the Code of Criminal Procedure to clarify that appointed interpreters are subject to requirements of Tex. Gov. Code § 57.002.

The Commission’s other language access bill, SB 1947 (Zaffirini, 89R), though it did not pass, embodied a desirable goal for clarity in the law. It sought to clarify that Tex. Gov. Code § 57.002, governing the appointment of licensed court interpreters, applies to Justice and Municipal Courts. Although the statute applies to all courts and both civil and criminal proceedings, it does not explicitly state that it covers Justice and Municipal Courts.

Another bill from this session, SB 303 (Perry, 89R) / HB 1748 (Darby, 89R), sought to exempt Justice and Municipal Courts from the Government Code’s language requirements, but it did not pass. That provision was duplicated in the Judicial Omnibus Bill draft during regular session (which did not pass) but was absent from the version enacted in the second special session, HB 16 (Leach, 89[2]), which ultimately became law.

IV. AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

One way to raise awareness of the legal needs of low-income Texans and to strengthen the justice system is by honoring those who contribute to these efforts. The Commission plays a key role in identifying and recognizing individuals and organizations that advance the justice system to better serve those who cannot afford legal services.

The Honorable Latosha Lewis Payne, Presiding Judge of the 55th Civil District Court in Houston, continues to lead this work as Chair of the Awards Committee. Below are descriptions of the 2025 honorees whose achievements are making a meaningful impact.

A. Corporate Counsel Pro Bono Award

The Corporate Counsel Pro Bono Award was created to recognize outstanding corporate counsel attorneys who provide Pro Bono legal services for low-income Texans and promote Pro Bono culture within the corporate framework. The award is open to any individual corporate counsel or in-house attorney in Texas and is presented annually at the State Bar Annual Meeting in June.

The 2025 Corporate Counsel Pro Bono Award was presented to Dave Louie, Associate General Counsel at LyondellBasell. Mr. Louie recently assumed responsibility for coordinating LyondellBasell’s Pro Bono program and, under his leadership, the legal department accepted thirteen Pro Bono cases - more than doubling its prior commitment His efforts have made a tangible difference in the lives of clients in Texas. In addition to his Pro Bono work, Mr. Louie serves on the Editorial Board of The Houston Lawyer magazine, helping shape thought leadership on ethics, access to justice, and the legal profession’s civic responsibilities.

B. Deborah G. Hankinson Awards

The Deborah G. Hankinson Awards honor local bar organizations and young lawyer organizations who demonstrate a commitment to access to justice in their communities, and who raise ﬁnancial support for legal service providers on a local and statewide basis. There are three separate divisions for local bar associations: Division I is for those with a membership of 500 or fewer attorneys, 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 one Young Lawyer affiliate. These awards are presented at the Local Bar Leaders Conference.

The 2025 Division I award was presented to the Jefferson County Bar Association (JCBA), a small but remarkably impactful organization serving Jefferson, Orange, Liberty, and Hardin counties. With just two full-time staff members, JCBA delivers an impressive range of access to justice programs. In FY 2024–25, their Pro Bono Program engaged 37 volunteer attorneys who contributed 235 hours of civil legal assistance to low-income clients. JCBA’s Veterans Legal Initiative reached over 400 veterans through legal clinics, seminars, and Pro Bono representation. Its signature National Adoption Day event, now in its 22nd year, facilitated 17 adoptions in 2024 and drew national attention from NBC Nightly News. In April 2023, JCBA launched a Pro Se Clinic that has already helped ﬁnalize more than 300 uncontested family law cases.

The 2025 Division II award was presented to the Houston Lawyers Association (HLA) in recognition of its outstanding access to justice initiatives. A central component of HLA’s access to justice work is its expungement program, which offers free legal assistance to low-income Houstonians seeking to clear their criminal records. Conducted in partnership with community organizations, these clinics provide individualized support from volunteer attorneys and law students, guiding participants through legal advice, document preparation, and post-clinic ﬁlings. HLA further reduces barriers to access to justice by covering ﬁling fees and related costs through targeted fundraising efforts. The organization also advances access to justice through community legal education and civic engagement, including its annual HLA Day at the Capitol, which raises awareness of legal system challenges at the policy level. In addition, HLA promotes a strong culture of service by encouraging its members to volunteer with legal aid providers, engage in Pro Bono work, and collaborate with legal services organizations across the region.

The 2025 Division III award was presented to the Austin Bar Association in recognition of its deep commitment to access to justice and its strong culture of service and volunteerism. The Family Law Section has been a particularly active force, partnering with Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas (VLS) to support Pro Bono legal services. The section helped launch the annual Chili Cook-Off fundraiser for VLS, incorporates Pro Bono messaging into its monthly CLEs, and encourages law ﬁrm participation in VLS clinics. Beyond family law, the Austin Bar hosts monthly legal advice clinics for veterans, coordinates an Adoption Day project, offers estate planning assistance for cancer patients, and provides robust support for law student Pro Bono volunteers. Through its Pro Bono Committee, the association strengthens partnerships with legal aid providers, mobilizes volunteers, and helps ensure critical civil legal assistance reaches those most in need.

The 2025 Young Lawyer Affiliate award was presented to the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers (DAYL) for its sustained and multifaceted commitment to promoting access to justice in Dallas County. Since 2002, DAYL’s ﬂagship fundraising event an annual wine tasting organized by the Equal Access to Justice Committee has raised over $147,000 for the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program (DVAP). In addition to fundraising, DAYL operates the Pro Bono Partners (PBP) program, which connects young lawyers with opportunities to serve through DVAP, the Dallas Eviction Advocacy Center, and the Human Rights Initiative. In the past year, PBP participants staffed legal intake and advice clinics in both South and West Dallas, after having supported virtual clinics throughout the pandemic. To encourage a culture of service, DAYL invites members to report their annual Pro Bono hours in pursuit of a collective 2,500-hour goal, recognizing individuals who contribute 12, 30, or 50+ hours of volunteer legal work.

C. Law School Commitment to Service Award

The Law School Commitment to Service Award honors a Texas law school that has carried forward one of the ﬁnest traditions of the legal profession by actively educating its students about access to justice issues. This award is presented at the New Lawyer Induction Ceremony.

The 2025 recipient of the Law School Commitment to Service Award was South Texas College of Law Houston. South Texas Law is dedicated to advocating for underserved populations, as is demonstrated by its curriculum, clinics, and student organizations. Through these programs, its students, staff, and faculty have made a signiﬁcant impact on the community. In the past academic year, 172 students served real-world clients with free legal services, supervised by licensed attorneys in the clinics. Last year, the clinic staff closed 711 cases, affecting approximately 2,000 people.

D. Law Student Pro Bono Award

The Law Student Pro Bono Award recognizes a student or recent graduate whose Pro Bono work has made a signiﬁcant impact on the community and reﬂects a passion for advocating on behalf of underserved populations, substantial performance of Pro Bono service, and involvement in public service- oriented law student groups. The award is presented at the New Lawyer Induction Ceremony.

The Awards Committee awarded two 2025 recipients: MaKenna McGraw, from the University of Texas School of Law, and Brandon Yim, from Texas A&M University School of Law

MaKenna MacGraw has demonstrated exceptional commitment to public service as a Pro Bono Scholar with the Mithoff Program’s Parole Project. Beginning her ﬁrst year of law school, she contributed more than 100 Pro Bono hours as a 1L, volunteering across multiple initiatives She was a recipient of the Pro Bono Beacon Award, given to the student donating the highest number of pro bono hours in the student’s class. She also has continued her service through various clinics in her 2L year.

Brandon Yim, as a recent graduate, has committed himself to public interest law and Pro Bono service. He contributed nearly 1,000 hours to public interest work through clinics, internships, externships, and services provided to nonproﬁt organizations. His experience includes work with veterans and family clinics and the Innocence Project. Mr. Yim continues to volunteer with the Texas Legal Services Center and recently completed an externship with the Federal Public Defender ’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, completing 175 hours of service.

E. Emily C. Jones Lifetime Achievement Award

The Emily C. Jones Lifetime Achievement Award reﬂects the highest honor given for a career dedicated to supporting legal services for poor Texans. This award, named for the ﬁrst Executive Director of the Commission, recognizes an outstanding individual whose extraordinary spirit and demonstrated commitment to legal services has improved our society and inspired others. The award is not presented every year, and there was no awardee in 2025.

F. Harry M. Reasoner Justice for All Award

The Harry M. Reasoner Justice for All Award is named after Texas legal icon and Texas Access to Justice Commission Chair Emeritus, Harry M. Reasoner. This award is given to a Texas attorney, in good standing, who offers exemplary Pro Bono legal services to lowincome Texans, demonstrates dedication and commitment to providing Pro Bono civil legal services for the poor, and promotes a culture of Pro Bono within the Bar. This award is presented at the annual Champions of Justice Gala Beneﬁting Veterans.

The 2025 recipient of this award was Fred A. Krasny, whose decades-long career reﬂects tireless commitment to equal justice. Mr. Krasny began his career with the Office of the Texas Attorney General (1987-1992) and continued at Lone Star Legal Aid in Houston (19922008), where he advanced the rights of vulnerable Texans. He later joined the University of Houston Law Center as a clinical faculty member, mentoring future lawyers through the Family Law Clinic.

As past President of the Fort Bend Bar Association and Vice President of Fort Bend Lawyers Care, Mr. Krasny has volunteered extensively with the Houston Bar Association’s LegalLine Program and served on both the State Bar of Texas Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee and its District Grievance Committee. Recently, he became the ﬁrst volunteer lawyer to serve as a settlement facilitator in eviction cases at the Harris County Justice of the Peace Court (Precinct 1, Place 2). His pioneering work in this Eviction Diversion Initiative Program, launched in 2024, is helping mitigate the devastating impact of evictions, and he is now working with the Houston Volunteer Lawyers to expand this model to other courts in Harris County.

G. James B. Sales Boots on the Ground Award

The James B. Sales Boots on the Ground Award is given to a legal services program attorney or a Pro Bono attorney who is an exemplary advocate and gives selﬂessly of their time and talent to provide legal help to those with no voice. This award is presented annually at the Champions of Justice Gala Beneﬁting Veterans.

The 2025 recipient was Rebecca G. Flanigan, a dedicated advocate at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA) whose career has been deﬁned by service, leadership, and innovation. A legal aid executive by age twenty-six, Ms. Flanigan quickly became known for her skill in handling complex litigation, including a class action representing over four hundred plaintiffs. At TRLA, she has taken cases in family law, housing and public beneﬁts, representing clients with persistence and compassion in both state and federal courts.

Beyond her caseload, Ms. Flanigan has distinguished herself as a mentor and educator. She trains new attorneys in areas such as discovery, mandamus practice, and compliance earning for her excellent presentations the nickname “Queen of the PowerPoint.” Her inﬂuence extends far beyond her individual clients, strengthening the capacity of the legal aid community and inspiring the next generation of public interest lawyers.

H. Star of Justice Award

The Star of Justice Award recognizes individuals who have done exceptional work on behalf of legal services to the poor and who improve access to justice 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 justice movement.

This award is not given every year and can be bestowed on a nonlawyer. There was no awardee in 2025, although as mentioned the Award was bestowed on Dean Senator Zaffirini in 2024

I. The Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht Access to Justice Leadership Award

The Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht Access to Justice Leadership Award is given to honor an individual who has demonstrated through personal characteristics of perseverance, fortitude, compassion, and courage, the ability to convince others of the necessity of an American justice system that affords meaningful access to justice for all, from the wealthy to the poorest; through effective and tireless efforts, the ability to draw others to support greater meaningful access to justice for all and to champion themselves the cause of access to justice, as a righteous cause; and through skillful and reasoned advocacy, the ability to increase resources dedicated to ensuring access to the justice system and progress in the removal of barriers to all Americans achieving access to our justice system when needed. This award is given as the Commission deems appropriate.

The inaugural recipient of the Award in 2024 was Chief Justice Hecht, and there was no awardee in 2025.

V. DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS

A. Development and Fundraising Efforts

Justice for All Campaign

The Justice for All Campaign encourages attorneys to enhance access to justice through voluntary ﬁnancial contributions beyond their annual dues. Each year, lawyers are asked to voluntarily add a contribution to their dues statement, with a suggested amount of $150 (or any other amount of their choosing). Exhibits E and F are copies of solicitation letters. Electronic handling of ﬁrm dues statements has presented challenges to the effectiveness of this program. From September 1, 2024, to August 31, 2025, the campaign raised $1,742,853.64, a meaningful increase over last year

An end- of-year appeal soliciting further donations is scheduled before the close of 2025.

Pro Bono Contributions

The Commission considers important measuring and tracking trends in Pro Bono legal services provided by Texas attorneys. Accordingly, the Commission supports a biennial survey of Pro Bono services conducted by the State Bar of Texas. Based on the most recent survey, distributed in 2023, it is estimated that Texas lawyers provided the equivalent of $11 million worth of services to legal aid and Pro Bono organizations. The next Pro Bono survey is scheduled to be distributed in April 2026.

Champions of Justice Society

The Commission established the Champions of Justice Society in 2012 for individuals who wish to show their strong support for access to justice in Texas. Membership levels are:

Guardian

Hero

Defender

Advocate

$1,000 (per year for ﬁve years)

$ 1,000

$ 500-$999

$ 250-$499

Between November 11, 2024, and November 11, 2025, there were 1,566 Society members. Champions of Justice Society members are recognized annually at the Access to Justice Reception held during the State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting. This year, Justice Brett Busby congratulated the Society members in attendance at the reception in San Antonio. The reception was well attended, and Justice Busby was joined by colleagues on the Texas Supreme Court. See Exhibit G for the list of Guardian, Hero and Defender Society members.

Champions of Justice Gala Beneﬁtting Veterans

The Commission honored veterans throughout the state during its annual gala on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Austin. The event raised $1,034,918, the proceeds of which are distributed by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation to legal aid programs providing civil legal services to low-income Texas veterans.

This year’s event was chaired by David R. McAtee II, Senior Executive Vice President and General Counsel for AT&T Inc., and Van H. Beckwith, Executive Vice President, Secretary, and Chief Legal Officer at Halliburton. Texas Supreme Court Justice Brett Busby served as the master of ceremonies and throughout the evening emphasized the signiﬁcant civil legal needs among veterans.

The Macey and Harry M. Reasoner Access to Justice Lecture Series Keynote Speaker was Bryan Stevenson, the founder and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative, a human rights organization in Montgomery, Alabama. He has argued and won multiple cases at the United States Supreme Court and has initiated signiﬁcant new anti-poverty and anti-discrimination efforts that challenge inequality in America. Mr. Stevenson is also the author of the critically acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Just Mercy, which became a major motion picture starring Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx. His work has won him numerous awards, including the MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Prize, the ABA Medal, and the National Medal of Liberty from the American Civil Liberties Union.

This year’s Gala brought in sponsorships from 18 different companies and 23 law ﬁrms, as well as Foundation and individual supporters. The Presenting Sponsor was Paul Hastings. Champion-level sponsors contributing $35,000 each included AT&T; Baker Botts LLP; BakerHostetler; CenterPoint Energy; Chevron; Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP; Greenberg Traurig; Halliburton; H-E-B; King & Spalding; Kirkland & Ellis; Latham & Watkins LLP; The David & Cristy McAtee Family Fund; The Moody Foundation; The Sullivan & Cromwell Foundation; Toyota Motor North America & Toyota Financial Services; Troutman Pepper Locke; and Vinson & Elkins LLP.

Other corporate sponsors included Atmos Energy; ConocoPhillips; Coterra, Diamondback Energy; Frost Bank; Meta Legal Pro Bono & Community Service Committee; NYSE Texas; Oracle; Phillips66; Plains All American Pipeline; Texas Instruments, and USAA.

Other Foundation, law ﬁrm or individual sponsors having contributed at least $5,000 include Bartlit Beck; Baylor Law School; Beck Redden; Texas Supreme Court Justice Jane Bland and Doug Bland; Blank Rome; Crowell & Moring LLP; Davis, Cedillo & Mendoza, Inc.; Gibbs & Bruns; Johnston Tobey Baruch, PC; Harriet E. Miers; Norton Rose Fullbright; O’Melveny & Myers LLP; Perkins Coie; Scott Douglass & McConnico; Sidley Austin; Kay Sim; Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP; State Bar of Texas Corporate Counsel Section; The University of Texas School of Law; The Patricia Villareal, Thomas Leatherbury & The Dorothea L. Leonhardt Foundation; and Paul & Patti Yetter.

Two awards were presented at this year’s Gala. Justice Busby presented the 2025 James B. Sales Boots on the Ground Award to Rebecca Flanigan and the 2025 Harry M. Reasoner Justice for All Award to Fred Krasny, as mentioned above

B. Communications and Networking

The Commission continued to broaden and reﬁne its communication and outreach with the public and the national access to justice community, aiming both to educate and to learn from initiatives in other jurisdictions.

The Commission’s website (www.texasatj.org) remains its primary digital outreach platform, with the News page providing updates on Commission activities. In 2025, the Commission has been redesigning its website to clarify and better organize materials and to align with contemporary website best practices. Additionally, the Commission partnered with the SBOT Legal Access Department to launch a user-friendly interactive map that presents the LAD Referral Directory by county and area of law. This Directory provides an improved avenue for the public to find available civil justice resources.

The Commission maintains an active presence on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter/X, and Instagram and uses targeted social media campaigns to raise awareness of legislative efforts, highlight programs and events on its annual calendar, and recognize award recipients. The Commission’s social media following grew across all platforms in 2025.

Commission staff also participate in various national conferences and meetings, including the National Legal Aid and Defender Association Annual Conference, the Equal Justice Conference, the Self Represented Litigants Network Conference, and the American Bar Association National Meeting of State Access to Justice Commission Chairs, and an invitation- only conference hosted by the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System on the topic of communications and messaging. Additionally, Commission staff join a monthly Access to Justice Commission staff call hosted by the American Bar Association. These gatherings provide the opportunity for the Commission to learn from access to justice initiatives in other jurisdictions and to share its work with the national community.

VI. CONCLUSION

The Commission looks forward to continuing many of the above projects and exploring new initiatives to serve low-income Texans. These projects are all possible through the collaboration with access to justice stakeholders throughout the state who have contributed by their steadfast support for access to justice efforts in our State. These collaborators include, but are not limited to, representatives from:

· The Supreme Court of Texas

· The State Bar of Texas

The Access to Justice Foundation

· The Office of Court Administration

· The Texas Bar Foundation

· Texas Legal Services Center

· Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas

· Lone Star Legal Aid

· Texas RioGrande Legal Aid

The Commission expresses deep appreciation to Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock and to the entire Supreme Court for its leadership and support of access to justice in Texas. The Commission also expresses deep appreciation to Justice Brett Busby for his tireless efforts on behalf of access to justice issues and service as liaison to the Commission and for his great efforts to increase access to justice.

TEXAS

STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN

ACCESS TO JUSTICE COMMISSION

Introduction

The Texas Access to Justice Commission was created by the Texas Supreme Court in 2001 and is charged with the responsibility to develop initiatives to expand access to justice, and to enhance its quality for low-income Texans. The Commission’s planning process began in the Fall of 2023 with a stated goal of achieving the highest level of access to justice for low-income individuals and families in Texas. The goal is grounded in the understanding that a robust access to justice system redounds to the benefit of all Texans. Unresolved legal problems can lead to family instability, homelessness, unemployment, and generational poverty that undermine society’s overall strength.

This strategic action plan is the product of a thorough effort to identify challenges to providing access to justice to low-income Texans and to develop realistic strategies to make progress towards closing the justice gap in Texas. The planning process began with factfinding and research by the strategic planning consultants to identify issues that should be addressed in the plan. Their efforts involved a survey of staff of legal aid providers, leaders of access to justice organizations, leaders of client councils, judges and court administrators, bar leaders, members of the bar, representatives of law schools, representatives of social service organizations and others engaged in addressing the legal needs of low-income individuals. The consultants then interviewed nearly 60 people from those organizations and others in leadership roles to get their insights into areas that the Commission might address in its planning efforts.

The results of that fact-finding and research were discussed at length by the Commission and by a Strategic Planning Committee in a series of meetings over the course of the planning. Several themes emerged from those discussions.

An underlying reality in Texas courts is that a very high percentage of litigants are unrepresented, particularly in family law, eviction and consumer matters. The presence of large numbers of unrepresented litigants is a challenge to judicial efficiency as those litigants often stumble through their hearings delaying the proceedings, while at the same time often not getting a result to which they are entitled because of the inability effectively to present their case.

Although Texas excels at providing self-help materials and other support for the many litigants who do not have a lawyer, current efforts are not enough. There is an underlying need for many more lawyers who can provide legal representation in complex matters and other circumstances where self-represented litigants cannot successfully proceed on their own. In addition, there is a need to understand better how to increase the viability of self-help remedies for unrepresented persons.

The Commission also recognized that there are deep challenges in meeting the legal needs of low-income individuals in rural Texas, particularly in the many areas where there are few or no lawyers – what have come to be called “legal deserts.” There is also a challenge assuring access to courts for persons with a disability and persons with limited proficiency in English. Lack of access to technology also inhibits others from participating effectively in court matters.

Underlying all these issues is the need for more resources to support organizations that help meet the needs of low-income persons for legal assistance and provide assistance for the courts that serve them. There is a need to bring more people and interests to the table to understand the importance of access to justice and the need to support it.

Based on these findings, the Commission created six Working Groups: 1) Improving Access to the Courts, 2) Increasing the Availability of Lawyers for Low Income Persons, 3) Increasing the Viability of Self Help, 4) Improving Rural Access and Addressing Legal Deserts, 5) Resource Development and 6) Structure and Operation of the Commission. The Working Groups were asked to develop strategies to respond to the identified needs.

More than 100 people participated in the working groups. A concerted effort was made to recruit individuals and interests that had not previously been active with the Commission or access to justice initiatives. The Working Groups met numerous times over a fourmonth period, with some forming subgroups to address specific areas. Their work and commitment to the process were exemplary, entailing hundreds of hours of discussion and research.

The Working Groups produced 75 separate potential strategies, which were presented to the Commission and discussed in two separate meetings in December and January. 1 The result of this work is the following Strategic Action Plan, which, when considered, modified as necessary, and approved, will guide the work of the Texas Access to Justice Commission, working with its partners, for the next several years.

This Strategic Action Plan sets an ambitious agenda for expanding access to justice in Texas. It will not be successful without the engaged participation of many other entities that are identified in the plan. A few strategies will fall to the Commission to accomplish as the sole or primary actor. Others the Commission will jointly undertake with another organization sharing responsibility for its implementation. Many will be accomplished through the efforts of another organization or coalition of organizations where the Commission will only serve as a catalyst for the efforts to begin. Representatives from many of those organizations actively participated in developing the strategies recommended by the Working Groups that are included in this Strategic Action Plan.

1 To respond to the needs presented by the plan, the Structure and Operations Working Group will complete its work after the strategic plan is adopted by the Commission.

There are also other efforts underway in Texas independent of this strategic plan that will serve to increase access to justice in the state. The Commission’s Law School Advisory Committee, for instance, while started by the Commission, is engaged in important projects about which it reports to the Commission, but for which it has taken the initiative. The Texas Access to Justice Foundation is a partner in many of the strategies in this plan, particularly those related to resource development. As the primary state funder, it has long been a leader in access to justice efforts and is also pursuing a number of its own initiatives to meet access to justice needs in the state, including its recent Moonshot Grant Program. The leadership of the State Bar of Texas and its Sections and Committees are at the forefront of many efforts to improve access to justice in the state. The Texas Bar Foundation also grants funds to support access to justice efforts.

The Texas Legal Services Center, Disability Rights Texas, Lone Star Legal Aid, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, other legal aid providers and pro bono programs are involved every day in directly addressing the needs of low-income Texans and creatively implement new strategies to meet those needs. The Office of Court Administration and many Texas courts have been willing to experiment in ways as well to increase meaningful access for low-income litigants. The private bar, private foundations, and corporations have also been partners in improving access to justice in Texas.

The backdrop to all of this is the unwavering support of the Supreme Court of Texas for access to justice, exemplified by its creation of the Access to Justice Commission more than 20 years ago.

- Establishing Permanent Capacity

o Communications and Outreach Committee

o Judicial Education Committee

- Increased Access to the Courts

o Language Access Plan

o Judicial Training Re Language Access

o Train Lawyers and Judges Re Access for Persons with a Disability

o Court Websites’ Info Re ADA Rights

o ADA Coordinators

o Training of ADA Coordinators

o Use of Assistive Technology

- Standardize and Plain Language

o Plain Language

o Standard Forms and Procedures

- Addressing Rural Access Needs and Legal

o Rural Access Committee

o Attracting Lawyers to Rural Texas

o Loan Forgiveness

o Remote Attorneys

o Protective Orders

o Rural Representation Section of State Bar

o Increase Rural Community Involvement

o Medical Legal Partnerships

o County Law and Public Libraries

- Remote

o Encourage Remote Hearings in Rural Areas

o Improved Technology to Support Remote Hearings

o Address the Digital Divide and Accessibility Challenges

- Limited Scope Representation

o Training Regarding Limited Scope Representation

o Mentoring

o Study Where Limited Scope Representation Would Be Most Useful

- Increasing Pro Bono

o Create a Culture of Pro Bono to Make it an Expected Part of a Legal Career

o Analyze various policy options

o Pro bono mentorship

o Amend rule 10

o Online pro bono law school

o Helpful mechanisms

- Special Projects to Increase the Availability of Lawyers …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……31

o Mediation pilot project

o Mediation CLE

o Fee shifting

o Right to counsel

o Eviction diversion

- Increasing the Viability of Self-Help

o Study of self-help approaches

o Use of court navigators

- Resource Development …………………………………………………………………………………………….………………………………………………………………..……37

o Target new support for ATJ

o Improve Recognition Efforts

o Leaders Council

o Inventory Of ATJ Support in Firms and Corporations

o 3-Way Partnerships

o Fellowships

o Plaintiffs’ Bar

o Private Foundations

o Planned Giving

o Disaster Relief

o Community Outreach

- Addendum

ESTABLISHING A PERMANENT CAPACITY IN THE COMMISSION FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH TO THE PUBLIC AND SUPPORTING RELEVANT TRAINING FOR THE JUDICIARY

OBJECTIVES

1. Communications and Outreach Committee 2

To maintain an open flow of communication with stakeholders and the public, in order to develop initiatives, customize Commission activities, and ensure better coordination as an umbrella organization.

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/SR2cpOHz, p. 4.

STRATEGY

Strategy: Establish a permanent Committee of the Commission to address communication and outreach

Implementation steps:

• Propose and pursue the creation of a new Commission Committee dedicated to communications and outreach

• Build engagement with client community and other organizations that pursue similar goals, including relevant sections of the State Bar

• Determine best ways to disseminate information about the Commission’s resources needs and activities

• Review and catalogue the feedback and ideas received from stakeholders, including the client community

BY WHOM? HOW MEASURED?

The Commission in coordination with the State Bar, the ATJ Foundation, and others active in the Access to Justice community

Level of unsolicited communications from outside of the Commission

Adoption of Commission initiatives by other entities and organizations

Development of healthy social media presence

2 The importance of educating the public in general and specific components of it about the benefit to the society at large of a robust access to justice capacity in Texas underlies many of the strategies that are part of this strategic plan. This proposed committee would serve as a support for those strategies as well as other initiatives undertaken by the Commission over the years.

ESTABLISHING A PERMANENT CAPACITY IN THE COMMISSION FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH TO THE PUBLIC AND SUPPORTING RELEVANT TRAINING FOR THE JUDICIARY

OBJECTIVES

2. Judicial Education Committee 3

To increase the amount of judicial education related to unrepresented litigants in courts in order to improve judicial efficiency and increase the likelihood that unrepresented litigants will achieve outcomes to which they are legally entitled, given the facts and the law.

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/VYttL7VS

STRATEGY BY WHOM? HOW MEASURED?

Strategy: To form a judicial education committee consisting of lawyers, persons involved in supporting unrepresented litigants, and judges to evaluate possible topics and prepare educational materials to be submitted to judicial education organizations on a recurring basis.

Implementation steps:

• Define the Committee's Purpose and Scope.

• Identify key stakeholders and recruit members. Including particularly judges committed to access to justice

• Begin operations

• Develop a communication and collaboration plan

• Prioritize Topics for Initial Focus

• Assign tasks and set milestones for topic development

• Review and finalize educational materials for each topic

• Submit materials to judicial education provider

• Monitor progress and report on outcomes

• Evaluate committee performance annually

Members of the Working Group who will recruit the committee and then the Judicial Education Committee

Number of topics and their quality presented to educational groups and number of trainings presented.

Feedback from participants.

• Advocate for rule change to require judges to satisfy access to justice CLE requirements annually

3 There are several strategies in this strategic plan that call for judicial education. This committee’s agenda would include coordination among the various judicial education strategies to maximize their success. The access to justice community could also develop a uniform, underlying message to encourage a judicial culture that recognizes the importance of effective treatment of unrepresented litigants, persons with a disability and limited proficiency in English both for purposes of judicial efficiency and fair treatment of the litigants.

INCREASED ACCESS TO THE COURTS

Language Access

OBJECTIVES

3. Language Access Plans

To increase awareness of language access rights in the courts subject to language access requirements and to increase language accessibility

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/wVHJscA1, pp. 24.

4. Judicial Training Re Language Access

To assure that Court personnel know what to do and how to help an individual with limited English proficiency

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/wVHJscA1, p. 5

Strategy: Educate County Commissioners and the judiciary of federal regulations related to language access and provide resources to facilitate the development of effective language access plans

Implementation steps:

• Survey courts re language access plans

• Develop materials and resources for training and guidance for Courts re language access requirements and development of a plan

• Disseminate info through OCA

• Survey of effectiveness of materials

• Survey of courts that have complied, where compliance is required

Strategy: Work with the courts to develop and implement a training program for all staff regarding language rights, their language access plan, and where to find information

Implementation steps:

• Assemble resources and develop templates and guidelines for an effective staff training curriculum.

• Disseminate resources and material developed to all court staff.

• Work with the courts to ensure that this information is readily available to the public

Primary: Commission Committee

Office of Court Administration

Secondary: Texas Association of Counties

Texas Judicial Branch

MEASURED?

Survey responses

Ongoing peer to peer support

Reporting of successes where achieved

Primary: Commission Committee

Secondary: OCA

Number trained

Observable increase in ability to work with litigants with limited English proficiency

Determine how best to determine compliance records

5. Train Lawyers and Judges re Access for Persons with a Disability

To empower and educate attorneys and judges on how to properly represent their clients or those litigants before their court who have disabilities by meeting their disability related needs so they can have equal access to the justice system.

To empower and educate all court personnel on how to properly respond to requests from individuals with disabilities so that they can have equal access to the justice system.

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/wVHJscA1, p. 8.

INCREASED ACCESS TO THE COURTS

Access for persons with a disability

Strategy: 1) Develop a CLE training for attorneys and judges on representing individuals with disabilities, ADA requirements and accommodations, and motions to the court to obtain disability related accommodations for their clients

2) Develop a “ADA 101 Training” for all court personnel on the legal requirement for legal systems to provide reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities at all levels of involvement, including as litigants, jurors or visitors, what these accommodations might be and what that court’s policy/procedure is on obtaining accommodations for individuals.

Implementation steps:

• Research training modules that may be used by the Bar in other states

• Connect with experts in disability rights and accommodations to develop a training module like JAN, ADA Network, Tx Bar Disability Rights and Issues Committee

Members of the Working Group solicit engagement of the SBOT Disability Rights and Issues Committee

Office of Court Administration

Enlist support of Disability Rights Texas DRTx

Completion and presentation of CLE training

Survey the participants re accomplishment of the training objectives Reports from Courts

INCREASED ACCESS TO THE COURTS

Access for persons with a disability

OBJECTIVES

6. Court Websites’ Info re ADA rights

To educate the public about their rights under the ADA and the process by which they can request an accommodation.

Full strategy available here:

https://t2m.io/wVHJscA1, p. 14.

7. ADA Coordinators

To understand the scope of the need for municipal employees who are specifically trained on the ADA.

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/wVHJscA1, p. 11.

Strategy: Ensure every court website has a statement on how to request accommodations. Make sure the statement is easily found on the court website and has basic information about rights under the ADA.

Implementation steps:

• Draft language for courts’ usage

• Reach out to Courts and request that they add language to their website

WHOM? HOW MEASURED?

Members of the Working Group solicit Disability Rights Texas to draft language and Texas Association for Court Administration and Office of Court Administration

Placement of the proposed language on courts’ websites

Strategy: Assessment of municipality’s obligation to have AD coordinator as required by Title II of the ADA for entities with more than 50 employees.

Implementation steps:

• Develop a questionnaire/survey to send to court administrators across the state regarding the use of ADA coordinators in their court.

Members of the Working Group develop survey and request circulation by the Office of Court Administration

High survey response

INCREASED ACCESS TO THE COURTS

Access for persons with a disability

OBJECTIVES

8. Training of ADA Coordinators

To help ADA coordinators to develop court policies for providing accommodations to pro se litigants with disabilities

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/wVHJscA1, p. 12.

Strategy: Provide ADA coordinators specific training on accommodations for a pro se litigant.

Implementation steps:

• Create training material for ADA coordinators regarding the ADA in a court setting and the common access issues pro se litigants face.

• Administer training to the ADA Coordinators

Members of the Working Group solicit commitment of the SBOT Disability Rights and Issues Committee and Disability Rights Texas to develop and administer the training

Number Of ADA Coordinators who are trained

9. Use of Assistive Technology

To help ADA coordinators and IT Staff develop plans and budgets to use Assistive Technology (AT) effectively as an accommodation in their courtroom.

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/wVHJscA1, p. 9.

Strategy: Provide ADA Coordinators and IT Staff information and guidance on the wide range of AT that could be used for accommodations in the courtroom for persons with a disability.

Implementation steps:

• Connect ADA Coordinators and IT staff with the Texas Technology Access Program | Texas Technology Access Program for information, guidance and training.

• Follow up to support development of plans and a budget to use AT

Members of the Working Group provide information re the Texas Technology Access Program to ADA Coordinators and IT staff and follow up regarding application in court.

At least 70% of ADA coordinators and IT Staff develop a plan and budget to obtain what is needed to use AT to accommodate needs of person with a disability

OBJECTIVES

STANDARDIZED AND PLAIN LANGUAGE FORMS

Strategy: Revise existing legal forms using plain language to help SRLs in rural areas and elsewhere more easily complete necessary paperwork. Assure that technology is effectively used to make plain language forms available to be filled out online, when appropriate.

10. Plain Language

To avoid unnecessary complexity and ensure that forms are accessible and effective through plain language, reducing procedural errors and improving access to justice for rural Texans. Note this strategy would benefit self-represented urban litigants as well.

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/SR2cpOHz, p. 7.

Implementation steps:

• Partner with language experts and other SBOT sections to simplify existing court forms.

• Engage technology experts regarding emerging technologies, including AI

• Distribute forms widely through local courts, libraries, and online platforms.

• Train court staff and other rural partners to assist SRLs in completing the forms.

• Enlist volunteer attorneys or legal aid organizations to review forms before submission.

• Remote assistance could be provided through LSA’s, OCA, kiosks, and implementation of emerging technologies like AI

Subcommittee or task force of Commission, National Center for State Courts, Office of Court Administration. Texas Judicial Council, SCAC, SBOT sections, legal aid organizations, clerks‘ associations, local courts, Civil Legal Services for the Poor Committee Technology experts, including from law firms and law schools regarding emerging uses of AI

Number of forms distributed,

User feedback,

Reduction in formrelated delays in court proceedings

OBJECTIVES

11. Standard Forms and Procedures

To increase the number of lawyers who handle limited scope along with the number of litigants who utilize lawyers for limited scope representation by standardizing forms and processes in certain areas of practice.

This strategy would benefit lawyers and litigants in other areas as well.

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/ZPrHuz2B

STANDARDIZED AND PLAIN LANGUAGE FORMS

Strategy: Standardize forms and processes in certain areas of practice to increase the number of lawyers who handle limited scope and offer their services statewide.

Implementation steps:

• Create a task force of lawyers and judges to survey which areas of practice and forms can be standardized statewide (uncontested divorce, QDROs, transfer of title, occupational drivers’ licenses, and expunctions).

• Draft and confirm forms and rules for court processes.

• Draft a rule pursuant to Judicial Rule of Administration Rule 10 adopting standardized forms and processes

• Implement rule regarding standardized forms and processes.

• Circulate standardized forms statewide

Subcommittee or task force of the Commission identifies areas where standardized forms are appropriate.

In collaboration with poverty law section, family law section, and legal aid providers, Committee would develop forms and solicit rule change as appropriate from the Supreme Court of Texas.

Monitoring district and county courts to ensure they are using standardized forms and complying with court processes.

Increased number of lawyers representing litigants in limited scope statewide.

ADDRESSING RURAL

ACCESS NEEDS AND LEGAL DESERTS

OBJECTIVES

12. Rural Access Committee

To ensure that rural areas have a voice in Commission decisions at a committee, rather than just the Commission stage.

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/SR2cpOHz, p. 8.

13. Attracting Lawyers to Rural Texas

To attract young lawyers to rural areas providing professional support and encourage new attorneys to establish lasting practices in underserved communities.

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/SR2cpOHz, pp. 1213.

Strategy: Establish a permanent Rural Access Committee of the Access to Justice Commission

Implementation steps:

• Propose and pursue the creation of a new Commission committee

The Commission Increased attention to the needs of rural Texas in deliberations and initiatives of the Commission

Strategy: To attract young lawyers to rural areas through structured mentorship opportunities. Partner with law schools to establish rural justice clinics to expose students to rural legal work and help them build connections in these communities.

Implementation steps:

• Identify counties or regions on which to focus

• Develop partnerships with law schools for rural justice clinics

• Establish a mentorship program (or expand the SBOT mentorship program) pairing young attorneys with experienced rural practitioners.

Rural Access Committee of the Commission in collaboration with the Law School Advisory Committee. Cooperative engagement with legal aid organizations, and state bar sections.

Number of young attorneys participating, geographic distribution, Number of lawyers on appointment wheels and retention rates of attorneys in practice after 3 years

ADDRESSING RURAL ACCESS

NEEDS AND LEGAL DESERTS OBJECTIVES

14. Loan Forgiveness

To reduce the financial burden on lawyers considering practice in rural areas to encourage them to practice in underserved rural communities

Full strategy available here:

https://t2m.io/SR2cpOHz, pp. 9-10 and see pp. 12-13.

Strategy: Implement loan forgiveness programs and consider other subsidies to attract attorneys to practice in rural areas. Modeled after successful programs in other states like South Dakota and Montana, the proposal would shorten the standard loan forgiveness period and offer stipends to attorneys who commit to practicing in rural communities for a certain number of years.

Implementation steps:

Commission’s Rural Access Committee in partnership with the Texas Access to Justice Foundation

Number of participants claiming the program benefits, retention rates

• Investigate, evaluate and make recommendations for state, federal and other loan forgiveness programs, sponsorships and subsidies by corporations or other entities

• Partner with law schools to educate students on available loan forgiveness options.

• Establish a verification system to ensure compliance with rural service requirements.

• Explore other types of subsidies (beyond student loans)

15. Remote Attorneys

To provide attorney support to rural courts with a high ratio of selfrepresented litigants and little or no staff support

Full strategy available here:

https://t2m.io/SR2cpOHz, p. 11.

Strategy: Provide rural counties with access to free or lowcost communal staff attorneys, who may work remotely, to handle local legal matters for certain cases involving low-income self-represented litigants. Help address the legal service gap in rural areas without requiring attorneys to be physically based in each county.

Implementation steps:

Commission’s Rural Access Committee in partnership with the OCA

Number of counties served by staff attorneys

• Identify counties that lack legal representation in cooperation with Resource and Needs Committee, if formed.

• Source grants or funds to pay for remote staff attorneys

• Work with OCA to institute a pilot program for certain courts

• Evaluate and survey success, maintain records, and recommend expansion or limitations for permanent program

ADDRESSING RURAL ACCESS

NEEDS AND LEGAL DESERTS

OBJECTIVES

16. Protective Orders

To ensure protective orders are effectively prosecuted in low-income rural counties

Full strategy available here:

https://t2m.io/SR2cpOHz, p. 10.

Strategy: Address the lack of resources for prosecuting protective orders in rural counties by securing funding from federal, state, or local sources. Enable local prosecutors, such as county attorneys and district attorneys, to take on protective order cases, and possibly recommend changes to statute to make such prosecutions mandatory rather than discretionary.

Implementation steps:

Commission’s Rural Access Committee in partnership with legal aid organizations and county attorneys

• Identify rural counties that are not prosecuting protective orders

• Identify rural counties with other hurdles to filing protective orders

• Seek funding to assist low-income counties in prosecuting these cases

• Partner with organizations that can provide legal representation

• Evaluate whether amending the relevant statute would be beneficial and is possible

17. Rural Representation Section of State Bar

To increase awareness of and attention to rural practice issues in the State Bar of Texas

Full strategy available here:

https://t2m.io/SR2cpOHz, p. 10.

Strategy: Create a dedicated Rural Representation section within the State Bar to address legal issues specific to rural areas. This section would advocate for rural-specific legal issues, serve as a support network for rural practitioners, and organize specialized continuing legal education (CLE) events focused on rural practice areas.

Implementation steps:

Commission’s Rural Access Committee in partnership with the leadership of the State Bar of Texas

Increased protective order prosecution in low-income counties

Approval of the section by SBOT

Membership and retention numbers

Feedback from events

• Seek assistance in data gathering with SBOT and OCA to identify rural lawyers through existing SBOT data and court appointment reports, and then poll/survey those persons to measure interest.

• Propose the formation of the rural section to the State Bar leadership.

• Develop bylaws and structure for the section.

• Organize rural-focused continuing legal education (CLE) events

ADDRESSING RURAL ACCESS NEEDS AND LEGAL DESERTS

OBJECTIVES

18. Increase Rural community involvement

To increase rural non-legal community involvement by partnering with local leaders and organizations to raise awareness about rights and available resources. Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/SR2cpOHz, p. 6.

Strategy: To reach and educate people not yet pulled into the justice system who don’t realize they have cognizable legal rights or know how to pursue them. The initiative focuses on building partnerships with local community leaders, such as social workers, school officials, charities, local law enforcement, and healthcare providers, to increase awareness of legal rights and resources available in remote and rural areas.

Implementation steps:

• Identify and train community leaders (social workers, hospital staff, school officials, unique community entities, local law enforcement officials, etc.)

• Outreach to law libraries to understand the scope of their services and funding. (See Law Library strategy in the selfhelp component of this Strategic Action Plan at p. 36)

• Develop and distribute educational materials

Commission’s Rural Access Committee in partnership with legal aid providers, and identified Community leaders, schools, social services, and other key points of contact

• Host informational sessions in key community hubs like schools and church

Number of trained community leaders

Number of sessions held

Increase in legal service usage

Granular tracking of OCA regarding number of cases filed in various legal areas, counties, and courts

19. Medical/Legal partnerships

To embed legal services into existing healthcare systems to provide more holistic support for rural residents and improve both legal and health outcomes

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/SR2cpOHz, p. 5.

ADDRESSING RURAL

ACCESS NEEDS AND LEGAL DESERTS

Strategy: To establish or expand medical-legal partnerships (MLPs) in rural areas that allow healthcare professionals to identify legal issues that impact patient health, such as housing, domestic violence, or access to public benefits, and refer patients to legal services.

Implementation steps:

• Identify rural healthcare providers willing to participate in MLPs

• Identify funding for training, materials, and medical and legal team capacity.

Commission’s Rural Access Committee in partnership legal aid providers

Number and type of legal referrals

Number and type of trainings

Number and type of professional consultations, Number, means, and outcomes of resolved legal issues through MLP

• Set up a system for initial and ongoing training of healthcare providers to recognize legal issues and refer patients

• Set up a system to connect referred patients with legal resources whose intervention may have a positive health impact

• Set up a system to close the loop on referred patients

• Set up a system for “moving from patients to policy”—i.e., detecting patterns in individual patients needs that reveal opportunities to advance healthy policy solutions for whole communities

ADDRESSING RURAL

ACCESS NEEDS AND LEGAL DESERTS

OBJECTIVES

20. County Law and Public Libraries

To cultivate a strong relationship between the access to justice community and public and county law libraries that are supporting selfrepresented litigants and encourage expansion of those efforts

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/rg2XJoo7

Strategy: To publicize and support the services of Texas libraries that serve self-represented patrons with form completion, research, website navigation, case setting, service of process, testimony, submission of evidence, obtaining adjudications and other activities that move cases through the legal system to completion.

Implementation steps:

Staff of the Texas Access to Justice Commission with the cooperation of the staff members of willing law libraries, and legal aid offices

By updating the compilation to show counties providing new services to selfrepresented litigants

• Compile information on the activities of Texas libraries that are assisting self-represented litigants Display the compilation in a manner that is searchable by relevant variables

• Communicate the availability of the compilation to those who may be interested in emulating effective activities of libraries helping self-represented litigants

• Facilitate and help expand ongoing library communication to encourage continued innovations and partnerships between libraries and the Access to Justice community

• See also, the parallel strategy to engage with public libraries, county law libraries. law school libraries and the equivalent in law firms at p. 36

REMOTE

PROCEEDINGS AND IMPROVED TECHNOLOGY FOR RURAL COURTS

OBJECTIVES

21. Encourage Remote Hearings in Rural Areas

To encourage and expand the use of remote legal proceedings to improve access to justice

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/SR2cpOHz, pp. 1819 and https://t2m.io/wVHJscA1, pp.18-19.

Strategy: Advocate for statewide policies that support the continued use and expansion of remote hearings, particularly in rural counties where transportation and geographic isolation make in-person hearings difficult. Review and seek revisions as appropriate of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure and Statutory Authority to reflect the importance of remote hearings and to ensure that participants can access justice equitably.

Implementation steps:

• Review data regarding remote proceedings

• Survey judges to determine how courts are currently using remote hearings and where inconsistencies exist

• Identify and analyze the opposition to remote proceedings and other uses of technology

• Clarify statutes and rules regarding remote proceedings, particularly RCP, Rule 21d and Rule 500.10 and statutory authority for expanding and codifying remote hearing practices

• Present ambiguities and areas appropriate for changes in the Rules governing remote proceedings to the Supreme Court Advisory Committee

• Advocate for statewide policies supporting and expanding remote hearings and remote legal assistance

Commission’s Rural Access Committee in partnership with legal aid providers, State Bar of Texas, Texas Council on Family Violence, the Texas Supreme Court Advisory Committee and Office of Court Administration

MEASURED?

Increased consistency in how remote hearings are conducted across Texas courts

Increased number of remote hearings

Participant satisfaction studies

Reduction in failures to appear and defaults

Decrease in selfrepresented filings

REMOTE

PROCEEDINGS AND IMPROVED TECHNOLOGY FOR RURAL COURTS

OBJECTIVES STRATEGY BY WHOM? HOW MEASURED?

Strategy: To improve technology and technological tools available to rural courts and provide training in its use, so that they are able to conduct virtual hearings smoothly and efficiently

Implementation steps:

• Evaluate technology available in rural courts and survey judges regarding the degree to which they have adequate technology and staff to conduct remote proceedings

22. Improved Technology to Support Remote Hearings

To support the continuation and expansion of remote hearings by improving the technology infrastructure available in rural courts

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/SR2cpOHz, pp. 1819 and https://t2m.io/wVHJscA1, pp.18-19.

• Explore the creation of a technology think-tank to experiment with technological and automation advances to streamline efficiency and minimize unnecessary time for judges and lawyers

• In conjunction with the Office of Court Administration, develop a plan for upgrading technology in rural courts, where necessary

• Offer training to court staff, judges, and attorneys on how to effectively use remote technology for legal proceedings

• Develop guidance for litigants on how properly and effectively to participate

• Create guidelines for handling remote hearings, especially those cases involving participants with disabilities, limited English proficiency, or technology access

• Recommend that the Office of Court Administration adopt a standard platform across counties, integrating accessibility features like simultaneous interpretation and screen readers

• Continue providing and expand free Zoom accounts for rural courts

Commission’s Rural Access Committee in partnership with the Office of Court Administration, local courts, the National Center for State Courts, the Texas Center for the Judiciary and the Texas Association of Court Administration

Increased number of remote hearings

Positive feedback from participants, including judges and lawyers

REMOTE PROCEEDINGS AND IMPROVED TECHNOLOGY FOR RURAL COURTS

23. Address the Digital Divide and Accessibility Challenges

To ensure that remote hearings serve all participants, including those with disabilities, limited computer access, or limited English proficiency

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/wVHJscA1, pp.1819. See also https://t2m.io/SR2cpOHz, pp. 1819

Strategy: Enhance accessibility to remote hearings for people with limited computer access, limited proficiency in English, disabilities or other factors that inhibit their participation in remote proceedings through the effective use of technology and other support

Implementation steps:

• Broadband Infrastructure: Develop partnerships with local governments and community organizations to offer free or subsidized internet access for litigants, especially in rural underserved or areas

• Language Access: Increase availability of remote court interpreters and ensure courts adopt platforms with integrated language access services, such as simultaneous interpretation and captioning

• Remote Participation Flexibility: Allow telephonic hearings when participants cannot access video technology or live in areas with unreliable internet, ensuring phone hearings remain an option for those without broadband.

• Scheduling and Flexibility: Provide flexible hearing times to accommodate participants who cannot take time off work and offer clear instructions on how to join hearings remotely

• Public Education: Improve the material available on www.texaslawhelp.org to educate the public on how to meaningfully participate in remote proceedings

• Expand the availability of kiosks, especially in rural counties.

Primary responsibility: Commission’s Rural Access Committee in partnership with the Texas Access to Justice Foundation and the Office of Court Administration

Secondary responsibility: collaboration with technology vendors, and local courts, community organizations supporting individuals with disabilities and nonEnglish-speaking populations

Improved satisfaction reported by litigants with disabilities or limited English proficiency

Decreased rates of defaults, missed or delayed hearings

24. Training regarding Limited Scope Representation

To increase the availability of legal representation for low-income litigants by training judges, lawyers and low-income clients about limited scope representation and thereby increasing its acceptance and use

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/DYhin02n (Judges), https://t2m.io/Uo6W7RGO (attys.) https://t2m.io/pD1VJjdF (Clients)

4 See page 7.

5 See page 6

LIMITED SCOPE REPRESENTATION/UNBUNDLING

Strategy: Educate judges and lawyers about how limited scope or unbundled representation can increase the availability of legal representation for low-income persons who are unable to pay for full representation and how it can properly be used within current Texas professional guidelines and procedural expectations. Educate potential litigants regarding the benefits and availability of unbundled representation.

Implementation steps:

• Develop a curriculum around unbundled services, including 1) benefits offered to litigants, lawyers, and courts, 2) process requirements, 3) appropriate areas of practice, and 4) discrete legal tasks that are appropriate for unbundled representation.

• Offer the curriculum in judicial trainings, including new judges training.

• Offer the curriculum in a CLE.

• Offer curriculum at local events, including libraries and legal clinics, including how clients may find lawyers who offer limited scope representation.

Development of the curriculum by members of the Working Group in consultation with other states that have developed a similar product.

Arranging the judicial training would be accomplished by the Judicial Training Committee. 4

Community trainings would be facilitated by the Communications and Outreach Committee 5

Increase in the number of attorneys offering unbundled legal services

Increase in the number of matters handled in court on a limited scope basis

OBJECTIVES

25. Mentoring

To incentivize younger lawyers to handle limited scope and lowfee services by offering limited scope cases along with a mentor to introduce them to the area of practice.

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/U55c4ORv

Strategy: Increase the number of lawyers who handle limited scope and low-fee services by connecting mentors (semi-retired attorneys) with mentees (attorneys starting their own practice)

Implementation steps:

• Survey attorneys to identify those with experience in limited scope and low-fee services

• Update State Bar of Texas directory to specify low-fee law firms and lawyers who handle limited scope

• Create a task force of lawyers with experience in limited scope and low-fee services to research other organizations (such as the Texas Opportunity Justice Incubator) that could partner with this program or devise an organization committed to the program

• Connect mentors with mentees

Task force created by Texas Access to Justice Commission

Texas Opportunity Justice Incubator

Texas Access to Justice Commission in collaboration with poverty law section, family law section, and legal aid providers.

Increase in availability and use of lawyers working in a limited scope

Monitoring mentormentee program to ensure lawyers are being paired together and following through

OBJECTIVES

26. Study Where Limited Scope Representation Would Be Most Useful

To increase the use of limited scope representation by determining the issues and types of cases that are most appropriate for unbundled representation and whether uniform rules should be adopted to encourage wider usage

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/d6S0m3yw

Strategy: Analyze issues and case types that are the most frequently encountered by low-income persons that can most appropriately be addressed with limited scope representation and consider whether adoption of uniform rules regarding limited scope representation should be adopted

Implementation steps:

• Form a committee of advocates from pro bono programs and legal aid providers to identify most frequently occurring legal problems that low-income persons encounter

Committee of volunteers from the Working Group, including those identified in the Working Group’s strategy template

• Analyze how limited scope representation could be used to address that need

The number of people served using limited scope representation services.

• Prepare forms and other recommendations regarding how to provide unbundled legal assistance to persons encountering those problems

• Review state and local rules regarding limited scope representation and if appropriate, recommend changes to assure uniformity

INCREASING PRO BONO

OBJECTIVES STRATEGY BY WHOM? HOW MEASURED?

Strategy: Provide a framework where pro bono work is seen as an expected part of business or professional development in a legal career, not as an act of charity.

Implementation steps:

• Conduct a comprehensive state-wide survey of current pro bono participation and determine average pro bono hours volunteered statewide

27. Create a Culture of Pro Bono to Make It an Expected Part of a Legal Career

To increase pro bono engagement by making volunteer legal work an accepted standard professional expectation within the legal community

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/kDw9SwT4 and https://t2m.io/qzQGY2Ew

• Develop specific pro bono project models targeting different legal practice areas with a focus on the ones with highest needs–family law, housing, consumer, estate planning, employment and public benefits

Commission Pro Bono Committee in partnership with pro bono programs and legal aid providers, State Bar Sections, law schools and local bar associations, large firms, corporations

Increased hours reported to the State Bar of Texas and metrics reported by the legal services programs and volunteer lawyer organizations

• Develop a centralized placement site to include a spectrum of case types and levels of involvement from which a volunteer can choose

• Design outreach campaign strategies and create or expand on recognition and incentive programs

o Publicity regarding successes

o CLE benefits

o Speaking, leadership and collaboration opportunities

o Mentorship possibilities (See p. 2828)

o Enhanced professional resources (See p. 30)

• Create training modules and resources for attorneys

• Develop comprehensive training and professional development materials by adding them to existing platforms like probonotexas.com

• Conduct comprehensive impact assessment of the strategies

• Fully integrate pro bono requirements into professional development frameworks similar to CLE reporting

• Promote positive reinforcement of pro bono attorneys through a variety of mechanisms

OBJECTIVES

INCREASING PRO BONO

Strategy: Analyze possible professional requirements and opportunities to determine their viability as mechanisms that will increase pro bono in Texas and recommend those that will.

Implementation steps:

28. Analyze Various Policy Options

To analyze possible policies and approaches to increasing pro bono to determine their viability in Texas

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/MYGSCUn5

• Form a group to study the effectiveness of various initiatives and policies adopted in other states to encourage pro bono.

Among the things to be studied:

Commission Pro Bono Committee in partnership with the State Bar of Texas leadership and relevant Committees

Agreement regarding viable options in Texas

o Adding pro bono discussion at CLE presentations where the greatest pro bono need exists, such as family law, probate, select property and consumer

o Make more CLE courses available at no-or low-cost for attorneys willing to accept one or two PB cases

o Consider rules such as that in NY that require pro bono hours to sit for the bar exam

o Require a certain amount of PB hours as part of the requirement for taking the Board of Specialization exam

o SBOT could require those seeking to be a part of the Bar College to provide pro bono work (i.e., handle cases, help at clinics

o Require a minimum amount of Pro Bono hours annually as with CLE requirements with multiple options to complete pro bono hours

• Make recommendations as appropriate

OBJECTIVES

INCREASING PRO BONO

29. Pro Bono Mentorships

To increase the number of attorneys willing to take a pro bono case outside their area of expertise by offering them a mentor to support their representation.

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/44D5DTrh

Strategy: Recruit and retain more experienced attorneys to act as mentors for attorneys considering taking a pro bono case in an unfamiliar area of law

Implementation steps:

• Recruit potential mentors, highlighting the benefits of mentoring and recognizing and rewarding their participation

• Identify potential mentors in pro bono programs and legal aid providers

• Assign mentors when appropriate when a case is transferred to the pro bono attorney

30. Amend Rule 10

To increase pro bono participation by reducing the burden pro bono or legal aid lawyers have in their work due to court processes

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/6KOMA2qL

Strategy: Amend Rule 10(c)(5) of the Rules of Judicial Administration to require all local rules that govern the court systems in Texas counties to include a plan to increase attorney representation to low-income litigants by supporting pro bono and legal aid attorneys.

Implementation steps:

• Develop proposed rule in consultation with pro bono programs and legal aid providers. The Rule may include docket management to 1) prioritize pro bono and legal aid attorneys, 2) allow in-court assistance to unrepresented litigants

Possible hand-off of this strategy to pro bono programs, legal aid providers, and the appropriate Sections and committees of the State Bar with support of the Legal Access Department

Pro Bono Committee of the Commission in collaboration w/ pro bono program, legal aid providers, the Office of Court Administration and

Increase in the number of mentors and lawyers taking a pro bono case outside of their area of expertise

Survey of courts, pro bono programs and legal aid providers regarding implementation of the rule, if adopted

Increase in number of pro bono attorneys willing to take cases

• Present the proposed rule to the Supreme Court through the Supreme Court Advisory Committee

• If adopted support judicial training in the requirements of the Rule

• Work with the Office of Court Administration to support implementation

INCREASING PRO BONO

OBJECTIVES

31. On-line “Pro Bono Law School”

To increase the knowledge and competence of pro bono attorneys by collecting, creating, and marketing training resources that are available to pro bono, legal aid lawyer, law school clinicians and advocates in legal topics, local practices, cultural competency, and client-centered advocacy

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/zYw5Rq08

Strategy: Create an online repository that houses training resources for pro bono programs, legal aid providers, and law school clinic. Resources could include subject matter information in poverty law, client interactions, such as trauma informed representation and cultural competency.

Implementation steps:

• Identify subject matter and training materials already available through Texas Law Help, other Texas organizations and law schools

• Identify gaps that exist in that training

Members of the Working Group collaborating with legal aid providers, law schools, Texas Law Help, Texas Young Lawyers Association.

• Plan for those gaps to be filled through creation of new online training materials

Metrics related to use of the Pro Bono Law School materials and user feedback

Reports from client surveys

• Disseminate and market existence of the Pro Bono Law School resource to appropriate stakeholders

• Monitor for viewing and usage

INCREASING PRO BONO

OBJECTIVES

32. Helpful Mechanisms

To increase the participation of pro bono lawyers by offering benefits that encourage their engagement and support effective representation by them Full strategies available here: Resources and benefits:

https://t2m.io/tAPUDRdv Interpretive services:

https://t2m.io/cejAen6c WestLaw Document & Form Builder:

https://t2m.io/LsYEuGsO NOVA

https://t2m.io/0oD4ycsK

Strategies: Increase awareness of and accessibility to existing resources and benefits available to attorneys providing pro bono services through direct communication and improvements to the centralized location of this information. Provide information about the availability of WestLaw Document & Form Builder, interpretive services and the New Opportunities for Volunteer Attorneys (NOVA) program of the State Bar of Texas

Implementation steps:

The Legal Access Department of the State Bar, TAJC, and the pro bono coordinators of the legal aid providers, Corporate Counsel’s Section of the State Bar

The number of pro bono attorneys taking on volunteer work. The number of pro bono coordinators contacted.

• Provide information on-line and through inserts in State Bar publications about the benefits available to pro bono attorneys (malpractice coverage, mentorships, CLE, substantive support, etc.)

• Provide interpretation and translation services for clients with limited proficiency in English, including the Language Access Fund and other supports. (See Language Access strategies beginning on p. 8)

• Increase pro bono attorneys’ utilization of the Westlaw Document & Form Builder made available through Pro Bono Texas

• Educate eligible in state and out of state attorney about pro bono opportunities under the New Opportunities Volunteer Attorney (NOVA) Pro Bono Program of the State Bar of Texas

• Develop a centralized and updated repository of contact information of local and national pro bono coordinators in non-profit organizations and firms

SPECIAL PROJECTS

TO INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF LAWYERS FOR REPRESENTATION

OBJECTIVES

33. Mediation Pilot Project

To increase the availability of lawyers for full representation, by using mediation

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/jO0sttS3

Strategy: Establish a pilot project with pro bono attorneys from corporate counsel offices and “Big Law” to represent legal aid-eligible individuals in mediation

Implementation steps:

• Establish a task force with representatives from corporate counsel offices and large law firms

• Survey legal aid providers regarding areas appropriate for mediation

• Select legal aid provider or pro bono program to participate in a pilot project

• Get commitment for participation from law firms and corporate counsel

• Design and implement the pilot project

34. Mediation CLE

To educate legal aid attorneys and staff of pro bono programs on mediation so that appropriate use, with client consent or by court order, will occur

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/DQMSyhrd

Strategy: Conduct a CLE-accredited session on mediation at the annual Poverty Law Conference

Implementation steps:

• Recruit a panel of presenters to conduct a session at the annual Poverty Law Conference on mediation.

• Submit a proposal for the session.

• If the proposal is accepted, conduct the session.

• Follow-up by electronic survey with those who attended

• the session to determine the extent of increased use

Task force recruited by the Commission Representatives of large law firms and corporate counsel offices

Successful implementation of the project and increased use of mediation to

Presenters recruited by the Commission or its staff

The number of attendees at the session and by the increased use of mediation as verified by the follow-up survey

SPECIAL PROJECTS TO

INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF LAWYERS FOR REPRESENTATION

OBJECTIVES

35. Fee shifting

To increase the availability of lawyers for full representation by increasing use of Texas’ statutes authorizing the award of reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses to provide access to counsel for low-income parties who would otherwise not be able to obtain it because of economic imbalance between the parties

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/zdzHuhDZ

Strategy: Seek to increase utilization of existing Texas statutes authorizing utilization of community property funds to pay attorney’s fees in family law cases where one party cannot afford an attorney and the other can

Implementation steps:

• Develop judicial training regarding Texas statutes authorizing shifting of fees in family law cases where only one party can pay attorneys’ fees

• Design and implement a pilot project in one county, getting the approval of the local court, reaching out to the family bar in the county and educating the public about the law

• Review data from the project and recommend steps to expand it, including any legislative changes that may be deemed appropriate

• Change the Texas Law Help forms to include questions that will indicate if there is an economic imbalance between the parties that would warrant application of the fee shifting statutes

A task force created by the Commission to carry out the strategy.

Texas Law Help based at TLSC

Local courts and local bar associations

The Family Section of the State Bar

Number of cases where the statues are applied and both parties have counsel when it is needed

SPECIAL PROJECTS

TO INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF LAWYERS FOR REPRESENTATION

OBJECTIVES

36. Right to counsel

To stabilize current right to counsel efforts, as appropriate, and establish one or more new right to counsel pilot programs, with an eye toward replication or expansion of these efforts in the State of Texas

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/oOb6FtPP

Strategy: Review current right to counsel (RTC) efforts in Texas and determine localities with significant legal needs where new or continued right to counsel effort would be warranted

Implementation steps:

• Review current right to counsel efforts within Texas

• Investigate public and private funding possibilities either to sustain or expand current RTC efforts and for, as appropriate, new RTC pilot programs

• Investigate the possibility of local ordinance, administrative rules, or legislative efforts to support and institutionalize RTC efforts

• Determine localities with both high needs and funding possibilities for consideration of a pilot program

• Based on results of review and study, pursue the further development of an existing program and the development of one or more pilot programs

• Integrate an evaluation of the program, both to determine effectiveness as well as to demonstrate return on investment to make the case for further funding

Commission committee

Legal aid providers and pro bono programs

Continuation or expansion of current RTC efforts and creation of new ones

Improved outcomes for litigants represented through the programs

SPECIAL PROJECTS TO INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF LAWYERS FOR REPRESENTATION

OBJECTIVES

37. Eviction Diversion

To make eviction diversion programs a robust and permanent part of the Texas judicial landscape

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/gxQbEAZe

STRATEGY

Strategy: Draw upon the experience of the Texas Eviction Diversion Program, and the Harris County Justice of the Peace Eviction Diversion Programs to establish such initiatives as a permanent part of the justice system in Texas and determine the effective use of paraprofessionals to assist in these efforts.

Implementation steps:

• Assess the eviction diversion efforts in Harris County JP Courts and across the state of Texas under the Supreme Court’s Emergency Orders and in Dallas with the Dallas Eviction Advocacy Center

• Interview judges and court personnel who were involved in Texas’ eviction diversion programs

• Interview staff of NCSC’s Eviction Diversion Initiative (EDI) and managers of eviction diversion programs to identify potential models for Texas

• Form a task force to develop and/or support a permanent eviction diversion program

• As appropriate, seek court orders to establish rent diversion programs in the state

• Identify potential support available for tenants threatened with eviction through existing capacity

• Design and approve eviction diversion models appropriate for Texas

• Develop a case for state and local funding of eviction diversion programs

• Seek federal, state and local funding for rent assistance programs for low-income Texans.

BY WHOM? HOW MEASURED?

Commission staff

TLSC and Legal aid providers

Housing advocacy organizations

Local courts Supreme Court Advisory Committee

The number of counties in which an eviction diversion program is established or continued

Outcome measures, such as the numbers of eviction matters dismissed or settled, the number of tenants who avoid eviction, the number of landlords satisfied with the outcome of the proceedings

INCREASING

OBJECTIVES

Strategy: Review and analyze existing national studies of Initiatives to support self–represented low-income litigants to identify best practices and apply those best practices to current and future efforts by the Commission and its partners to support self-help In Texas for low-income Texans and conduct relevant studies in Texas to identify effective approaches

Implementation steps:

38. Study of self-help approaches

To align self-help strategies with research findings and known best practices to increase successful outcomes for self-represented litigants in Texas

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/TBQGeyYH

Commission in collaboration with the Office of Court Administration, legal aid providers and local courts

MEASURED?

Comparative outcomes for self-represented litigants where best practices have been instituted

• Review available national studies of self help support mechanisms and codify best practices against which to measure current and future self-help support efforts Examine current efforts in Texas in the following areas:

o Compare outcomes for Pro Se litigants in counties with Self-Help resources like navigators/reference attorneys vs. similar sized counties without such resources.

o Conduct a comparative study in jurisdictions where court orders are translated into litigants‘ native language and where not to assess levels of compliance

o Collect data to learn what types of cases are more successfully completed by pro se low-income litigants

o Survey pro se petitioners who successfully obtain final court orders to learn more about what, if any, assistance they received

o Survey legal aid and social service programs to see what kinds of legal matters can be resolved successfully with demand letters and non-court intervention

o Study efficacy of simplifying court procedures for more successful outcomes for Pro Se low-income litigants

o Study when and how people with limited literacy, and/or English proficiency, and/or people with disabilities are prevented from accessing justice

• Publish results and support policies and approaches that reflect the learnings

OBJECTIVES

39. Use of Court Navigators

To test the viability of navigator programs to improve outcomes for self-represented litigants

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/G6QJQpdM

INCREASING THE VIABILITY OF SELF-HELP 6

Strategy: Review available literature on use of court navigators and their efficacy in improving outcomes for self-represented litigant and design a pilot project for testing in Texas

Implementation steps:

• Review literature on navigators in other state courts

• Design the pilot

• Gain agreement in a willing local court to implement the pilot

• Implement the pilot

40. Actively engage with libraries to support self-help

To increase support for unrepresented litigants though public and county law libraries

Strategy: Convene county law libraries, as well as public libraries, law school libraries and large law firm equivalents to draw upon current successful efforts to support pro se litigants and others in need of legal help and expand the use of those efforts

Implementation steps:

MEASURED?

The Commission in collaboration with the Office of Court Administration and local courts Improved outcomes for low-income self-represented litigants

Commission Subcommittee, , Supreme Court Library Liaison, County Law Librarians, State Law Librarian public libraries

Increased use of library resources to provide support to persons with a legal problem who cannot afford a lawyer

• Convene a Law Library Subcommittee to connect county law libraries, the State Law Library law libraries in law schools and large law firms, as well as public libraries

• Inventory practices currently underway among libraries across the state and support adoption of those practices by others, including use of AI and technology

• Encourage use of unused county law library funds to support self-help capacity in county law libraries

6 Note that educating the judiciary regarding how to increase court efficiency and improve fair outcomes is also a strategy to improve the viability of self-help Judicial training was also a part of other strategies, such as increasing the use of limited scope representation Judicial education is presented as a component of this strategic plan at p. 7.

RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

OBJECTIVES

41. Target new support for access to justice

To raise awareness of the needs for legal services within groups not traditionally engaged in access to justice activities and increase participation in pro bono and raise over $2 million over 2 years from the groups

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/Y1Qr7xry

42. Improve Recognition Efforts

To encourage access to justice engagement from individuals, firms, organizations and law schools by coordinating and expanding recognition efforts to encourage broader knowledge of needs and good work being done

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/DX6DGQEg

Strategy: Engage targeted groups that have not traditionally been involved in sustained pro bono initiatives or funding for access to justice

Implementation steps:

• A committee is constituted to identify and prioritize the targeted groups and to create a statewide plan for each targeted group

• The Texas Access to Justice Foundation engages a resource development expert to assist with the effort

• Implementation of the plans for each group

Strategy: Expand and coordinate recognition efforts to increase access to justice engagement

Implementation steps:

• Assess the status and efficacy of current recognition efforts, including the Champion of Justice Society, the Pro Bono College, and various awards given by the Commission, State Bar and other entities. This includes an assessment of each effort individually as well as whether there are any recognition gaps left by these efforts

• Consider a strategic approach to adjusting these efforts to reach the broadest number of people

• Launch a communications plan to raise the profile of these efforts and ensure greater engagement

A Resource Development Committee of the Commission working with the Texas Access to Justice Foundation and the State Bar

MEASURED?

Increased participation in access to justice efforts through financial support and pro bono participation

The Commission and the Commission staff with any help needed from State Bar staff

Commission subcommittee will determine subsequent steps

Increased engagement for each recognition effort (more Champion of Justice Members, more individuals in the Pro Bono College, more awards nominations, engagement in any new recognition efforts)

RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

OBJECTIVES

43. Leaders Council

To increase the number of persuasive voices and advocates communicating about the importance of a robust access to justice system in Texas Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/9YEMiSX3

Strategy: Create a Leaders Council for Texas specifically modeled after the LSC Leaders Council and approved by the Access to Justice Commission

Implementation steps:

• Review the membership of the LSC Leaders Council and how it contributes

• Research whether other states have this type of tool and what has been successful

• Determine how a Leaders Council would best function in Texas and the role it could play

• If appropriate, recommend the Commission approve creation of a Leaders Council

• Recruit leadership and members of the Texas Leaders Council

• Create a plan addressing actions to be taken by the Texas Leaders Council and development of a communications plan for it

• Analyze the expense of the development of the Texas Leaders Council and how to fund those expenses

Members of the Access to Justice Commission, members of the Access to Justice Foundation Board, Leadership of the State Bar, and other members of the access to justice community in Texas, working through a jointly created group of representatives

Creation of the Leaders Council

Over time accomplishment of its stated purpose

RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

44. Inventory of ATJ support in firms and corporations

To expand support for Texas access to justice among law firms and corporations by identifying current effective activities among some firms and corporations and educating others on the possibilities

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/kEBsMFXt

45. 3-Way Partnerships

To increase involvement of firms and corporations in access to justice efforts by engaging them in partnerships with community organizations

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/zBzonihP

Strategy: Research and catalogue efforts of firms and corporations to involve themselves in access to justice efforts in Texas, and, as examples, in other states

Implementation steps:

• Identify individuals who are knowledgeable about various efforts in firms and corporations to support access to justice activities in Texas and other states and catalogue their knowledge

Members of the Access to Justice Commission, Members of the Access to Justice Foundation Board, Leadership of the State Bar

Increased activity in new firms and corporations to implement efforts identified in the study.

• Identify and catalogue published or otherwise available materials that describe effective access to justice efforts in Texas and in other states

• Publish and circulate the findings to encourage the adoption of effective practices by a wide group of law firms and corporations

Strategy: Creation of Partnerships among a Firm, Corporation, and a community or service organization to reach indigent individuals needing legal services for protection or to achieve a rightful quality of life.

Implementation steps:

• Work with legal services organizations to identify unmet legal needs, such as homelessness, for which community or social service organizations provide supportive services

• Identify individual law firms and corporations to create a three-party partnership to help address the need

• Support the design and implementation of the partnerships

The Commission and A committee of volunteers formed to execute the strategy working with legal aid providers, community organizations and law firms and corporations

Numbers of persons helped through the partnerships

RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

46. Fellowships

To inspire firms or corporations, individually or together, to create and fund named Fellowships for individuals to provide legal services to low-income persons needing it

Full strategy available here:

https://t2m.io/1z3ZFjK2

Strategy: Creation of named Fellowships to place lawyers in Texas legal aid organizations

Implementation steps:

• Recruit a firm or corporation to offer and fund the fellowship

• Identify legal aid organizations willing to host a fellow

• Coordinate with the Texas Access to Justice Foundation regarding their existing fellowships

• Agree on the terms and conditions for the placement

• Recruit and place the fellows

Strategy: Solicit financial support for access to justice initiatives activities from the plaintiffs’ bar

Implementation steps:

47. Plaintiffs’ Bar

To gain the ongoing support of members of the plaintiffs‘ bar for access to justice through donations to the Access to Justice Foundation or other appropriate entity

Full strategy available here:

https://t2m.io/gjeY1VHJ

• Develop a compelling paper on how legal intervention and care can prevent horrific impacts on low-income individuals and families and give rise to profoundly more expensive needs and terrible results.

• Recruit a cadre of prominent Texas Plaintiffs’ attorneys to identify potential donors

• Identify potential donors from the plaintiffs’ bar

• Develop an appropriate sales message and supportive materials

• Identify the best member[s] of the donor solicitation group to approach identified attorneys

A committee of i representatives of law firms and corporations identified by the Commission; The Texas Access to Justice Foundation

Members of the Commission and Foundation, including a Resource Development Committee, if created The donor solicitation group recruited for the task

The Texas Access to Justice Foundation

The State Bar

By successful placement of fellows in legal aid providers

The number of plaintiffs’ attorneys that support access to justice financially The amount of money they donate and the duration of their commitment (one time or recurring donations)

• Reach out to identified attorneys and solicit their long-term support, tailoring the message to their particular interests and targeting their donation to those interests

• Facilitate the donations to the Foundation or other entity to which they are going

RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

OBJECTIVES

Strategy: Identify private and family foundations in Texas as potential donors to access to justice efforts in the state and to solicit one time and recurring donations from them

Implementation steps:

48. Private Foundations

To obtain donations to access to justice efforts in Texas from Texas–based private and family foundations on a one time or recurring basis

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/109mYOKg

• Create a permanent or one-time Resource Development Committee made up of Commissioners and others with Commissioners and others who are a part of a Resource Development Committee

appropriate contacts and knowledge of the philanthropic community in Texas

The number of philanthropic foundations or individuals who donate to access to justice efforts in Texas

• Include Leadership from the legal aid provider community to provide input regarding work being done by the providers that may be responsive to the philanthropic mission of potential donors and to avoid competing for funds with providers

• Conduct research regarding foundations in the state, as well as wealthy individuals with a known philanthropic interest

• Identify work being done by legal aid providers or other initiatives in the access to justice community that are responsive to the concerns and areas of focus of the foundations and individuals identified in the research

• Develop specific strategies, whether through individual contacts by Commissioners or other formal application, for approaching foundations and wealthy individuals

• Make appropriate contacts and follow through

• Connect likely donors with the TX Access To Justice Foundation or other recipients of donated funds

RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

OBJECTIVES

49. Planned Giving

To obtain resources for access to justice efforts in Texas through a successful program of planned and estate giving

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/62ddy5We

Strategy: Develop a program for planned and estate giving to access to justice efforts in Texas

Implementation steps:

• Study the best practices for philanthropic giving through planned and estate giving

• Determine the potential and on-going target audience for such fundraising efforts

• To make information available to attorneys, financial advisors and others in estate planning on the possibilities of planned and estate giving to access to justice efforts in Texas

• Work with the Texas Access to Justice Foundation to establish the capability of supporting such giving

A Resource Development Committee working with Commissioners and volunteers involved in estate planning

Fundraising consultant

Texas Access to Justice Foundation

MEASURED?

Reported bequests and actual receipt of them

50. Disaster Relief

To raise a minimum of a million dollars annually, to be administered by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation to support grantees’ legal services work during times of disasters, natural and manmade

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/WyDMN0Pm

Strategy: Create a targeted statewide fundraising campaign to fund specific initiatives related to disaster relief

Implementation steps:

• A committee is constituted to create a statewide plan, including advocates who have participated in disaster relief in the past

• TAJF engages a resource development person to assist with the effort

• The plan is implemented

The Texas Access to Justice Foundation, in conjunction with the Texas Access to Justice Commission

The State Bar

Preparation and response when the next natural disaster happens

RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

OBJECTIVES

51. Community Outreach

To bring well-known individuals from diverse areas such as sports, arts and entertainment to reach out to communities served by the access to justice system in Texas

Full strategy available here: https://t2m.io/PUu2QTme

Strategy: Create a panel of representatives for social services\human services organizations, including representatives from business, arts, sports teams, media, and others reach out to targeted vulnerable populations to acquaint them with services and information sources available

• Implementation steps:

• Identify and deploy project staff or consultant

• Identify initial targeted populations, their geographic parameters, and effective modes of communication

The Commission Staff or consultant of the Commission

The Access to Justice Foundation

Community representatives

• Identify legal information resources and services available to them

Increased engagement of the target communities in utilization of available resources and information

• Identify individuals within each community through whom to broadcast availability of the resources and services,

• Using appropriate intermediaries, contact each targeted community to acquaint them with legal information resources and services designed to best work in their specific cultural milieu

ADDENDUM:

At the Commission’s May 1st meeting, the following addition was approved:

[52] Assure that technology is efficiently and effectively used to make plain language forms available to be filled out online and, as needed, printed, i.e. through computers available to the public, kiosks, etc., as appropriate.

[53] Study and propose implementation in Texas of technological developments utilized in other States in access to justice efforts, as appropriate.

Approved by the Access to Justice Commission on October 20, 2025

Strategic Planning Implementation

This document places most of the TAJC Strategic Plan initiatives (numbered 1-54) with one of the current committees and three newly created committees of the Access to Justice Commission. Ideally, each committee would discuss and prioritize the assigned initiatives, producing a plan and timeline for addressing the initiatives assigned to the committee. The timelines should call for substantial progress in implementing each assigned initiative or completion of implementation as soon as practically possible. Where helpful, each committee assigned initiatives will be working with other committees, partners, and resources to make as much progress as possible as soon as possible.

Most of the committees, for example, the Legislative Committee and the Veterans Committee, have specialized assignments and programs underway that should be continued and expanded Consistent with the Strategic Plan, all of the existing Committees should focus upon other actions, programs, or collaborations that could increase access to justice for low-income Texans through legislation, fundraising, and creation of innovative programs throughout the State.

Specifically, the Legislative Committee has been requested to seek in-district meetings establishing relationships with every Federal and State office, as possible, and the committee is to constantly monitor legislation being proposed, needed, or being developed in other states related to access to justice. This Committee also aids in educating Congress and the Legislature about the value of Federal funding for the Legal Services Corporation and State funding for Texas-specific needs.

The Veterans Committee is tasked with Identifying the legal needs of indigent Veterans and attempting to meet those needs through increasing pro bono efforts and systemic changes, where necessary and possible. The Veterans Committee also works closely with the Texas Veterans Commission and coordinates, where feasible, with other national and state groups, including in building partnerships, such as, working with organizations like the Tunnel to Towers organization. The Veterans Committee also provides support for the Veterans Gala.

In an evergreen manner, these two committees should continue and refresh their activities. They also should provide recommendations for new programs deemed appropriate to address their goals, including implementation of programs determined successful in other States, but not yet implemented in Texas.

There are 28 strategic planning initiatives that do not fit entirely with any of the existing TAJC committees. These fall into the following categories: 1) pro bono initiatives, including those to be coordinated with the SBOT Pro Bono Working Group, 2) resource development initiatives, to be coordinated where appropriate with the State Bar and its leadership, the

Access to Justice Foundation, the State Bar Foundation and other relevant organizations, such as, local Bars, specialty Bars, community groups, and other interested organizations, and 3) initiatives that may need further study to determine how they are to be addressed. initially by one or more Commission Committees, a new Commission Committee, or the Executive Committee.

There may be times when the Commission determines to pass implementation efforts to other willing and capable recipients able to undertake the responsibility of the implementation of the initiative.

Three new committees have been created, as provided below. Steps to be taken consistent with the Strategic Plan are suggested below, including with identification of relevant initiatives in the Strategic Plan.

Communications and Outreach Committee (1) i

1. Determine membership: Chairs Tom Leatherbury and Marshall Sales will assist in identifying and recruiting members.

2. Discuss initiatives and help implement changes to increase access to justice by encouraging:

a. Resource Development efforts, such as, reexamining, updating, and improving Recognition Efforts (42) (awards, etc.), including considering whether to bring the Awards Committee as a subcommittee of this Committee or merging the Awards Committee into this Committee;

b. Resource Development: Community Outreach efforts (51) such as, engaging non-legal communities and leaders in advocacy efforts for legal services to the poor and for its funding;

c. Considering the benefits of Limited Scope Representation: Assist in training judges, lawyers, and court personnel as well as low-income individuals regarding limited scope representation, coordinating with the Judicial Education Committee;

d. Considering the benefits of Fee shifting (35) – beginning with an educational component to make lawyers aware of statutes authorizing the award of reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses to provide access to counsel for low-income parties; and

e. Increasing awareness of language access rights in courts as an education effort primarily, including working with the Office of Court Administration and Texas Association of Counties. (3)

3. Developing other programs to increase awareness about the importance of meeting the access to justice needs of low-income Texans, the benefits of meeting such needs to the Texas court systems, to Texas society, and to individuals direly in need of legal help and unable to obtain it, and engaging a broad range of entities

and individuals to create a broad understanding of the adverse impacts of lack of access to justice on our justice in our society.

Judicial Education Committee (2)

1. Determine membership; Chairs Kennon Wooten and Justice Lori I. Valenzuela to assist in identifying and recruiting members.

2. Discuss and help implement initiatives to assist in the education of the Judiciary in identified aspects of efforts to increase access to justice and assist the judiciary in education of society generally and the low-income public concerning the Texas court systems.

3. Assisting in creating subcommittees and identifying chairs of the subcommittees to increase access to justice in Texas courts and create subcommittees to help address:

a. Judicial Training Concerning Language Access (3, 4)

b. Training Lawyers and Judges re Access for Persons with Disabilities (5)

c. Improving Court websites’ information concerning ADA rights (6)

d. Assisting in educating the public participants in the justice system about their ADA rights, including working with Disability Rights Texas and the Office of Court Administration, and specifically addressing ADA coordinators (7) and their training (8)

e. Expanding Limited Scope Representation (24), including through:

1. efforts to train judges, lawyers, and court personnel as well as low-income individuals regarding limited scope representation (and as appropriate engaging also the Communications and Outreach Committee)

2. exploring ways to provide Mentorship for limited scope representation, including working with TYLA and Texas Opportunity Justice Incubator (25)

3. study of where limited scope representation would be most useful (26)

f. Study the use of Eviction diversion (37)

g. Study of self-help approaches (38)

h. Use of court navigators (39)

Rural Access Committee (12)

1. Determine membership: Chairs Judge Roy Ferguson, Pablo Almaguer, and ViceChair Eden Klein,

2. Continue to develop initiatives to address specifically legal needs in rural areas in connection with the general needs for:

a. Plain language forms (10) – Identify ongoing projects to create plain language forms and seek partnerships to further the efforts for use wherever helpful, including in rural areas.

b. Standard forms and procedures (11) – – Identify ongoing projects to create standard forms and procedures and seek partnerships to further the efforts for use wherever helpful, including in rural areas.

c. Loan Forgiveness (14)

d. Protective Orders (16)

e. Rural Representation Section of the State Bar (17)

f. Rural Community Involvement (18)

g. Medical Legal Partnerships (19)

h. County Law and Public Libraries (20)

i. Attracting Lawyers to Rural Texas (with the Law School Advisory Committee) (13)

j. Remote Attorneys (with Technology Committee) (15)

k. Encouraging Remote Hearings in Rural Areas (with Technology Committee) (21)

l. Improved Technology to Support Remote Hearings (with Technology Committee) (22)

m. Address the Digital Divide and Accessibility Challenges (with Technology Committee) (23)

n. Technology and plain language forms (May 1 addendum; with Rural Access Committee) (53)

Law School Advisory Committee

1. Continue its ordinary and planned efforts where, after study, the Committee determines it can help in implementing the Strategic Plan.

2. Developing programs to attract Lawyers to Rural Texas (with Rural Access Committee) (13)

Technology Committee

1. Continue its ordinary and planned efforts to use technology specifically to increase access to justice in Texas and to assist in implementation of the Strategic Plan.

2. Consider and make recommendations for additional committees and/or subcommittees to implement the Strategic Plan by encouraging:

a. Utilization of remote Attorneys (in cooperation with the Rural Access Committee) (15)

b. Remote Hearings in Rural Areas (with Rural Access Committee) (21)

c. Improved Technology to Support Remote Hearings (with Rural Access Committee) (22)

d. Addressing of the Digital Divide and Accessibility Challenges (with Rural Access Committee) (23)

e. Use of assistive technology for improving the abilities of the disabled to participate meaningfully in court procedures (9)

f. The use of technology and plain language forms, cooperating with the Rural Access Committee (53)

g. Consideration of further technology implementation as indicated by the May 1 addendum to the Strategic Plan (52)

Additional Issues to be addressed by the Commission or its Committees

1. Pro Bono Initiatives (And efforts to support the SBOT Pro Bono Working Group)

The below described activities indicated in blue font are proposed activities of the Pro Bono Working Group 1. These generally fit within the first two initiatives of the Commission’s Strategic Plan. The remaining initiatives, items 3-6 below do not fit with the pro bono working group’s plan and require further attention by the Commission and other entities as to implementation. (27)

a. Work on creating list of pro bono coordinators and plan targeted outreach

b. Obtain list of local bars, specialty bars and affinity groups (April already has this) and plan targeted outreach to determine best way to do presentations and other educational outreach (i.e. at their bar conference and other bar section convenings)

c. Educational document for judges, based on Lora Livingston’s article from a few years ago

d. Assess ways to reach out to corporate legal departments, including possibility of using the Gala as a touch-point (i.e. like the Take One Campaign QR code at this year’s gala)

e. Determine ways to remind the legal profession of the aspiration pro bono goal (50 hours), possibly at the end of CLEs offered by the State Bar of Texas

2. Analyze various policy options (28)

a. Review current status of pro bono policies and rules, review rules in other jurisdictions, and determine if any might be expanded/added here in TX.

b. Consider pursuing CLE for Free Legal Answers Initiative

c. Creation of a Mediation Program for otherwise self-represented litigants with Corporate and Law Firm lawyers acting as volunteer Mediators

d. Establish a Routine CLE (34), in connection with the Poverty Law Conference and otherwise, to educate legal services attorneys and staff to use mediation, with volunteer accomplished Mediators

1 Discussed presumably on July 17, 2025. The Pro Bono Working Group’s Strategic Plan aligns with the TAJC Strategic Plan with respect to items 1 (create a culture of pro bono) and 2 (analyze various policy options).

3. Consideration of providing Pro Bono mentorship where possible and needed and determination of ways to do so (29)

4. Consideration of Amending Rule 10 (c) (5) (30)

5. Consideration of the creation of an Online pro bono law school (31)

6. Helpful mechanisms to increase the participation of pro bono lawyers by offering benefits that encourage their engagement and support effective representation by them. (32)

2. Resource Development Initiatives to be considered/pursued:

i. Targeting of new general support for access to justice (41)

ii. Creation of a Texas Specific Leaders council (43)

iii. Development of an Inventory of Access to Justice support in firms (44)

iv. Development of 3-way partnerships, including law firms, corporations, and community service organizations (45)

v. Encouragement of Firm-sponsored fellowships (46)

vi. Engaging the Plaintiffs’ bar in Access to Justice efforts (47)

vii. Seeking support from Private foundations to support Access to Justice Initiatives (48)

viii. Encouraging Planned and Estate giving (49)

ix. Creating a fund (targeted at $1,000,000) for providing legal assistance in connection with other help needed in providing Disaster relief (50)

x. Review of current right to counsel efforts in Texas and, as appropriate, seeking to stabilize such efforts and considering establishing one or more new pilot programs (36)

xi. Working with public and private libraries, such as, law school libraries, to begin determining ways the Commission can support their efforts to support self-help programs and how the Commission can act as a convening entity (including possibly as a library track at the Poverty Law Conference)

Conclusion For This Draft

This document should be considered a working draft. The Commission leadership always will appreciate comments and suggestions as to how implementation of the Commission’s Strategic Plan should be advanced and accomplished. As is known, the Strategic Plan intentionally is aggressive, given the amount of progress needed. To proceed successfully, the Commission will need to involve more organizations and individuals working on the Plan’s implementation.

i Red numbers refer to the number activity within the Strategic Planning Implementation spreadsheet and also as indicated on the Strategic Plan.

Thissummer,IhadtheprivilegeofservingasalegalinternthroughtheTexasAccessto JusticeInternshipProgramattheEarlCarlInstituteforLegalandSocialPolicy.Myplacement providedmewithhands-onlegalexperienceandadeeperunderstandingoftheuniquebarriers facedbylow-incomeandimmigrantcommunitiesastheyattempttonavigatethecomplexterrain oftheU.S.immigrationsystem.UndertheguidanceofJuanCanoandJoseEchezuria,I contributedtomeaningfulworkassistingclientsintheirpursuitofnaturalizationandlawful status—ofteninthefaceofsignificantlegalandproceduralchallenges.

MuchofmyworkthissummerfocusedonpreparingandreviewingN-400(Application forNaturalization)andN-600(ApplicationforCertificateofCitizenship)forms.Whilethe N-400isgenerallyusedbylawfulpermanentresidentsseekingtonaturalize,theN-600allows individualswhoarealreadyU.S.citizensbylaw—typicallythroughaU.S.citizenparent—to obtainformalproofoftheircitizenship.Whatstruckmemostaboutthesecaseswashowdeeply personal,yetlegallytechnical,thecitizenshipprocesscanbe.Onpaper,theseapplicationsare standardizedforms.Butinpractice,everyclientbroughtauniquesetoffacts—some straightforward,othersriddledwithlegalambiguity.

Someclientshadcleanrecordsandlengthyresidency,makingthepathwayclear.Others facedobstaclessuchasmissingdocumentation,unclearderivativecitizenshipclaims,orcriminal historythatrequiredfurtherlegalvetting.Myroleinvolvedinterviewingclients,gathering supportingdocuments,andhelpingstructuretheirapplicationstoensureaccuracyandclarity. Manyofourclientswerefirst-timeapplicantswholackedlegalrepresentationandEnglish fluency,sopartofmyjobwastoexplaincomplexprocessesinclear,digestibleterms.Theability totranslatethelawintosomethinghumanandhelpfulbecameoneofthemostmeaningfulskills Ideveloped.

Inadditiontodirectclientservices,asubstantialportionofmyinternshipwasdedicated tolegalresearch.Thiswork,whileoftenbehindthescenes,wascrucialtomanyofourcases.I researchedtopicssuchascrimesinvolvingmoralturpitudeandtheirimplicationson admissibilityandnaturalization,barstonaturalizationincludingconditionalbars,permanent bars,anddiscretionarydenialsunder8CFR§316.10,thegoodmoralcharacterstandardand howitinteractswithpriorarrests,probation,orexpungedrecords,derivationandacquisitionof citizenshipunderINA§§301,320,and322,andproceduralissuesrelatingtomisrepresentation, unlawfulpresence,andpriorremovalorders.

Theseissuesarenotsimplyabstractlegalquestions—theydirectlyaffectpeople’sability tobecomecitizens,reunitewithfamily,andbuildstablelivesintheU.S.Forexample,inone caseIhelpedanalyzewhetheraclient’smisdemeanoroffensewouldbeconsideredacrime involvingmoralturpitudeandifitcreatedaconditionalbartonaturalization.Afterthorough research,IdraftedalegalmemorandumdiscussingrelevantBIAprecedentandFifthCircuitcase

law,helpingthesupervisingattorneydeterminewhetheritwasadvisabletoproceedwithfiling theapplicationordelayuntilthestatutoryperiodpassed.

Anothermemorabletaskinvolvedinvestigatingderivativecitizenshipclaims.Some clientshadlivedintheU.S.sincechildhoodbutwereunsurewhethertheywerecitizensby operationoflaw.Thisrequiredcarefulreviewoftheirparents’immigrationhistory,marital status,datesofnaturalization,andphysicalpresence—alltodeterminewhetherthechildhad acquiredorderivedcitizenshipundertheINA.Iquicklylearnedhowevensmalldiscrepanciesin timingordocumentationcoulddramaticallyaltersomeone’seligibility

WorkingunderJuanCanoandJoseEchezuriawasaninvaluablepartofmyexperience. Theirmentorshipwasrootednotonlyinlegalknowledgebutalsoincompassionandcultural competency Bothofthememphasizedtheimportanceoftreatingeveryclientwithdignity, regardlessofhowcomplexordifficultthecasewas.Juantaughtmehowtobalancethelegal withthepractical—howtothinkthroughstrategicdecisionswhilekeepingtheclient’sbest interestsfrontandcenter.Josechallengedmetodigdeeperintothelaw,askingquestionsthat pushedmyanalyticalthinkingandwritingtoamoreprofessionallevel.Theyentrustedmewith realresponsibilitieswhileprovidingthoughtfulfeedback,andIemergedfromthesummermore confidentinmyabilitytoresearch,write,andadvocate.

Throughthisinternship,Isawclearlyhowdifficultitisforlow-incomeimmigrantsto accessjustice—evenforsomethingasfoundationalasprovingtheirowncitizenship.Manyof ourclientshadlivedintheUnitedStatesfordecades,contributedtotheircommunities,and raisedfamilieshere.Andyet,amissingbirthcertificate,aminorcriminalrecord,ora misunderstandingofcomplexeligibilityrulesstoodbetweenthemandformalrecognitionbythe countrytheycalledhome.TheATJIPhasreaffirmedmycommitmenttopublicinterestlaw.It hasshownmethataccesstojusticeisn’tjustaboutgettingintocourt—it’sabouthavingthe tools,knowledge,andsupporttoassertyourlegalrights.

Thisexperiencehasbeenadefiningpartofmyjourneyasafutureattorney AsImove forwardinlawschool,IwillcarrywithmethestoriesofthepeopleIhelped,thelessonsI learnedfrommymentors,andasharpenedsenseofpurpose.Mylong-termgoalistobecomea judge,andIfirmlybelievethatadeepunderstandingofthelegalneedsofeveryday people—especiallythosewhoaretoooftenoverlooked—isessentialforanyfair-mindedmember ofthebench.ThetoolsIdevelopedthissummer—clientcommunication,legalwriting,cultural humility,andstatutoryinterpretation—arethesametoolsIwillcontinuetosharpenthroughout mylegalcareer.

Inclosing,IamdeeplygratefultotheTexasAccesstoJusticeCommission,theEarlCarl Institute,andespeciallyJuanCanoandJoseEchezuriaforthisincredibleopportunity.This internshiphasreinforcedthevaluesthatdrewmetothelegalprofessioninthefirstplace: service,equity,andjusticeforall.

This summer, Ihadtheprivilegeofimmersingmyselfinmeaningfulcivilrightslitigation and communityadvocacy,experiencesthatdeepenedmyprofessionalskills,testedmyresilience, and reaffirmed my personal “why” forpursuingacareerinlaw Whatbeganasanopportunityto gain legal experience quickly became a transformative season of growth, connection, and rediscovery—shaped not only by the cases I worked on and the community members Imet,but alsobythepersonalchallengesIfacedalongtheway.

One of the most formative experiences of my internship was working on a religious freedom case where I drafted and submitted a 22-pageresponsetoopposingcounsel’smotionto dismiss. The task was daunting at first—an extensive, technical assignment that demandedboth legal precision and clarity of argument. Yet as I navigated complex constitutional questions, I began to trust myownabilitytoresearchdeeply,writepersuasively,andproduceworkthathada tangible impact on ongoing litigation. This project gave me a glimpse of the responsibility that attorneys carry: the power to defend fundamental rights through careful, thoughtful advocacy. Sitting in on depositions further solidified this professional growth. Observing the dynamics of questioning, tone, and strategy provided me with tools I will carry into the Civil Rights Clinic this fall when I begin conducting depositions myself. These experiences bridged theory with practice,transformingabstractskillsintolivedknowledge.Moreimportantly,theyinstilledinme confidence that I can and will continue to developasalitigatorwhocontributesmeaningfullyto thepursuitofjustice.

This summer also gave me the chance to connect with community organizations serving undocumented members of North Texas. Meeting advocates who dedicate themselves to providing resources and safety for immigrant communities reminded meofmyownupbringing. Raised in San Antonio under my grandmother’s roof, in an immigrant-richneighborhoodwhere

74 percent of residents were undocumented, I grew up translating at doctor’s appointments, witnessing the fear of uniformed officials, and grappling with the harsh realities of inequity.

Reconnecting with Latinx organizations this summer allowed me to rediscover the meaning behind my decision to attend law school. These organizations are doing the kind of work that could have supported my own family and neighbors, and being able to facilitate a new partnership between one such group and the Texas A&M Civil Rights Clinic was one of my proudest accomplishments. This partnership ensures that the clinic will remain connected to the lived realities of those most impacted by systemic inequities. In this way, I learned how advocacy extends beyond the courtroom—it is also about building relationships and creating sustainablenetworksofsupport.

Throughout my personal statement and early law school reflections, I emphasized my deep commitment to using law as a tool to bridge the gap between underrepresented communities and the justice system. This summer reaffirmed thatcommitmentinwaysIdidnot anticipate. Connecting withLatinxorganizationsremindedmethatpeoplewholooklikeme,and who have shared similar experiences, are still underrepresented in the legal field. Their trust in me reinforced the urgency of my work: to become part of the small five percent of Hispanic attorneys and to ensure that others see law as a space where they, too, belong. Workingdirectly with communities also allowed me to blend my legal education with the skills I first developed as a teacher, AmeriCorps member, and community advocate. Just as Ionceapproachedstudents holistically at HeartHouseandasaFulbrighter,Inowapproachclientsandcommunitymembers holistically—understanding that legal needs are often intertwined with social, cultural, and economic challenges. This alignment of past and presentexperiencesmademefeelmorecertain thaneverthatIamontherightpath.

This summer was also marked by personal hardship. Losing my grandmother—the woman whose story of migration and resilience shaped my own—was devastating. Yet, in the midst of grief, I found strength in the support of my supervising attorney, my peers, and my community Theytaughtmethatself-careisnotadistractionfromadvocacy,butanessentialpart of sustaining it. Paradoxically, my grandmother’s passingalsobroughtnewmeaningtothework I was doing. The communities I aim to serve are communities like hers—immigrant, hardworking, resilient, yet too oftenoverlookedbythelegalsystem.EverycaseIworkedonand every organization I met with felt like a way of honoring her legacy. My grief became interwoven with renewed passion: I realized that the work I do as an attorney could directly benefitpeoplelikemygrandmother,neighbors,andthecommunitythatraisedme.

Perhaps the greatest lesson I learned this summer was how to be confident in myself. I learned that it isokaytomakemistakes,toaskforhelp,andtogrowfromconstructivefeedback. My supervising attorney modeled that law is not about perfection, but about persistence, reflection,andhumility.Importantly,shealsoremindedmethatIdonothavetochooseonestrict area of law to committofortherestofmylife.Forsomeonelikeme—whoseinterestsspancivil rights, immigration, and community advocacy—this advice was liberating. It allowed me to see law not as a rigid career track, but as a lifelong opportunity to serve, adapt, and make impact whereitismostneeded.

As I continue working in the Texas A&M Civil Rights Clinic this fall, I carry forward every lesson from this summer: the technical skills of drafting motions and observing depositions, the joy of building community partnerships, the personal resilience forged through loss, and the rediscovery of my “why.” My goals remain consistent with those I outlinedbefore entering law school: to provide direct representation to underserved communities, to engage in

systemic advocacy, and to transform the barriers of legal literacy into bridges ofaccess.Butmy goals have also evolved. I now understandthatadvocacyisnotjustaboutlitigationorpolicy—it is about showing up authentically, with both competence and compassion. It is about using my own lived experiences as a first-generation Latina law student to remind others that they are seen,heard,andrepresented.

This summer internship was more than just a professional opportunity; it was apersonal journey of growth, healing, and recommitment. I strengthened my skills as an advocate, built meaningful community connections, and learned how to balance grief with purpose. Most importantly, I emergedmoreconfidentinmyvoiceasafutureattorneyandmorecommittedthan ever to using the law as a tool for equityandjustice.Mygrandmother’sstorycontinuestoguide me, as does the vibrantimmigrantcommunitythatraisedme.Witheachnewchallenge,Iremind myself that my achievements exist not only for me but in honor of those who made them possible. This summer reaffirmed that the work I do matters—and that I belong in this fightfor justice.

June 5, 2025

Ms. Carol Bergman

LSC Vice President for Governmental Relations & Public Affairs

Legal Services Corporation Board of Directors

3333 K Street, NW Washington, DC 20007

Via email transmission: bergmanc@lsc.gov

On behalf of the Texas Access to Justice Commission and Texas Access to Justice Foundation, we offer this written comment in strong support of the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) budget request of $2.132 billion for Fiscal Year 2026 and the maximum reasonable budget request for FY 2027. Sustained and expanded funding for LSC is essential to the economic stability and social fabric of our communities.

The Texas Access to Justice Commission, created by the Supreme Court of Texas in 2001, develops and implements initiatives to expand access to civil justice for low-income Texans. The Texas Access to Justice Foundation, established by the Supreme Court of Texas in 1984, is the leading state-based funding source for civil legal aid in Texas. Together, we work to expand access to the civil justice system and to help it function more fairly and effectively for those without means.

As in many states, the access to justice gap in Texas remains both urgent and vast. Each year, an estimated 3.7 million Texans face at least one civil legal problem ranging from domestic violence to illegal evictions, to wrongful denial of benefits but the majority will receive little to no legal assistance due to inadequate funding. The current ratio of one LSC-funded attorney for every 10,580 eligible low-income Texans is simply untenable.

The case for civil legal aid is compelling its value lies not only in advancing justice, but also in delivering measurable economic returns. Research shows that for every $1 invested in LSC-funded programs, $7 is returned in economic benefits. These returns stem from avoided costs in emergency shelter, healthcare, foster care, and law enforcement; increased access to wages, federal benefits, and child support; and reduced burdens on the courts. Dozens of independent studies in states across the country have confirmed a consistently positive return on investment results that are both rare and compelling in the realm of publicly funded programs.

Despite these impacts, legal aid organizations across Texas are forced to turn away nearly half of those who seek help due to lack of resources. This shortfall is particularly severe in rural areas, where geographic isolation compounds the difficulty of accessing legal help. Each of the three primary LSC-funded legal aid organizations in Texas Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, Lone Star Legal Aid, and Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas serve areas individually comparable in size to entire states, such as Oregon. Meeting the demand for services in such vast regions with limited staff is a daily struggle.

Grande St., Suite 351

The legal community in Texas does its part. Just last month, the annual Texas Access to Justice Commission’s 2025 Champions of Justice Gala raised over one million dollars to support civil legal services to our low-income Texas Veterans. Texas attorneys contribute over 3 million hours of pro bono legal service annually and donate almost $1.6 million to support legal aid efforts as a voluntary contribution in addition to their annual bar dues. State-based funding sources such as IOLTA, state appropriations, and private foundation grants are essential and growing, but they cannot meet the need alone.

LSC funding is the cornerstone of civil legal aid in this country. Without it, families face unlawful evictions, veterans are denied benefits, survivors of domestic violence go without protection, and children are left without critical support. Civil legal aid protects lives, stabilizes families, and strengthens democracy by ensuring that justice is not reserved only for those who can afford it.

We urge Congress to fully fund the LSC FY2026 request of $2.132 billion and continue to invest in a justice system that works for all Americans Thank you for your consideration and your continued efforts to provide access to justice for all.

Sincerely,

Hon. Deborah Hankinson

Harriet E. Miers Chair, Texas Access to Justice Foundation Chair, Texas Access to Justice Commission

CHIEF JUSTICE

JAMES D. BLACKLOCK

JUSTICES

DEBRA H. LEHRMANN

JEFFREY S. BOYD

JOHN P. DEVINE

J. BRETT BUSBY

JANE N. BLAND

REBECA A. HUDDLE

EVAN A. YOUNG

JAMES P. SULLIVAN

The Supreme Court of Texas

CLERK BLAKE A. HAWTHORNE

GENERAL COUNSEL

MARTHA NEWTON

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

NADINE SCHNEIDER

DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

AMY STARNES

February 18, 2025

Dear Texas Lawyer:

The Texas Supreme Court has a long history of promoting access to competent representation for all Texans. Each year, many lawyers do their part by contributing financially to the Justice for All Campaign, which supports programs that provide access to justice for our neighbors in need. As the cost of basic civil legal services becomes increasingly unaffordable for most Texans, we encourage more lawyers to contribute this year.

The dollars you give make a real, tangible difference in the lives of your fellow Texans. These funds provide legal services that help women and children to escape abuse, veterans to receive service-related benefits, and families to avoid homelessness. Making legal representation available at the right time can save lives and help people and families across our great State to thrive.

When you pay your annual bar dues, please consider making at least the suggested $150 tax-deductible contribution to support access to justice. You may need to make an affirmative effort to record your desire to make this contribution. If your firm pays your bar dues, please either coordinate the contribution with your firm or contribute directly by logging into your MyBarPage at www.texasbar.com/ATJDonations. This extra effort will make a meaningful difference in providing legal assistance where it is sorely needed and otherwise not available.

Thank you in advance for your generosity and commitment to the people of Texas.

CHAIR

Harriet E. Miers

Dallas

VICE-CHAIR

Roland K. Johnson

Ft. Worth

SUPREME COURT OF TEXAS LIAISON

Hon. Brett Busby

Austin

COMMISSIONERS

Pablo Javier Almaguer

Edinburg

Dr. Clen Burton

Brenham

Hon. Nicholas Chu

Austin

Hon. Roy B. Ferguson

Alpine

Diana Gomez

Houston

Lisa Hobbs

Austin

Krisi Kastl

Dallas

Thomas S. Leatherbury

Dallas

David R. McAtee II

Dallas

Karen Nicholson

Midland

Hon. Latosha Lewis Payne

Houston

Sandra L. Phillips

Plano

Hilary L. Preston

Austin

Hon. Penny A. Roberts

San Angelo

Marshall Sales

Austin

Brad Toben

Waco

Terry O. Tottenham

Austin

Maj. Gen. Alfred Valenzuela

San Antonio

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS

For the Governor

Trevor Ezell

Austin

For the Lieutenant Governor

Hon. Judith Zaffirini

Laredo

For the Speaker of the House

Rep. Gene Wu

Houston

CHAIR EMERITUS

Harry M. Reasoner

Houston

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

April Faith-Slaker

Subject Line: Your Support Is More Critical Than Ever for Access to Justice

Dear Texas Lawyer,

Each year, the Texas Supreme Court asks your consideration of making at least the suggested $150 contribution to provide legal help to poor Texans direly in need of legal assistance. As you prepare to pay your State Bar dues this year or your firms are paying them, we join the Supreme Court in encouraging you to contribute at least the $150.00 suggested voluntary contribution to support civil legal aid for our low-income Texans. Making the gift requires your action. If you choose, you can give now to this Justice for All Access to Justice Contribution Campaign using this link: https://atj.texasbar.com/. The contribution is tax-deductible.

As you are aware, we continue to experience a growing poverty population with greater needs for basic civil legal services than can be met with existing funding In fact, we now can meet only a small fraction of the needs among our poor for legal help. This is true even with proven data that shows investing in providing counsel when needed results in a return on investment to our society of at least seven-fold.

While demand for legal aid services continues to rise particularly in matters involving housing, safety, family stability, and basic economic security the funding landscape for these services has become more difficult to evaluate and predict The commitment of the private bar is critical to ensuring that justice remains within reach for our most vulnerable Texas neighbors.

Texas lawyers have a record of showing up. For example, our most recent data shows that attorneys across the state contributed an estimated 3.18 million hours of pro bono service and last year contributed almost $1.6 million to the Justice for All Access to Justice Contribution Campaign. We are deeply grateful for this generosity. Still, an estimated 90% of low-income Texans facing civil legal problems receive little to no legal help. The consequences of this gap are profound and lasting. Your support can help close it.

In addition to the link above, your contribution to help this effort can be made along with paying your dues or through your My Bar Page at texasbar.com. If your firm offers donation matching, please include that information when you give.

Your decision to donate is more than a charitable act it reflects our shared values as a profession. Your commitment helps ensure that our legal system remains one of fairness and dignity, and it is accessible to all.

With gratitude,

Deborah Hankinson, Chair

Texas Access to Justice Foundation

Harriet E. Miers, Chair

Texas Access to Justice Commission

Thank you for making a difference in thousands of lives across Texas.

Guardian ($5,000/5years)

David Bertoch

David Anthony Bloomer

Loral Conrad

John C. Fleming

Hero ($1,000+)

Barry Abrams

Arnold Battise

Sharon Beausoleil

Tony Bertolino

Ron Betz

Rebecca Bishop

Hugh Blevins

Frank Branson

Brian Broussard

Andrea Cagle Villegas

Kevin Clark

Alexander Clark

Donald Davidson

Joseph Fielder

Kem Frost

Hon. Thomas Fuller

Defender ($500-$999)

Maria Alessandra

C.Amador

Theodora Anastaplo

Wayne Anderson

Carol Barger

John Beall

Aaron Blades

Emile Bolden

Scott Brann

Kae Brockermeyer

Cade Browning

Hon. Brett Busby

Tanya Chaney

Richard Cort

James Costello

Pierce Cox

Katrina Crenshaw

Caroline Cyrier

Thomas Daniel

Jacob Davidson

Mario Davila

Chad Davis

Robert Dawson

Mollie Duckworth

Davida Dwyer

Patricia Ebeling

Andrew Estes

John Evans

Quinton Farley

Michael Hilliard

Alexander Knapp

Dwaine Massey

Harriet E. Miers

Kevin Gerrity

David Haley

Holly Ryan Haseloff

Mark Heidenheimer

Paul Herz

Dee Dee Hoxie

Lynne Hudson

Kathleen Huggins

Roland Johnson

Kristina Kastl

Eileen Keiffer

Marc Lahood

Hon. Michael

Massengale

Meredith Morrill

Tammi Niven

Ann Ray

John Floyd

Merilee M. Fong

Michael Forbes

Lisa Frenkel

Marsella Fults

Michael Gainer

Kathryn Garner

Daniel Geyser

Michael Goldstone

Andrew Gould

P.Rowland Greenwade

William Hall

Nancy Hamren

John Hargrove

Fatima Hassan

Max Hendrick

Kathleen Henry

Nina Hess Hsu

Hon. Federico Hinojosa

Jeanine Hudson

Royal Hurrington

Monica Hwang

Robert Kamm

Lowell Keig

Corrie Reese

Terry O. Tottenham

Carlos Zaffirini, Jr.

Demetris Sampson

Kevin Simmons

Evan Singer

Matthew Stammel

Joel Steed

Macey Stokes

Jaime Suarez

William Sutton

Charles Towery

Cynthia Trochu

Patricia Villareal

Kristi Ward

Grace Weatherly

Clarence Weber

Allen White

Matthew Kolodoski

Stephanie Koury

Robert Laboon

Michael Legamaro

Jeanne Leslie

Larry Long

Nathaniel Lounsbury

Thomas Lowry

Carla Machnik

Elizabeth Mack

E. Pierce Marshall

Austin Mathis

David Matthews

Susham Modi

Brandon Mundt

James Perkins

Howard Prol

Mariben Ramsey

Alfred Richter

Hon. Frank Rynd

Stacey Saunders

Michael Steinmark

Julia Swallow

Linda Von Quintus

Margaret KeliherLuke Weedon

Thomas Kildebeck

Charles Kimbrough

Caroline Kirksey

Kortney Kloppe-Orton

Ed & Amy

Williamson

Hon. Don Windle

Lori Wrotenbery

Andrew Yeates

Join the Champion of Justice Society by visiting TexasATJ.org and become part of the expanding community dedicated to making access to the courts a reality for everyone.

TAJC Committee Membership

Executive Committee – created by order of the Supreme Court of Texas in February 2020, the Executive Committee is responsible for implementing the Commission’s strategic plans, policies, and decisions and engage in decision making between Commission meetings or in urgent circumstances. The order sets forth its specific duties.

*Executive Committee members also attend Awards Committee and Budget Committee meetings.

Ms. Harriet Miers Chair Troutman Pepper Locke

Judge Roy B. Ferguson Member 394th Judicial District Court

Mr. Roland K. Johnson Member Harris, Finley & Bogle, P.C.

Mr. David R. McAtee II Member AT&T Services, Inc.

Dean Bradley J.B. Toben Member Baylor Law

Mr. Terry O. Tottenham Member Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP

Budget Committee – established in October 2021 by the Executive Committee to engage in the State Bar’s budgeting process for the Commission’s budget. It has two members to remain agile and able to meet on short notice.

Mr. Roland Johnson Chair Harris, Finley & Bogle, P.C.

Ms. Harriet Miers Member Troutman Pepper Locke

Awards Committee – identifies and recognizes the exceptional pro bono efforts of members of the legal profession and other access to justice partners.

Hon. Latosha Lewis Payne Chair 55th District Court

Mr. Joseph (Joe) Escobedo Member Escobedo & Cardenas

Hon. Pete Gallego Member Bexar County District Attorney's Office

Mr. Julian Honor Member Texas Legal Services Center

Mr. Daniel D. Hu Member US Attorney’s Office

Mr. William (Bill) Marple Member Legal Aid of North Texas

Ms. Harriet Miers Member Troutman Pepper Locke

Mr. Harry Max Reasoner Member Vinson & Elkins LLP

Ms. Lisa Tatum Member LM Tatum, PLLC

Law School Advisory Committee – (comprised of the deans and their designees from each Texas law school) examines the law schools’ role in addressing access to justice for the poor by supporting the development of programs that will expand the delivery of legal services in Texas through law students, faculty, and staff.

Dean Brad Toben Co-Chair Dean Emeritus Baylor Law School

Mr. Tom Leatherbury Co-Chair Director of First Amendment Clinic and Adjunct Clinical Professor of Law SMU Dedman School of Law

Dean Robert B. Ahdieh Member Dean and Anthony G. Buzbee Endowed Dean's Chair Texas A&M University School of Law

Dean Leonard M. Baynes Member Dean and Professor of Law University of Houston Law Center

Mr. Josh Borderud Member Director of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs Baylor Law School

Dean Cathy Burnett Member Vice President and Associate Dean of Experiential Learning South Texas College of Law Houston

Dean Laura Burstein Member Assistant Dean for Public Interest & Pro Bono SMU Dedman School of Law

Acting Dean McKen Carrington Member Acting Dean and Professor of Law Thurgood Marshall School of Law

Dean Robert M. Chesney Member Dean and James A. Baker III Chair in the Rule of Law and World Affairs

Dean Terrence Cook

University of Texas School of Law

Member Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Admissions Texas A&M University School of Law

Dean Jeremy Counseller Member Dean of Baylor Law School Baylor Law School

Dean Angela Cruseturner Member Senior Assistant Dean

Mr. Phil Davies Member Director of Pro Bono Programs

Dean Felicia Epps Member Dean and Professor of Law

Baylor Law School

St. Mary's University School of Law

UNT Dallas College of Law

Ms. Alissa Gomez Member Clinical Associate Professor & Pro Bono Facilitator University of Houston Law Center

Ms. Sarah R. Guidry Member Executive Director, Earl Carl Institute for Legal & Social Policy Inc.

Dean Eden Harrington Member Chief of Staff, Associate Dean of Experiential Education

Dean Karen Kelley Member Assistant Dean for Clinical Programs | Clinical Professor of Law

Ms. Andrea Marsh Member Director, Richard & Ginni Mithoff Pro Bono Program

Dean Susan "Susie" Morse Member Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

Ms. Mary Murphy Member Public Interest and Public Defense Career Counselor

Dean Jason P. Nance Member Judge James Noel Dean and Professor of Law

Dean Jack Wade Nowlin Member Dean and W. Frank Newton Professor of Law and Alvin R. Allison Professor of Law

Thurgood Marshall School of Law

University of Texas School of Law

St. Mary's University School of Law

University of Texas School of Law

SMU Dedman School of Law

Texas Tech University School of Law

Dean Patricia Roberts Member Dean and Charles E. Cantu Distinguished Professor of Law St. Mary's University School of Law

Ms. Nicole Simmons Member Director, William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law University of Texas School of Law

Mr. Larry Spain Member Director of Clinical Programs

Dean Rey Valencia Member President and Dean

Ms. Cheryl Wattley Member Professor & Director of Professional Responsibility

Dean Stephen Yeager Member Assistant Dean for Student Affairs

Ms. Sara Zampierin Member Clinical Associate Professor

Texas Tech University School of Law

South Texas College of Law Houston

UNT Dallas College of Law

SMU Dedman School of Law

Texas A&M University School of Law

Legislative Committee – monitors and proposes and/or supports legislation to further the availability of legal services to the poor.

Mr. Thomas Leatherbury Co-Chair SMU Dedman School of Law

Justice Kenneth Wise Co-Chair 14th Court of Appeals

Justice Brett Busby SCOTX Liaison Supreme Court Of Texas

Ms. Michelle Alden Member Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program

Justice Gina Benavides Member Thirteenth Court of Appeals

Mr. Chip Casey Member ExxonMobil Corporation

Hon. Debra Danburg Member Retired

Mr. Robert Doggett Member Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid, Inc

Justice Craig Enoch Member Enoch Kever PLLC

Mr. Paul Furrh Member Lone Star Legal Aid

Hon. Pete Gallego Member Law Firm of Pete Gallego, PC

Justice Deborah Hankinson Member Hankinson PLLC

Mr. Stuart Hene Member Tarry & Hene PLLC

Ms. Lisa Hobbs Member Kuhn Hobbs PLLC

Mr. Lamont Jefferson Member Jefferson Cano

Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson Member Alexander Dubose & Jefferson LLP

Mr. Roland Johnson Member Harris, Finley & Bogle, P.C.

Ms. Maria Thomas Jones Member Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas

Mr. John Jones Member J.R. Jones Law, PLLC

Ms. Krisi Kastl Member Kastl Law

Judge Lora Livingston Member Travis County District Court (Ret.)

Justice Michael Massengale Member JAMS / Massengale PLLC

Mr. David McAtee Member AT&T

Ms. Harriet Miers Member Troutman Pepper Locke

Mr. Harry Reasoner Member Vinson & Elkins LLP

Mr. Eduardo Roberto Rodriguez Member Atlas Hall & Rodriguez

Mr. Jason Ryan Member CenterPoint Energy

Mr. Steven Schulman Member Akin Gump

Mr. Mitch Smith Member Germer PLLC

Mr. Dick Tate Member Richard L. Tate Law

Mr. Terry Tottenham Member Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP

Ms. Kennon Wooten Member Scott Douglass & McConnico LLP

Technology Committee – explores and recommends technological solutions to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of legal services delivery.

Hon. Nick Chu Chair Probate Court No. 2

Ms. Martha BeardDuncan Member Texas Legal Services Center

Mr. Andre Davison Member Harris County Law Library

Mr. Michael Hofrichter Member

Mr. Casey Kennedy Member Office Of Court Administration Information Services

Ms. Ashley Oborn Member Lone Star Legal Aid

Ms. Alejandra Pena Member Office Of Court Administration Information Services

Mr. Stephen Rispoli Member Mayer, LLC

Ms. Amy Small Advisory Council Texas State Law Library

Hon. Andrea Thompson Member Judge, 416th District Court, Collin County, Texas

Mr. Aaron Varner Member Texas Legal Services Center

Mr. Carlton Whitmore Member Disability Rights Texas

Veterans Committee – explores and recommends solutions to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of legal services delivery to veterans.

Mr. Terry Tottenham Chair Norton Rose Fulbright

General Alfred Valenzuela Co-Chair United States Army South - Retired

Ms. Anne Chandler

Mr. Alexander "Alex" Clark

Mr. Otway Denny

Mr. David Glasheen

Mr. Michael Hanson

Ms. Laura Koerner

Mr. William Marple

Mr. Eddie Moreno

Ms. Karen Nicholson

Capt. Kiara MartinezBentley

Mr. Miguel Ortiz

Mr. Richard Pena

Mr. Kyle Ryman

Ms. Kay Sim

Ms. Tara Shockley

Ms. DeLaine Ward

Member Texas Immigration Law Council

Member Haynes and Boone

Member Norton Rose Fulbright - Retired

Member Glasheen, Valles, Inderman, LLP

Member Fort Ben District Attorney's Office

Member Chair, Texas Veterans Commission

Member Legal Aid of Northwest Texas

Member Kemp Smith Law

Member Board member, Texas Legal Services Center

Member US Army

Member Jackson Walker

Member Law Offices of Richard Pena

Member McKool Smith

Member Houston Bar Association - Retired

Member Communications Director of the Houston Bar Association - Retired

Member Austin Bar Association

NEW COMMITTEES

RURAL ACCESS COMMITTEE

Judge Roy Ferguson Co-Chair Private/Visiting Judge

Mr. Pablo Almaguer Co-Chair Texas Immigration Law Council

Ms. Eden Klein Vice Chair Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid

Justice Gina Benavides Member Retired, Former Justice at the Texas Thirteenth Court of Appeals

Ms. Natalie Denbow Member Former Trustee of the Texas Bar Foundation from Bosque County

Mr. Adam Dietrich Member Board Certified Family Law Attorney for Montgomery, Liberty, Grimes, San Jacinto, Polk, and Walker Counties

Ms. Sarah Giddings Miller Member Attorney in Lavaca, Colorado Gonzales, and Dewitt Counties

Judge Rob Hofmann Member 452nd District Judge of Kimble, McCulloch, Edwards, Menard, and Mason Counties

Ms. Christina Hollwarth Member Attorney in Gregg, Upshur, Harrison and Panola Counties

Mr. Landon Lambert Member Attorney in the Panhandle

Mr. Kim Leaverton Member Attorney in Erath, Bosque, Brown, Comanche, Eastland, Hood, Hamilton, Palo Pinto and Somerville Counties

Judge Cheryl Maybray Member Judge of the Child Protection Court of Llano, Burnet, Blanco, San Saba, Mills, Lampasas, Coryell Counties

Ms. Lucinda Price Vickers Member Attorney in Atascosa, Wilson, Karnes, Frio, Medina, McMullen, Live Oak, and LaSalle counties

Judge Ann Marie Saleh Member Former District Judge and Attorney in Lubbock, Crosby, Dawson, Gaines, Garza, and Lynn Counties

Mr. John Shaw Member Chairman of the Board of Texas Legal Services Center of Bexar and Surrounding Counties

Ms. Jessica Skinner Member Attorney in Tom Green, Sterling, Coke, Runnels, Concho

Ms. Brandy Taylor Manning Member Attorney in Howard County

JUDICIAL EDUCATION COMMITTEE

(membership list pending)

Chair Ms. Kennon Wooten Scott Douglass & McConnico LLP

Chair Justice Lori Valenzuela 4th Court of Appeals

COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH COMMITTEE

Mr. Tom Leatherbury Chair SMU Dedman School of Law

Mr. Marshall Sales Chair Hennan Culp, PLLC

Ms. Krisi Kastl Member Kastl Law, P.C

General Alfred Valenzuela Member US Army, retired

Ms. Deborah Cordova Member Walsh McGurk Cordova Nixon

Ms. Shelby Jean Member SBOT Committee for Legal Services to the Poor-Civil

Mr. Greg Zlotnik Member St. Mary’s University School of Law Center for Legal and Social Justice

Ms. Kelli Johnson Member Texas Appleseed

Ms. Melissa Thraikill Member State Bar of Texas Poverty Law Section

Ms. Kelly Wood Member Houston Volunteer Lawyers

Ms. Clarissa Ayala Member Lone Star Legal Aid

Mr. Chris Wrampelmeier Member Underwood Law

Mr. Jack Hurd Member J.D. Hurd Law, PLLC

Ms. Rebecca Johnson Member State Bar of Texas

Report to the Supreme Court of Texas January – November 2025

The Texas Access to Justice Foundation (TAJF) is the state’s leading funder of civil legal aid. Since its inception in 1984, TAJF has granted more than $2 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, 34 legal aid organizations assist more than 114,000 low-income Texas families in civil matters each year. Despite these efforts, the demand for services remains high. More than five million Texans qualify for legal aid. To qualify, an individual must not earn more than $19,563 per year; for a family of four, the limit is $40,188.

In 2025 the TAJF Board of Directors prioritized grant opportunities for legal services in the following four areas: children and families; housing; health, safety and access; and financial independence. TAJF-funded legal aid programs help low-income Texans with critical civil legal issues impacting their very existence, such as: mothers fleeing domestic abuse; elderly wrongly denied life-sustaining prescriptions, veterans denied critical disability benefits and families evicted from their homes.

Grantees funded by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation also continue serving those impacted by disasters, including survivors of the catastrophic July 4th weekend floods in Central Texas. TAJF funds legal aid for our veterans, pro bono programs of local bar associations, supports law school clinical programs, and administers a loan repayment assistance program for attorneys who choose public service law. TAJF sponsors post-graduate fellowships through the Equal Justice Works program, and in 2025 began providing a health and wellness training program to assist legal aid staff in managing the stress of their demanding work.

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.

GRANTS PROVIDED BY TEXAS ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOUNDATION

In 2025, TAJF awarded 129 grants totaling approximately $184,490,000 to 34 nonprofit organizations that provide legal aid. TAJF grantees offer legal services from approximately 126 offices throughout Texas. Key focus areas developed in 2025 include:

• Ensuring safe, stable environments for children, youth and families

• Supporting safe and secure housing

• Providing access to safety, care and stability

• Supporting stability and financial independence

Impact and Results from Grantees

TAJF-funded grantees deliver critical legal help to Texans who cannot afford private counsel. These legal aid programs reach every community and region and address urgent needs, often for those in crisis. Here are the latest statistics showing the vital impact of TAJF-funded legal aid.

• TAJF grantees closed 114,197 cases in 2024, benefiting approximately 257,676 Texans.

• Legal aid secured more than $33.7 million in back awards or lump-sum settlements for its clients and helped win nearly $18 million in monthly benefits, including Social Security and SSI, child support, pensions, back wages, and unemployment compensation.

• More than 29,900 victims of domestic violence received legal help and protection.

• TAJF grantees assisted some 14,895 people experiencing homelessness.

• Approximately 27,123 people with disabilities received legal assistance.

• More than 2,312 law students volunteered to assist with cases or provide other services.

• Private attorneys offered 63,154 hours of pro bono legal services, successfully closing over 10,300 cases for low-income clients.

TAJF Grants Administered in 2023-25

Legal aid grants administered by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation in 2023-25 include:

• $71,143,914 in Basic Civil Legal Services (BCLS) to 18 grantees

• $84,954,309 in Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Account (IOLTA) funds to 34 grantees

• Thirteen grantees received a total of $9 million in Legal Aid to Veterans funds.

• $10 million in Legal Aid for Survivors of Sexual Assault (LASSA) funds to six grantees.

• $1,849,066 in emergency funding to support Texans impacted by the catastrophic flooding in Central Texas.

• One grantee received a total of $284,282 for the Parent Resource Helpline and the Parental Order Legal Line, which is a long-standing partnership with the Office of the Attorney General.

• $5 million in Crime Victims Civil Legal Services (CVCLS) grants to eight grantees.

• $896,097 for the Virtual Court Access Project, which maintains legal kiosks throughout the state.

• $3.7 million for Legal Aid for Children’s Health Services focused on children and young people in the child welfare system, as well as those experiencing mental and physical health challenges in schools and communities.

• More than $46 million in system-changing, Moonshot IOLTA grants supporting five highly collaborative and innovative projects to improve access to justice in Texas significantly.

2023-2025 Grant Program Accomplishments

Legal Aid for Texas Veterans (LAV)

The Supreme Court of Texas received $7 million from the Texas Legislature for 2023-2025 to fund grants providing legal services to veterans and their families. TAJF granted this funding to 13 entities, including legal aid organizations, law school clinics, and bar association pro bono programs, all serving low-income Texas veterans.

In addition to the legislative appropriation, funds raised from the annual Champions of Justice Gala for Veterans support the grants for legal services for veterans. The Texas Access to Justice Commission and the State Bar of Texas co-sponsor the annual Gala, which raises hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. In 2025, the Gala raised a record-breaking $1 million.

These grants enable Texas veterans and their families to access critical civil legal services, including family law, employment, housing, consumer law, bankruptcy, probate, and disability benefits advocacy. During the grant term, TAJF grantees assisted 6,975 veterans. LAV grantees closed 6,370 cases for veterans and their families, and 10,984 veterans attended 1,321 veterans’ clinics. Legal aid organizations reach veterans by enhancing coordination with veterans’ service organizations and increasing medical-legal partnerships tied to VA Hospitals.

Legal Aid for Survivors of Sexual Assault (LASSA)

For the biennium 2023-2025, the Supreme Court of Texas 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 Texas 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 33,801 cases for survivors of sexual assault. Many of these cases include protective and restraining orders, housing and employment issues, divorce and child custody issues, and public benefits and assistance to victims. The hotline, which provides coordinated referrals throughout the network, has answered 11,828 calls since 2015. LASSA grantees closed 5,400 cases for survivors of sexual assault from September 1, 2024, to August 31, 2025.

Flood Disaster Response Emergency Grant

As Texans recover from the catastrophic flooding that occurred July 4th weekend in the Guadalupe River area and other Central Texas counties, legal aid is there to help with civil legal services. The Foundation granted $1,849,066 in emergency funding to support Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA) in this work to help recover and rebuild their lives. This grant will help survivors struggling with a wide range of issues including insurance and FEMA claims, replacing lost documents, housing problems, consumer-related issues, and many more. TRLA also established a site in Kerrville to better assist those where needed. This grant includes funding from the Texas Legislature, the Stand with Santos campaign, an initiative led by the State Bar of Texas

President Santos Vargas to raise support for legal aid disaster relief from the legal community, and the Fulbright & Jaworski Foundation.

Emergency Rental Assistance Program-2 (ERAP-2)

TAJF grantees continued to provide a full range of legal 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. ERAP-2 work concluded on September 30, 2025, with TAJF grantees providing legal services in over 200 counties to 30,558 unique households.

Family Helplines

Since 2008, the Supreme Court of Texas, the Office of the Attorney General of Texas (OAG), and TAJF have collaborated to provide free legal services to help Texas parents understand the rights and responsibilities in their parenting orders. The Parenting Order Legal Line (POLL) project at Texas Legal Services Center (TLSC) uses family law attorneys to offer limited legal representation to parents to increase their parenting time. In 2023-2025, TLSC provided brief services or settlement negotiations through the POLL project to resolve parenting conflicts for nearly 6,400 parents.

Also at Texas Legal Services Center, TAJF funds the Parent Resource Helpline (PRH). Attorneys help callers understand the details of the Child Protective Services system in a simple, meaningful way that is relevant to their unique situation. During the 2023-2025 grant term, the PRH handled nearly 2,100 calls and provided legal information and assistance with family court orders to more than 990 Texans. The Supreme Court of Texas, the Children’s Commission, and an anonymous donor funded 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 of Texas since 2002 to support civil legal services to victims of crime and their immediate family members. TAJF awarded 15 grants totaling $2,460,869 statewide to 14 CVCLS grantees for 2024-2025. The civil legal problems that crime victims often face requiring legal help include physical assault, attempted homicide, domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and child abuse. During the 2024-2025 grant year, legal services provided benefited 12,428 Texans across 168 counties.

Legal Aid for Children’s Health and Security (LACHS)

The 88th Legislature appropriated $3.7 million to the Supreme Court for basic civil legal services to eligible children and young people in the child welfare system and to those experiencing mental and physical health challenges in schools and communities. The Legal Aid for Children’s Health and Security (LACHS) grant program funds the Family Help Link Portal (FHLP), an online application access point and referrals to project partners. The FHLP opened in February 2025 and through August 31, 2025, had 11,219 visitors; 207 eligible clients were referred to legal aid partners.

Applicants for these funds submitted data-driven proposals addressing children’s needs in targeted focus areas within specific locations. The seven grantees provide services in targeted geographic regions of the following focus areas: child welfare, foster youth, education, and access to benefits. During the grant term, grantees closed 793 cases and another 731 cases remain open

Opioid Use Disorder Legal Services (OUDLS)

TAJF administered $5 million appropriated by the 87th Legislature for legal services for indigent Texans 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. This program concluded in 2025 by assisting in 1,546 cases, benefiting 3,244 Texans, in a full range of civil legal issues impacting housing, jobs, medical care, and families.

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 2023. The statewide project was designed to increase access to free legal services by deploying accessible, physical legal kiosks to communities across the state. The kiosks function as virtual legal aid centers, featuring computer stations in high-traffic locations where Texans can access life-changing community resources, such as connecting virtually with courts and receiving legal aid services.

During 2024-2025 the project focused on increasing the accessibility and usability of the legal kiosks, user testing, and redesigning the user interface. The kiosks have been augmented with the development of a Launchpad that mimics a kiosk using innovative software developed for the project. Real-time “live” chat sessions with attorneys totaled 288, with 2,170 hours spent on kiosks by legal aid seekers. As of October 2025, 44 kiosks and Launchpads in 32 counties are used by people seeking legal services.

Access to Justice Moonshot Grants Program

In December 2023, the Texas Access to Justice Foundation Board announced one-time grants to address shortfalls and improve access to justice in ways that were previously out of reach; now known as the Moonshot Grants Program. The TAJF Board selected four projects for a three-year grant term beginning in 2024:

• Community Justice Worker Program

• Statewide Legal Aid Expunction Project

• Family Early Defense Project

• Debtors' Rights Initiative

• Economic Justice by Narrowing Texas Service Gaps

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. The Texas Access to Justice Foundation

currently administers this program and has been able to assist all qualified applicants up to the maximum monthly loan amount of $500 due to the generous support of the State Bar of Texas.

In 2025, TAJF increased the eligible salary for Student Loan Repayment Assistance from $80,000 to $110,000. This tracks with where salaries are likely to be for those in the program for up to 10 years when Texas legal aid lawyers can seek forgiveness under the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. The average salary of those currently enrolled in the Texas SLRAP is $79,915. The average total student loan debt is $157,490, and the average monthly SLRAP loan payment for these attorneys is $335

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 four fellows for the two-year term that began in September 2025 and continues to support five fellows from the 2024 class.

The 2025-2027 Fellowship Class, their legal aid sponsor, and projects include:

• Apurva Gunturu, American Gateways, Austin; working to provide pro se legal services to the Asian population in Central Texas.

• Hannah Greer, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, San Angelo; providing legal services to help low-income tenants in rural Texas

• Wyatt Beaver, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, San Antonio; working to address age-related challenges with housing and public benefits.

• Nina Colombotos, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, Austin; providing legal services and advocacy to eligible low-income immigrants

WeCare Employee Resilience Training Program (WeCare)

TAJF launched a new program in 2025 to stave off burnout among legal aid staff. TAJF is deeply committed to the success of the legal aid programs it funds and recognizes challenges faced by civil legal services staff who serve as front-line responders to crises.

WeCare® is a professional development opportunity designed to help individuals, connected by their shared profession, manage the stressors of work demands, process their common experiences, and access personal care for mental health concerns if needed. It is a free, voluntary program in which civil legal services staff can choose to participate.

The response to the first training course exceeded expectations, with 100 participants registering within minutes. TAJF quickly organized a second session for another 100 participants. Texas’ post-program participant feedback surveys have been overwhelmingly positive, scoring at or above the 90th percentile in value and satisfaction. TAJF plans to continue to offer civil legal aid staff WeCare classes in 2026.

FUNDING for LEGAL AID

IOLTA Revenue

Revenue from the Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program has decreased in 2025 after the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) began reducing interest rates in the fall of 2024. After four rate cuts beginning in September 2024, the FOMC’s Federal Funds upper target range is now at 4.25%. Based on current projections, IOLTA revenue is expected to decline further in 2026 with additional cuts in interest rates anticipated.

TAJF continues to promote our Prime Partner program, which includes banks and credit unions that voluntarily pay 75% of the upper end of the Federal Funds Target Rate. There are currently 27 Prime Partner banks. Our Prime Partner banks account for only 17% of the total IOLTA bank balances but contribute 33% of the IOLTA revenue by voluntarily paying the higher rate.

State Legislative Funding

The legal aid community, through the support of the Supreme Court of Texas and its partners in access to justice, was fortunate to maintain its general revenue appropriation for basic civil legal services, veteran legal services, legal aid for survivors of sexual assault, and legal aid for children’s health and safety in the 89th Texas Legislative Session

The funding currently administered by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation for the biennium 2025-27, includes:

• Basic Civil Legal Services (BCLS)

• Legal Aid to Veterans (LAV)

• Crime Victims Civil Legal Services (CVCLS)

• Legal Aid for Survivors of Sexual Assault (LASSA)

• Civil penalties from the Chief Justice Pope Act

• Legal Aid for Children’s Health and Security (LACHS)

Federal Funding – Legal Services Corporation (LSC)

In fiscal year 2025, the federally funded Legal Services Corporation received a Congressional appropriation of $560 million through a Continuing Resolution. This was level funding based on the FY 2024 appropriation from the federal government. Texas grantees received $47,226,808 in basic field funding for civil legal services. The three largest legal aid providers in Texas receiving funds from LSC are: Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, Lone Star Legal Aid, and Texas RioGrande Legal Aid

PEOPLE and EVENTS

Stand with Santos Campaign

The Texas Access to Justice Foundation is proud to work with State Bar of Texas President Santos Vargas as he helps bridge the justice gap for our fellow Texans. Vargas set a goal during his term as president in 2025-26 of generating $300,000 to help provide civil legal services. Shortly after establishing the Stand with Santos Campaign, the Central Texas flooding tragedy

hit close to home and Vargas chose to dedicate donations to the campaign during July, August, and September for those impacted by the disaster. In addition to donations, the campaign also highlights the need for pro bono and encourages lawyers to reach the aspirational goal of 50 hours a year for pro bono legal services to the poor.

Luncheon with the Supreme Court of Texas

The Foundation hosted the annual Luncheon with the Supreme Court of Texas, Oct. 20, in Austin to recognize National Pro Bono Week and access to justice efforts across the state. Justice Brett Busby presented the Access to Justice Award to the law firm of Greenberg Traurig for their continuing support of the Equal Justice Works Fellowship program, and to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs for their partnership in keeping Texans housed through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program. Robert Doggett of Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, Kay Caballero of Family Legal Services of South Plains, and Zoe Dobkin a Fellow with Texas Legal Services Center shared snapshots of their respective programs with attendees.

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. 10-16. 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 chat. Justice Brett Busby and Betty Balli Torres were featured in an Austin PBS segment for the event and many veterans participated in events throughout the state.

New Social Media Tools

This year, the Texas Access to Justice Foundation introduced the Texas Justice Dispatch, a monthly LinkedIn newsletter designed to elevate voices, stories and solutions behind civil legal aid in Texas. Each edition features impact stories, grant updates, legislative highlights and insights from legal aid providers serving communities across the state. By sharing real-time impact and thought leadership, the Texas Justice Dispatch brings civil legal aid into focus, showcasing how access to justice strengthens families, supports economic stability and helps Texans overcome life’s toughest challenges. The Foundation also created an Instagram account to widen its reach among various audiences.

New and Reappointed Board Members

The Supreme Court of Texas appointed Zina Bush of Austin to the TAJF Board of Directors in September for a three-year term. Pepe Aranda, Joseph Barrientos and Lisa Tatum were reappointed to the three-year terms. Terry Tottenham and Kay Sim were also reappointed to the TAJF Board by the State Bar of Texas.

Disaster Response

Disaster Hotline

The State Bar of Texas’s disaster hotline, activated in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, has remained in operation since March 2020. Designed to help vulnerable Texans resolve legal issues arising from any disaster, the hotline routes callers to the appropriate legal aid provider for their area. The Legal Access Department continues handling these calls while also managing the general call queue. Callers who are unsure which legal aid organization serves their area may leave a message, and Legal Access Department staff return all such – including those unrelated to disasters – to provide referrals to the appropriate legal aid resources

Disaster Manual

When major disasters strike, the high volume of Texans seeking assistance requires legal aid organizations to devote substantial staff time to disaster-related issues. As a result, pro bono and legal aid attorneys are often asked to address matters outside their typical practice areas and rarely encountered in routine times. The Disaster Manual helps meet this need by offering a concise, practical resource on common disasterrelated legal issues and potential solutions. Topics include FEMA assistance, housing, consumer protection, disability law, and family law. Attorneys from Sidley Austin LLP, legal aid staff statewide, and the Legal Access Department conduct an annual review to ensure the manual’s continued accuracy. It is available digitally on TexasLawHelp.org, ProbonoTexas.org, and the State Bar’s website

Assistance to Indigent Defendants Related to Border Security State of Disaster

On January 21, 2022, the Supreme Court of Texas issued Misc. Docket No. 22-9007, Emergency Order Regarding Indigent Defense and the Border Security State of Disaster Permitting Out-of-State Lawyers to Practice in Texas Temporarily. The Court has renewed this order to allow attorneys licensed in other U.S. jurisdictions to provide legal services – either as employees of a public defender offices or through managed assigned counsel programs - to indigent defendants arrested for misdemeanor offenses under Operation Lone Star.

The current order, Misc. Docket No. 24-9100 (issued on November 14, 2024), is set to expire on December 1, 2025. In accordance with the original order, the State Bar developed and maintains a registration process for participating attorneys. The Legal Access Department oversees this process and will continue doing so through the expiration of the renewal order. Since the program began, 40 attorneys have registered: 23 in 2022, 4 in 2023, 9 in 2024, and 4 in 2025.

All Things Pro Bono

New Opportunity Volunteer Attorney (NOVA) Pro Bono Program

Since May 2018, the NOVA Pro Bono Program has recruited inactive and retired Texas attorneys, as well as Texas-based attorneys licensed in other states, to provide pro bono legal services through approved legal aid organizations Participants must re-certify annually and complete three hours of continuing legal education remain in the program.

As of November 2025, 60 Texas organizations are approved to host NOVA volunteers, and 63 attorneys are currently approved (14 based in Texas and 49 out-of-state) See Exhibit A.

ProBonoTexas.org and Paladin

The State Bar of Texas launched ProBonoTexas.org in 2016 as part of its commitment to supporting and encouraging pro bono service statewide. The Legal Access Department maintains the website and continues to identify innovative ways to expand pro bono engagement. The site includes a resource library, a mentor-match program, and access to Westlaw’s document and form builder to assist pro bono attorneys in serving their clients.

The website’s current platform, Drupul, is being transitioned to WordPress. This upgrade will improve the user experience and will allow the Legal Access Department to make updates more easily to support greater engagement.

In January 2021, the State Bar launched the Pro Bono Opportunity Portal (https://app.joinpaladin.com/pbtx/) in partnership with Paladin, a justice-tech company. The portal, which is accessible through ProBonoTexas.org, offers a centralized platform where attorneys, law students, and legal professionals can search for and directly connect with pro bono opportunities across Texas. Legal aid and pro bono providers can update, manage, and track opportunities in real-time.

National Pro Bono Week

National Pro Bono Week took place October 19-25, 2025. Each year, Pro Bono Week provides an opportunity for legal organizations nationwide to highlight the critical contributions of legal professionals and to recruit and train the additional volunteers needed to address the widening access to justice gap. The celebration includes proclamations, awards, clinics, trainings, new project launches, media campaigns, strategic planning efforts, volunteer recruitment efforts, and social events

Texas attorneys are encouraged to participate by finding opportunities on Paladin, which features opportunities throughout the state, including a link to Texas Free Legal Answers. This platform allows attorneys to log pro bono hours from anywhere by answering civil legal questions online Most attorneys

take only a few minutes to register and an average of 20 minutes to answer a question. By bringing a walkin clinic model to any location with internet access, Texas Free Legal Answers significantly expands access for rural communities and legal deserts

Family Law Essentials Seminars (FLES)

Since 2001, the Legal Access Department has provided administrative support to the Family Law Section’s Pro Bono Committee since 2001 to support its Family Law Essentials Seminars (FLES). The program is structured as a two-part initiative benefiting both pro bono attorneys and Texas’s three main legal aid organizations. Attorneys who attend a seminar agree to accept at least two pro bono cases from their local legal aid program within a year, in exchange for receiving free CLE credit.

Members of the Family Law Section Pro Bono Committee select six rural locations annually, based on input from Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, Lone Star Legal Aid, and Texas RioGrande Legal Aid regarding counties with the greatest need for pro bono support. Each seminar typically includes a one-hour judges’ panel and nine 30-minute sessions - eight covering substantive family law topics and one addressing legal aid involvement and case handling.

For the second consecutive year since the pandemic, the 2025 FLES was held in its original in-person format. Seminars were hosted in Laredo, Lubbock, McAllen, Midland, Richmond, and Tyler Across these six seminars, 84 attorneys collectively pledged to accept 168 cases. So far, 54 cases have been accepted by those attorneys.

Pro Bono College

Established in 1992, the Pro Bono College honors attorneys who significantly exceed the State Bar’s aspirational pro bono goal of 50 hours by completing at least 75 hours of pro bono service annually. In recent years, the program has expanded to recognize the important contributions of paralegals and law students.

The Pro Bono College currently includes 99 attorney members, 40 law student members, and 2 paralegal members. Each year, a brochure is distributed at the Annual Meeting recognizing all Pro Bono College members. See Exhibit B To grow participation - particularly among law students and paralegals – the Legal Access Department is planning targeted outreach initiatives to increase awareness and involvement

Support Programs

Language Access Fund and Communications Access Fund

Established in 2013, the Language Access Fund connects legal aid organizations and their pro bono volunteers with essential translation and interpretation services for clients with limited English proficiency. This year, the fund supported legal aid advocates in serving clients speaking 69 different languages, facilitating 189,194 minutes of interpretation across 7,729 phone calls and providing 81 document translations.

The Communication Access Fund supports Texas attorneys assisting clients with disabilities who require auxiliary aids or services, such as ASL interpreters, to ensure effective communication. This year, the fund enabled 14 attorneys to deliver accessible legal services to Texans with disabilities.

Legal Research Network

The Legal Research Network is a partnership between the State Bar and qualifying civil legal aid and pro bono organizations. Through this program, civil legal aid attorneys, paralegals, and pro bono attorneys handling cases through approved legal services organizations can receive access to Westlaw’s legal research tools to support their work on litigation-related matters. In 2025, the Legal Access Department supported Westlaw and Westlaw Form Builder licenses to 300 attorneys and 26 paralegals across 39 participating organizations Additionally, 33 pro bono attorneys received access to Westlaw licenses through this network.

Texas Legal Services Network Malpractice Insurance Program

The Malpractice Insurance Program is a long-standing partnership between the State Bar and legal aid and pro bono programs to provide malpractice insurance at a reduced cost. For nearly 30 years, it has offered a critical benefit to attorneys who wish to provide pro bono services to low-income Texans but are reluctant to 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 2026 policy renewal process, 61 legal aid and pro bono organizations received coverage supporting 830 legal aid attorneys.

Conferences and Training

The Legal Access Department (LAD) hosted its annual Pro Bono Coordinators Retreat (PBCR) on August 26–27 and the Poverty Law Conference (PLC) on August 27–29 at the Hilton Austin. This year’s conference was fully in-person, bringing together legal aid providers from across the state for a week of community building and continuing legal education.

Pro Bono Coordinators Retreat

Fifty individuals attended the day-and-a-half Pro Bono Coordinators Retreat. LAD Director April Faith-Slaker opened PBCR with a welcome address, updates from the Texas Access to Justice Commission, and Legal Access Department updates Brittanny Perrigue Gomez (Texas RioGrande Legal Aid) then provided an update on the TRLA disaster relief efforts in response to the Hill Country Area Floods PBCR participants engaged in six interactive sessions covering topics such as marketing pro bono work to law libraries as resources for coordinators, supporting pro bono attorneys in delivering culturally competent services, and using technology to expand services in rural communities See Exhibit C for the PBCR agenda

Poverty Law Conference

A total of 254 individuals attended the Poverty Law Conference. Attendees chose from 61 sessions across six concurrent tracks. Topics included introductions and updates to key areas of poverty law such as disaster law, immigration law, housing law, and more. The keynote speaker, Keegan Warren, Executive Director of the Institute for Healthcare Access at Texas A&M Health Science Center, spoke about the connection between medical and legal services, her work developing Medical–Legal Partnerships to provide holistic support, and how attendees can begin building similar partnerships in their communities See Exhibit C for the PLC agenda

Last year, LAD partnered with Texas Free Legal Answers to host the first Free Legal Answers lunch at the Poverty Law Conference. This year, LAD expanded those efforts by hosting back-to-back Free Legal Answers lunches for both PBCR and PLC attendees. Participants competed in a one-hour team challenge to answer as many legal questions as possible from the Texas’s Free Legal Answers site. Across both sessions, attendees answered more than 30 legal questions.

On Friday morning, State Bar of Texas President Santos Vargas addressed the poverty law community about his #StandWithSantos campaign. In the days leading up to his remarks, PLC attendees were invited to share their legal aid stories with President Vargas via email or at an on-site recording room during Thursday’s conference events. He will use these stories in his #StandWithSantos campaign to raise funds for access to justice and encourage pro bono participation among Texas attorneys.

At the Poverty Law Conference, the Legal Aid Task Forces and the Poverty Law Section of the State Bar of Texas held their annual in-person meetings. Six of the eight Legal Aid Task Forces met. The Poverty Law Section hosted 77 attendees, presented its annual awards, and featuring Jim Harrington, founder of the Texas Civil Rights Project, in celebration of his new book The Texas Civil Rights Project: How We Built a Social Justice Movement (2025). All groups concluded the 2025 Poverty Law Conference with renewed energy.

Referral Directory

Every other year, the Legal Access Department updates and publishes the Referral Directory of Legal Services and Other Resources for Low-Income Texans. The directory compiles legal service providers and related resources available across Texas into an accessible PDF available to the public at texasbar.com/referraldirectory. Physical copies are also distributed to all organizations listed in the directory, to the offices of all Texas congressional members, to the Supreme Court of Texas, the Court of Appeals, the Court of Criminal Appeals, and to every Texas Department of Criminal Justice unit. In 2025, a total of 1,058 directories were distributed.

Additionally, LAD partnered with the Texas Access to Justice Commission (TAJC) to create an online, interactive map version of the directory. Hosted on the TAJC website, the map allows users to select their county and the type of legal problem they are experiencing, automatically generating a list of relevant resources. The map will be updated with the new directory information each time LAD publishes an updated edition.

Coordinated Committees and Workgroups

Legal Aid Task Forces

The Legal Access Department provides logistical support to eight Legal Aid Task Forces. These meetings allow legal aid attorneys to connect with peers in their practice area and stay informed about legal developments through CLE training The Legal Access Department supports the following task forces:

• Education and Juvenile Justice

• Employment Law

• Family Law

• Housing/Consumer

• Immigration

• Public Benefits/Health

• Disaster Law

• Community Redevelopment/Environmental Justice

During this year’s Poverty Law Conference, six of the eight task forces met, with more than 85 attendees participating.

State Bar of Texas Pro Bono Working Group

Created in 2014, the Pro Bono Workgroup works to strengthen the culture of pro bono service in Texas by:

• educating the legal community in Texas about the value, types, and scope of pro bono service;

• supporting local pro bono efforts around the state;

• reducing barriers to pro bono participation; and

• fostering strategic partnerships to expand the capacity to meet the civil legal needs of low-income Texans.

In late 2024, the Workgroup adopted a new strategic plan covering 2025-2028. See Exhibit A Implementation of the plan is underway.

The Workgroup is co-chaired by Roland Johnson and Terry Tottenham. Members include:

Michelle Alden

Keri Brown

Judge Ann-Marie Carruth

Anne Chandler

Kevin Deitz

Christian Garza

Alisa De Luna

Alicia Hernandez

Bill Holston

Roland Johnson

Tristan Longino

Andrea Marsh

Cicely Reid

Mary Rios

Stephen Rispoli

Selena Solis

Frank E. Stevenson

Travis Torrence

Betty Balli Torres

Terry Tottenham

Texas Coordinating Council for Veterans Services

The Texas Coordinating Council for Veterans Services includes approximately twenty state agencies and operates nine workgroups, one of which focuses on pro bono legal services for veterans. The State Bar of Texas is among the state agencies involved, and the Legal Access Department staff the pro bono workgroup.

In each even numbered year, the Coordinating Council publishes a report for the public and the members of the Texas Legislature. The report identifies the needs of veterans, outlines services currently provided, and offers recommendations to the Texas Legislature for addressing unmet needs. The Coordinating Council’s Seventh Report was recently published in 2024 and planning for the 2026 Report is now underway.

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 ensure the delivery of

civil legal services to Texans who cannot afford an attorney. The committee also oversees the annual Pro Bono Excellence Awards.

Pro Bono Excellence Awards

Pro Bono Award

The Pro Bono Award honors a volunteer attorney organization – such as a legal aid program, local bar association, or non-profit - that has made an outstanding contribution to ensuring access to the legal system for low-income Texans.

2025 Winner: Mexican American Bar Association Houston (MABAH)

Consejos Legales began in 1986 under the leadership of then–Mexican American Bar Association of Houston (MABAH) President Berta Mejia. Since the late 1990s, the program has been chaired by Judge Joe Villarreal, who has devoted nearly three decades to its growth and success.

MABAH, founded in 1972, is one of the largest Hispanic legal organizations in Texas, serving both the Hispanic legal community and the broader public. Its membership includes law students, attorneys and judges from diverse Hispanic backgrounds including Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Guatemalan as well as non-Hispanic members committed to public service

Consejos Legales is a free telephone legal assistance program designed to eliminate language and financial barriers. Held on the first Thursday of each month, it provides Spanish-speaking callers with confidential legal guidance and referrals to additional resources or pro bono providers. Each month, 5 to 15 volunteer attorneys participate, contributing approximately 480 hours annually. Non-Spanish-speaking attorneys are paired with translators, broadening participation. Judge Villarreal also donates significant time coordinating logistics, training volunteers, and managing communication with Houston Volunteer Lawyers.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the program successfully transitioned to a fully virtual format, allowing attorneys to field calls from anywhere while maintaining uninterrupted service. This remote model continues today, ensuring that Spanish-speaking residents across Houston can access trusted legal advice regardless of location.

Frank J. Scurlock Award

The Frank J. Scurlock Award honors an individual attorney who has provided outstanding pro bono service. The award is named after the late Frank J. Scurlock, the first chair of the Legal Services to the Poor in Civil Matters Committee and a tireless advocate for expanding legal services to lowincome Texans.

2025 Winner: Christina Yarnell (Austin)

Over the past decade, Christina Yarnell has devoted more than a thousand pro bono hours representing vulnerable immigrant women in a complex human trafficking case against Austin Eco Bilingual and its owner.

Working largely on her own as a solo practitioner with no staff and often from home she faced threats and intimidation while steadfastly pursuing justice. When her resources were exhausted, she secured assistance from the Austin Police Department, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the Texas Attorney General’s Office.

Her relentless advocacy led to a historic 2025 settlement imposing the maximum civil penalties under Texas law, and her efforts helped her clients obtain U-visas as victims of labor trafficking.

J. Chrys Dougherty Award

The J. Chrys Dougherty Award recognizes an outstanding legal services staff attorney. Named for J. Chrys Dougherty, a private attorney and Bar leader who strengthened the partnership between the State Bar of Texas and legal services providers, the award includes a $1,500 stipend, funded in part by the Texas Bar Foundation.

2025 Winner: Ricardo Loza (San Antonio)

Ricardo (Richard) Loza has been repeatedly recognized as Distinguished Law Graduate and Hispanic Law Student Association Mentor of the Year by St. Mary’s University School of Law (2013, 2015, and 2024). He helped secure the grant establishing Texas RioGrande Legal Aid as co-partner of the Bexar County Family Justice Center and has been listed in Best Lawyers in San Antonio by Scene in SA since 2010.

Mr. Loza has supported TRLA by speaking on domestic violence to law students, professional associations, and San Antonio Police Department personnel. He has chaired People’s Law School for more than 15 years, delivering free “know your rights” classes in partnership with St. Mary’s University School of Law and local nonprofits. He also serves on the Collaborative Commission to Combat Domestic Violence, including its Judiciary and Firearms Committee, and provides frequent trainings on protective orders and domestic violence in Bexar County.

W. Frank Newton Award

The W. Frank Newton Award recognizes attorney groups – such as law firms, corporate law departments, government offices, law school faculty, Bar section- that have made an outstanding contribution to pro bono legal services. The award honors the legacy of W. Frank Newton, former Dean of Texas Tech University School of Law and long-time pro bono advocate.

2025 Winner: Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP (Dallas)

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP has made pro bono service a core part of its identity since its founding in 1901. For 15 consecutive years, every one of the firm’s 800+ U.S. lawyers has participated in pro bono work. The firm has pioneered neighborhood pro bono offices, internal fellowships, and innovative approaches to expanding access to justice.

The Dallas office has been central to these efforts, especially through its partnership with the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program (DVAP). In 2020, Hunton helped DVAP develop its Virtual Clinic platform - led by Fawaz Bham - to continue serving clients safely during the pandemic. The firm

continues to maintain and improve the platform, which has since hosted nearly 300 clinics, processed more than 20,000 applications, and become a critical source of free legal help in Dallas

To date, Hunton lawyers across Texas have volunteered more than 1,000 hours and sponsoring 31 virtual clinics

The Dallas team also helped relaunch DVAP’s Small Business Clinic Program, partnering with the City of Dallas, WINGS, Texas C-Bar, LiftFund, and others to provide free one-on-one consultations to small and emerging business owners. These sessions allow clients to discuss legal issues directly with volunteer attorneys, gain practical insights, and access resources regardless of income qualification.

Through these initiatives, Hunton Andrews Kurth demonstrates a deep and sustained commitment to expanding access to justice and strengthening the Dallas community.

Pro Bono Coordinator Award

The Pro Bono Coordinator Award is presented to an individual – attorney or non-attorney - who has made an exceptional contribution to the delivery of pro bono legal services while serving as a pro bono coordinator for a volunteer attorney program, local bar association, law firm, law school, corporate legal office, governmental entity, or legal services organization.

2025 Winner: Brittany Krohn (Houston)

For more than a decade, Brittany Krohn has been a driving force at Houston Volunteer Lawyers (HVL) Joining the organization in 2013 as Assistant Pro Bono Coordinator, she rose to Pro Bono Director in 2023 and has helped make HVL the largest provider of pro bono legal services in Texas. During her tenure, Brittany has placed more than 9,400 cases with volunteer attorneys, directly impacting thousands of Houstonians. Under her leadership, HVL’s volunteer network reached record levels over 3,100 attorneys in 2023 providing free legal help to 4,287 individuals, including nearly 900 full representations. Her work has supported vulnerable tenants, survivors of domestic violence, and families of adults with disabilities.

A creative and collaborative leader, Brittany designs pro bono projects, coordinates volunteer recognition, and ensures volunteers are supported and celebrated. She oversees HVL’s weekly LegalLines clinics, serving up to 100 clients each week, and recruits firm sponsors and attorneys months in advance. She also launched innovative efforts such as “Wipe Out the Waitlist” and the New Associate Pro Bono Bootcamp.

In 2023, she led the merger of the Houston Bar Association’s advice lines into HVL’s LegalLines program, creating a more client-centered, bilingual system that offers flexible scheduling and ensures clients receive direct legal advice rather than referrals.

Through her dedication, creativity, and leadership, Brittany has transformed HVL’s pro bono delivery model and strengthened Houston’s culture of volunteerism.

Pro Bono Support Staff Award

The Pro Bono Support Staff Award recognizes exemplary contributions by non-attorney volunteersincluding paralegals, administrative assistants, interpreters, and other support staff - who contribute legal assistance in a volunteer capacity requiring specialized legal skills, knowledge, or training under attorney supervision. Services may be provided through such organizations as, but not limited to, legal aid programs, community legal clinics, bar associations, courts, or government agencies.

2025 Winner: Robert M. Caine (Houston)

As a Senior Paralegal in Baker Botts’ corporate department, Robert M. Caine handles a wide range of transactional work, managing 10–20 client matters daily, including drafting corporate documents, preparing UCC filings, conducting due diligence, and maintaining corporate records In addition, he manages data for approximately 300 Houston-based and 600 firmwide pro bono matters each year

Mr. Caine oversees the firm’s pro bono reporting to partners and external organizations, tracks attorney pro bono hours, coordinates awards, distributes pro bono communications, and helps attorneys find cases aligned with their interests. He also works with Houston Volunteer Lawyers to place new matters, track ongoing cases, and compile year-end reports for clients. His work supports numerous partner organizations by helping promote opportunities and facilitating new case placement.

Judge Merrill Hartman Pro Bono Judge Award

The Judge Merrill Hartman Pro Bono Judge Award honors a judge, sitting or retired, who has demonstrated exemplary pro bono service by encouraging volunteerism, improving court processes, advocating for access to justice, or volunteering time in pro bono clinics or proceedings. The award is named after the late Judge Merrill Hartman of Dallas, a dedicated champion of access to justice.

2025 Winner: Hon. Roy Ferguson (Alpine)

Judge Roy Ferguson has demonstrated exceptional commitment to making justice accessible to those unable to afford it. He has established lasting local institutions to expand access to justice and has leveraged statewide platforms to advocate for the poor.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Judge Ferguson quickly adopted Zoom to keep his dockets moving. Even after the returned to in-person hearings, he recognized the broader benefits of virtual participation - reducing default judgments, eliminating travel burdens for rural residents, and allowing parties and witnesses to participate even when unable to cross immigration checkpoints along the U.S.–Mexico border.

Today, virtual hearings remain available to anyone requesting them, with support from his court coordinator to ensure accessibility. Judge Ferguson also encourages pro bono work by inviting attorneys from urban areas to gain litigation experience in Far West Texas, addressing both geographic and legal deserts.

Judge Ferguson is dedicated to ensuring access for pro se litigants by carefully explaining processes and the reasoning behind his rulings. He carefully reviews proposed orders – particularly in divorce cases with lopsided property divisions or missing child support – and signs only those that reflect evidence, serve justice, and protect the best interests of children.

His judicial service exemplifies the ideals honored by the Judge Merrill Hartman Pro Bono Judge Award.

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 of Texas Board of Directors The Committee studies systems of criminal defense for indigent persons in Texas - identifying issues, collecting data, and developing recommendations to improve the quality of representation available to indigent Texans in criminal matters.

The Committee is chaired by Mr. Paul Chambers (Far West Texas Regional Public Defender Office) and includes members of the judiciary, prosecution, and defense, as well as representatives from court administration, state agencies (including the Texas Indigent Defense Commission), and nonprofit organizations focused on indigent defense. The Committee meets quarterly on the third Thursday of every third month at 10:30am. The next meeting will be on Thursday, January 15, 2026 at 10:30am.

The Committee continues its work on guidelines for prosecutors interacting with indigent defendants and is launching several new projects this fiscal year related to indigence and community service, legal deserts, attorney wellness, language access, and a public education campaign on the importance of counsel on criminal cases.

Previously, the Committee drafted an “Ability to Pay Guidance” for indigent clients regarding fees assessed with community supervision. This guidance was adopted by the State Bar of Texas Board of Directors, and the Committee continues to address ongoing noncompliance with the adopted standards.

The Committee also selects recipients of the annual Indigent Defense Awards: the Warren Burnett Award and the Michael K. Moore Award for Excellence in Research or Writing in the Area of Indigent Criminal Defense. Honorees are recognized at the State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting.

This past year, the Committee approved a third award: the Jeff Blackburn Award. This award honors Jeff Blackburn’s legacy and his commitment to strengthening systems that support indigent criminal defense in Texas. It may be given to a Texas-based organization of any size, non-profit or otherwise, that demonstrates innovation in indigent criminal defense, advances systemic reform, and focuses on representation of indigent individuals

Indigent Defense Awards

Warren Burnett Award

Named for the late legendary Texas Attorney Warren Burnett, this award recognizes extraordinary contributions to improving the quality of criminal legal representation for indigent Texans. The award honors either an individual or organization whose work in the courtroom, legislature, or in the community has created meaningful impact.

2025 Winner: The Office of Capital and Forensic Writs (OCFW)

The Office of Capital and Forensic Writs (OCFW) has significantly advanced the quality of capital postconviction representation in Texas. Under the leadership of Director Ben Wolff, OCFW employs a multidisciplinary team of attorneys, investigators, mitigation specialists, and administrative staff committed to ensuring that death penalty and forensic-related convictions are constitutionally sounds and supported by reliable evidence.

Prior to the establishment of OCFW, capital postconviction representation in Texas was often marked by limited investigation and repetitive filings. OCFW has transformed this landscape by implementing rigorous investigative practices, developing comprehensive mitigation, and producing high-quality legal briefing for individuals seeking state postconviction relief.

OCFW’s 25-member staff currently represents more than 70% of all individuals on Texas’s death row pursuing state postconviction relief. In the past three years alone, three OCFW clients have been removed from death row. Additionally, the United States Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of an OCFW client, vacating a Court of Criminal Appeals decision in a case involving flawed forensic evidence.

Beyond individual representation, OCFW has contributed to systemic improvements in forensic practices statewide. Its identification of deficiencies in crime lab disclosure practices prompted a Forensic Science Commission investigation and supported the passage of SB 991, establishing a statewide crime lab disclosure portal.

OCFW’s work reflects the commitment to excellence in indigent criminal defense that the Warren Burnett Award seeks to recognize.

Michael K. Moore Award for Excellence in Research or Writing in the Area of Indigent Criminal Defense

Named for Dr. Michael K. Moore in recognition of his pivotal role in research and writing that transformed indigent defense in Texas, this award honors an individual or organization whose exceptional research or writing significantly advances the knowledge and practices of the bench, bar, and scholarly communities.

2025 Winner: The Public Policy Research Institute (PPRI) at Texas A&M University

PPRI’s report, Justice Beyond the Cities: The State of Rural Public Defense in Texas, has been instrumental in legislative appropriations efforts and invaluable to local stakeholders across Texas The report provides an evidenced-based assessment of attorney shortages and systemic challenges in indigent defense, with a focus on rural counties.

The study employed both quantitative and qualitative methods. The PPRI research team collected and analyzed more than 700 survey responses and conducted 49 stakeholder interviews, capturing input from all but three Texas counties. To contextualize findings, the team also analyzed data from the Texas Indigent Defense Commission, the Texas Commission on Jail Standards, the Office of Court Administration, and the State Bar of Texas.

From its opening sentence – “Half of criminal defendants in Texas are deemed indigent, and this number is growing” – the report draws attention to the severity of the attorney shortage and the systemic pressures facing rural indigent defense. It also examines the potential of Public Defender Offices to help address the challenges and documents local perceptions, financial needs, and opportunities to expand these efforts statewide.

The report offers critical insights into the indigent defense crisis in Texas and provides information essential to improving representation for indigent defendants, particularly in rural areas.

Conclusion

Throughout 2025, the Legal Access Department advanced its mission to expand access to justice by strengthening pro bono participation, supporting legal aid providers, enhancing language and communications access, and improving systems that serve low-income and vulnerable Texans. Through collaborative partnerships, innovative programs, and the dedication of countless volunteers and advocates, the Department continued to build a more accessible and equitable legal system across the state. These efforts reflect the State Bar of Texas’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that all Texans, regardless of income or circumstance, can obtain the legal help they need.

State Bar of Texas New Opportunities Volunteer Attorney (NOVA) Pro Bono Program

List of Approved Organizations

Current as of November 3, 2025

Advocate Legal Senior Center 3611 Ennis

Houston, Texas 77004

African Law Center

9898 Bissonnet St, Suite 589

Houston, TX 77036

Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse (AVDA)

1001 Texas, Ste. 600 Houston, Texas 77002

American Gateways

314 E. Highland Mall Blvd., Ste. 501

Austin, Texas 78752

BakerRipley Immigration and Citizenship Program

4450 Harrisburg Blvd., Suite 200 Houston, Texas 77011

Baylor Law School Pro Bono and Public Service Program

1114 S. University Parks Dr. Waco, Texas 76798

Beacon Law

P.O. Box 53958

Houston, Texas 77052

Boat People SOS-Houston, Inc.

11360 Bellaire Blvd., Ste. 910

Houston, Texas 77072

Casa Marianella 821 Gunter Street

Austin, Texas 78702

Catholic Charities of Dallas Inc. 1421 W. Mockingbird Lane Dallas, Texas 75247

Catholic Charities of Galveston - Houston

2900 Louisiana St. Houston, Texas 77006

Catholic Charities of Lubbock 102 Avenue J Lubbock, Texas 77441

Catholic Charities of San Antonio 202 W. French Place San Antonio, Texas 78212

Community Christian Legal Aid

4747 Research Forest Drive, #180 The Woodlands, TX 77381

Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program (DVAP) 2101 Ross Avenue Dallas, Texas 75201

Diocesan Migrant & Refugee Services, Inc.

2400A East Yandell El Paso, TX 79903

Disability Rights of Texas

7800 Shoal Creek Blvd., Ste. 171-E

Austin, Texas 78757

Earl Carl Institute for Legal and Social Policy, Inc.

3100 Cleburne St. Houston, Texas 77004

Equal Justice Center

510 S. Congress Ave., Ste. 206 Austin, Texas 78704

Fair Housing Council of Greater San Antonio

4414 Centerview Dr. Ste. 229 San Antonio, Texas 78228

Family Eldercare, Inc.

1700 Rutherford Ln. Austin, Texas 78754

Family Violence Prevention Services, Inc. 7911 Broadway San Antonio, Texas 78209

Houston Volunteer Lawyers 1111 Bagby Street, FLB 300 Houston, Texas 77002

Human Rights Initiative of North Texas 2801 Swiss Ave. Dallas, Texas 75204

Jane's Due Process, Inc. P.O. Box 685137 Austin, Texas 78768

Jefferson County Bar Association 1001 Pearl Ste. 202 Beaumont, Texas 77701

Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center 1500 E. Yandall Dr. El Paso, Texas 79902

Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas 600 East Weatherford St. Fort Worth, Texas 76102

Legal Aid Society of Lubbock, Inc. 916 Main St., Ste. 103 Lubbock, Texas 79401

Legal Hospice of Texas 3626 N. Hall St., Ste. 820 Dallas, Texas 75219

Lone Star Legal Aid 1415 Fannin St. Houston, Texas 77002

Methodist Justice Ministry 750 West 5th Street Fort Worth, Texas 76102

Metroplex Veterans Legal Services

Montgomery County Women's Center 1401 Airport Rd. Conroe, Texas 77301

Mosaic Family Services, Inc.

4144 N. Central Expy., Ste. 530

Dallas, Texas 75204

ProBAR/ABA-FJE

301 E. Madison Ave.

Harlingen, Texas 78550

RAICES Refugee and Immigrant Center

1305 N. Flores St. San Antonio, Texas 78212

The SAFE Alliance

P.O. Box 19454 Austin, TX 78760

SafeHaven of Tarrant County 8701 Bedford Euless Rd., Ste. 600 Hurst, Texas 76053

San Antonio Legal Services Association

P.O. Box 12404 San Antonio, TX 78212

Shelter Agencies for Families of East Texas

P.O. Box 2337

Mount Pleasant, Texas 75456

South Texas College of Law Legal Clinics

1303 San Jacinto Houston, Texas 77002

Southern Disability Law Center

1307 Payne Ave. Austin, Texas 78757

St. Mary's University School of Law Center for Legal and Social Justice One Camino Santa Maria San Antonio, Texas 78228

State Bar of Texas Appellate Section

State Bar of Texas Tax Section

Tahirih Justice Center 1717 St. James Place, Ste. 320 Houston, Texas 77056

Tarrant County Bar Foundation 1315 Calhoun St. Fort Worth, Texas 76102

Texas A&M University School of Law - Law Clinic 1515 Commerce Street Fort Worth, Texas 76102

Texas Advocacy Project, Inc. P.O. Box 833 Austin, Texas 78767

Texas Civil Rights Project 1405 Montopolis Dr. Austin, Texas 78741

Texas Fair Defense Project 510 South Congress Avenue, Suite 208 Austin, Texas 78704

Texas Legal Services Center

815 Brazos, Ste. 1100 Austin, Texas 78701

Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, Inc.

300 S. Texas Blvd. Weslaco, Texas 78596

Texas Southern University Clinical Legal Studies Program

3100 Cleburne St. Houston, Texas 77004

Texas Tech University School of Law Clinical Programs

1802 Hartford Ave. Lubbock, Texas 79409

University of Houston Law Center Clinical Legal Education Programs

100 Law Center RM 56 TU II Houston, Texas 77204

University Of Texas Clinical Programs

727 Dean Keeton St. Austin, Texas 78705

Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas (VLS) 86 Congress Ave. Austin, Texas 78701

YMCA International Services 6300 Westpark, Suite 600 Houston, Texas 77057

2025 Member Roster

TEXAS

90001668

24029558

24100099

24074277

24038941

24127087

24142244

24026820

12855200

14006737

15707200

15939550

19135400

20927430

OUT OF STATE

24145805

24145064

24147734

24147689

24147117

24145453

31993

24147629

24139807

24141849

Melanie Beck

Lynda Frost

Mary Gantenbein

Mary Gilbert

Liane Reiko Harrell

Pace Jaworski

Wai Yan Kok

Heather Laureles

Jorge Maldonado

Lee Michaels

Jane Peddicord

Philip Phillips

Mark Steiner

Katherine Watkins

Julie Aaron

Iris Anderson

Matthew Andrade

Monica Ayala

Feb Cabrasawan

Grace Cuda

Romulo Bautista Diaz

Elizabeth Dronkert

Grant Duffy

Adriana Dulic

24146972

24148712

24148221

24147070

24145063

24146209

24148245

24122028

24141027

24129499

24145778

24150592

24111424

24147137

24145568

24149938

24147628

24148714

24148222

24150679

24147630

24149937

24148713

24126348

24124538

24146971

24145454

24141281

24148668

24139865

24145109

24147116

24112859

24113010

24147176

Liping England

Rene Galicia

Kevin Geary

Brittney Gibbs

Lindsay Gray

Tiffany Gray

Yulia Griffith

Jimy Hu

James Jenkins

Alyssa Johnson

Madison Johnson

Nur Kara

Scott Kearns

Michael Kennedy

Dennis Klimmek

Kimberly Kooker

Jessica Lin

Emily Mack

Racquel Martin

Raul Martinez

Stephanie Masur

Amrita Mohan

Jesse Ondera

Vindra Richter

Allen Rothman

Mary Schrade

Joe Schulz

Jonathan Segraves

Musa Siam

Emad Siddiqi

John Sims

Alla Smirnova

Deborah Sonnenschein

Alexander Sonnenschein

William Stock

24145779

24145110

24147175

24135958

Total NOVA Members

Jennifer Suttles

Stephen Talipski

Vala Withrow

Justin Zabielski

The Pro Bono College of the

State Bar of Texas

2024 Membership

In recognition and appreciation of the performance of 75 hours or more of pro bono legal assistance to the poor.

June 2025

Pro Bono College of the State Bar of Texas 2024 Membership

See membership form on the back.

Aaron Neil Ackerman

Raquel Aguirre

Anietie Maureen-Ann Akpan

Russell Austin Aldrich

Brad Austin Allen

Allison Baker Allman

Yong Jun An

James Michael Archer

Michael Constantine Arianas

Bill Asher

Brooke Ann Cook Asiatico B

Edgardo Rafael Baez

Donald Lee Bailey

Rama Bar-Adon

Victoria Violet Barboza

Wallace P. Barlow Jr.

Jose Guillermo Baron

Rachel E. Barron

Edward J. Batis Jr.

Charles A. Beckham Jr.

Anne T. Beletic

Bailey Kathleen Benedict

Francine Marie Bennett

Fawaz Azam Bham

Gerald James Bierbaum

Anthony Joseph Blazi

Herschel Bowens

Darby Megan Branch

Linda Alice Brandmiller

Lauren Hunt Brogdon

James S. Bromberg

Carl Edward Bruce

Bridgett G. Brumbaugh

Tina Marie High Brumbelow

James Bruce Bryant

Benjamin Buford

Nina A. Bujosa

Amy Renee Cook Bythewood

Julie Katherine Camacho

Kenton P. Campbell

Jack Patton Caolo

Alberto Patricio Cardenas Jr.

Dominic G. Castillo

Marco Antonio Cervantes Jr.

Fernando Chacon

Lawrence M. Chamberlin Sr.

Ieshia N. Champs

Charles Edward Chapin

Hershel Robert Chapin

Randall D. Chapman

Kirk Anthony Chargois

Chloé Marie Chetta

Staci Danielle Childs

Susan Chmielowiec

Joshua Thomas Christopher

George Hugo Chumillo

Mark Anthony Cianciosi

Glenda C. Clausell

Michael Jerome Coleman

Teresa Ann Coles

Joseph Paul Collins

Elnora Destin Conley

Joseph A. Connors III

Sally Valaree Cook

Brandy Leigh Copley

Debra Cotton

Geoffrey Neil Courtney

Colin Giuseppe Cox

Maurice Cox

Ngoc-Anh Theresa Bui Creevy

Marcy Bryan Croft

John Cucci Jr.

J. Diane Garza Cummings

Edmund Milton Davis

Kelly Michelle Davis

Leonard E. Davis

Diamond Bleu De Leon

Juanita DeLoach

Ronald Ned Dennis

Emiley Elizabeth Dillon

Jana Diminnie

Robert D. Dittman

Curtis Francis Doebbler

Lydia Dohvoma

Justin Emroy Dolan

Paul Andrew Dyson

Ellen Catherine Earl

Roshni Edalur

Scott Lance Edmonds

Diane Denise Elizondo

Ronald L. Ennis

Yair Yiftach Even-Tal

Yu-cheng Fan

Cynthia Anne Figueroa

Emily Alison Fitzgerald

Robert Ray Flores

John Thomas Floyd III

Stephen Neil Foster

Laura Sanders Fowler

Tad Fowler

Erin Nicole Fuller

Thomas Anthony Fuller

Kevin Harold Fulton Jr.

Paul Edward Furrh Jr.

Bridget Marie Fuselier

Semaj Garrett

Paul Anthony Gaytan

Arthur Harold Geffen

Itamar Gelbman

Michael D. George

John Giardino

Lee M. Golden

Stefanie Michele Gonzalez

Lea Manganaro Goodman

Michael Edward Goodman

Emily Elizabeth Green

Marcy Hogan Greer

James David Groce

Alvino Guajardo

Uriel Alejandro Guajardo

John Anton Halbleib

Benjamin Lewis Hall III

Stacey Lyn Hall

Tracie Marie Hall

Caitlin Halpern

Jennifer Lee Hancock

Ronald Evans Harden

Barbara Kay Harris

Joshua Hiram Harris

Reginal Dwayne Harris

Tanner Elise Hartnett

Nicholas Michael Hasenfus

Fatima Hassan

Shaun William Hassett

Julia Catherine Hatcher

Mary Elizabeth Heard

Kristin M. Hecker

Micah Seth Heilbrun

Aimee Hess

Elizabeth S. Hilbun

Joseph Francis Hoelscher II

Ashley Chapman Hoff

Kristina Paige Horn

Daniel David Horowitz III

J.Marshall Horton

Brady Dillon Howell

William N. Hulsey III

Michelle Elizabeth Hunter

Neil Mohan Issar

William Tommy Jacks

Patrick Richmond Jackson

Vaughn Edward James

Timothy Daniel Japhet

Jennifer Rachelle Jenkins

Amy Priscilla Jetel

Lindsey Marie Jinright

James Joseph S. Johnson

Billy R. Jones

Chase Gregory Lucaissien Jones

Frances Jones

Lynne Marie Jurek

Tania Sethi Kamjula

Maria Aftab Kari

Amy Hilsman Kastely

Duane Francis Keating

Megumi Anne Kenworthy

Tychanika Jakara Kimbrough

Dawn LeAnnette Shappard King

L.Bruce Lambert

Lynda Joy Landers

Ryan D. Lantry

Michelle Julie Latray

Phuong Cac Julie Le

Rita J. Leader

Cristina Gussie Levine

Sarah Bethany Levy

Patrick Lewis

Jun Li

Emily Harrison Liljenwall

Eric Richard Little

Jonny Paul Lohman

Karina Loya

Julie Ann Lightfoot Lucio

Jeffrey Thomas Lucky

Christine Michelle Lugo

Roberto Maldonado

Adam A. Malik

Kurt A. Malmquist II

Kevin Sekaly Mantellini

Ewing Mason Martin III

Ignacio Gustavo Martinez

Timothy James McCarthy

Kate McConnico

Jerry L. McGonigal

David S. McKeand

Cameron Carlock McKee

William McManus

Michelle Marie Lindahl McPherson

C.Patrick Meece

Susan Bieber Meek

Barbara Ann Meeks

Zoe Ann Meigs

Armen Gabriel Merjanian

Katherine Buck Miller

Rain Levy Minns

Shirley Ann Mitchell

Daniela Mondragon

Lori Delgado Moore

Tammie Yvette Moore

Jennifer Ann Morales

Jacqueline Teresa Moran

Kaylie Michele Morgan

Steven Brian Mudd

Hollie Mahota Murphey

Ashley Michelle Murski

Alana J. Myers

NMir Sadra Nabavi Esq.

Shealea Christianna Nallie-Courtney

Agrippa Namatama

Analisa Nazareno

Christopher James Neal

Christi Lynn Nicolay

Audra Lanelle O' Connell

Omotola Ayodele Oresusi

Cynthia Eva Hujar Orr

Kara L. O'Shaughnessy

Alicia Muriel Banks Palmer

H. O. Quanah Parker

Tracey Michele Parker

Naval Hemendra Patel

Mickie Patterson

Timothy Patton

Alexander Patrick Paul

Johnelle R. Peer

Charles Stanton Perry

Caylee Michelle Phillips

Bill Piatt Jr.

Brandi Dashell Pikes

Joseph Barber Pinto

Allissa Aileen Rose Pollard

Molly Lochridge Powers

Laura Lee Prather

John A. Price

William Kelly Puls

Randy J. Pummill R

David Lane Ralston

Heriberto Ricardo Ramos

Luel Todd Rash

Ravi Patrick Ratnala

Virginia Marie Raymond

Thomas W. Reardon Jr.

David William Reddell

Taylor Olivia Reed

Kaydee McKenzie Reese

Michael Bechtel Regitz Jr.

Dominic Ribaudo

Cgc Ritchie

Gabriel Antonio Rivera

Roger Justin Rivera

Sonia Rivera-Suire

Penny R. Robe

Ruben Rodriguez

Aida Rodriguez Rojas

Jose Antonio Romanach

Arthur Joseph Rossi Jr.

Richard Wayne Rousseau

Griffin Simon Rubin

J.Patrick Ryan S

Kenneth Michael Sabath

Michael Saegert

Benjamin Kirke Sanchez

Luvenia Evett Sanchez

M.Rene' Sandel

Homer L. Sanders Jr.

Gregory Philip Sapire

David P. Schafer

Leigh Ann Schenk

A. A. George R. Schilter

Kenneth Mac Scott

Terry H. Sears

Sydney Symone Sexton

Joe Steven Sharp

Re'Necia Sherald

Douglas Richard Simek

Simran W. Singh

Percy Cornelius Singleton Jr

John Henry Skotnik

Natalie Anne Smeltzer

Dwayne Walter Smith

Gerald Jerome Smith Sr.

Victoria Quyen Smith

Jason Phillip Sosa

Mason Garrett Spiller

Gregory Glen Spivey

Isabella Kristie Stambolis

Mark E. Steiner

Tracy Lynne Sterling

Manfred Sternberg Jr.

Kaylen Elizabeth Strench

Christian James Strong

Billye F. Summers

Eli Svetlov

Jonathan M. Tanaka

K. Luther Tankersley

David Ross Noel Taubenfeld

James Eugene Thompson

Victoria Lee Thompson

Linda A. Thomson

Fangzhong Tian

Chelsea Ann Till

Cynthia Corrine Tirso

Charles David Towery

Michael Dennis Tracton

David A. Trausch

Mary Melissa Tyroch

Preston Tyson

Robert Clayton Uhl

Lois Katharine Valle

Robert Thomas Van Uden

Arturo Vazquez

Venere Diana Elena Velardo

Terry Lynn Velligan

Joseph Patrick Vredevelt

Martha Wach

John Francis Waldron

Amy Warr

John Philip Warren Jr.

Sandra Lynn Waters

Edward C. Wesley

Harriet Amelia Wessel

Guy Gerard Williams

Frederick Kendrick Wilson II

Tammy Lyn Wincott

Kennon Lily Wooten

Debra Anne Wray

Jason Wesley Wright

Joseph Lee Young

Hui Zhao

PRO BONO COLLEGE OF THE STATE BAR OF TEXAS

Created in 1992 by the State Bar of Texas, the Pro Bono College recognizes those 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 by providing a significant number of hours of eligible pro bono service during the previous year.

Requirements for Membership:

• AcandidateforthePBCcanbeanyattorneyingoodstandingwiththeStateBarofTexas.

• Theattorneymusthaveperformedaminimumof75hoursofeligiblelegalassistanceactivities duringthepastyear,whicharedefinedas:

o thedirectprovisionoflegalservicestothepoorwithoutanexpectationofcompensation, whethercivilorcriminal;

o serviceswithoutfeerelatedtosimplifyingthelegalprocessfor,orincreasingtheavailability andqualityoflegalservicesto,poorpersons;

o legalserviceswithoutfeerenderedtocharitable,publicinterestorganizationswithrespect tomattersorprojectsdesignedpredominantlytoaddresstheneedsofpoorpersons;or

o legislative,administrativeorsystemsadvocacyserviceswithoutfeeprovidedonbehalfof poorpersons.

• TheattorneymustcompleteandsubmittheProBonoCollegeformtotheLegalAccess Department (contactinformationincludedbelow).Pleasenote:Noretroactivecertificateswillbe issuedbeyondagraceperiodofoneyear.

Benefits:

• AcertificatesignedbytheStateBarpresidentandthechiefjusticeoftheSupremeCourtofTexas

• Afreeone-yearsubscriptiontoTexasBarCLE'sOnlineLibrary

• RecognitionintheStateBarAnnualMeetingmaterials

• AProBonoCollegebadgeonyourtexasbar.comprofilehighlightingyourphilanthropytowardsand hardworkonbehalfofyourfellowTexans

• ReducedtuitionattheannualPovertyLawConferencesponsoredbyLegalAccess Department of theStateBar

• Mostimportant,perhaps,istheintangiblebenefitofknowing you haveprovidedaccesstothelegal systemforpeoplewhootherwisewouldhavebeendeniedjustice

PRO BONO COLLEGE OF THE STATE BAR OF TEXAS

2025 NEW/RENEWED MEMBERSHIP

I affirm that I am an attorney in good standing with the State Bar of Texas and have, during the past year, performed a minimum of 75 hours of eligible pro bono legal assistance activities, defined as:

a)the direct provision of legal services to the poor without an expectation of compensation, whether civil or criminal;

b)services without fee related to simplifying the legal process for, or increasing the availability and quality of, legal services to poor persons;

c)legal services without fee rendered to charitable, public interest organizations with respect to matters or projects designed predominantly to address the needs of poor persons; or

d)legislative, administrative, or systems advocacy services without fee provided on behalf of poor persons.

Print Name:

TX Bar Card No.

Address

City/State

Total Pro Bono Hours in Calendar Year 2024:

All members will receive a Pro Bono College 2025 membership certificate. If you lost or need a replacement certificate for (one) prior year, please let us know and we will get you a new one at no cost.

Certificate for New/Renewing Members Replacement Certificate for the Year: _______

Bar Member's Signature Date

Please return the signed form to the address below no later than August 31, 2025.

For Office Use Only

Year:

Entry Date: By:

AUGUST 26 • TUESDAY

7:45am – 8:50am Breakfast

9:00am – 9:30am Opening Remarks

Speakers: April Faith-Slaker, Brittanny Perrigue Gomez

9:30am – 10:30am Helping Immigrants - Leveraging Volunteers in a Shifting Legal Landscape (0.5 ethics)

Speakers: Anne Chandler, Robert Painter

10:45am – 11:45am Beyond the Books: How Public Law Libraries Empower Pro Bono Services for Low-Income Texans (0.25 ethics)

Speakers: Amy Small, Andre Davison, Melody Barron

11:45am – 1:00pm Lunch

1:00pm – 2:00pm Data-Driven Insights: Using Automation to Improve Client Satisfaction (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Mary Molandes, Nick Whitaker, Ashley Oborn

2:15pm – 4:15pm VLS 101: Creating a Roadshow Presentation to Recruit, Orient, and Energize Volunteers

Speakers: Mary Margaret Roark, Alisa De Luna, Susanne Pringle

AUGUST 27 • WEDNESDAY

7:45am – 8:50am Breakfast

9:00am – 10:00am Lifting the Veil: What Non-Profits Need to Know When Working with Firms on Direct Representation (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Anne Chandler, Rachel Elkin

10:00am – 11:00am Leveraging Data for Advocacy: Addressing Legal Deserts and the Role of Metro Areas (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Eden Kriz Klein, Judge Roy Ferguson

11:00am – 12:00pm Interactive Free Legal Answers Luncheon

Speakers: Mary Rios

AUGUST 27 • WEDNESDAY

12:00pm – 1:00pm Interactive Free Legal Answers Luncheon

Speakers: Mary Rios

1:00pm – 2:00pm From Huge Challenge to Low-Hanging Fruit: Restyling (Instead of Sealing) Eviction Cases

Speakers: Galaganov, Talya

1:00pm – 2:00pm Improving Access to Justice for People Sued by Debt Collectors (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Aaron Varner, Judge Steven Duble, Ann Baddour

1:00pm – 2:00pm Mediation in Cases Involving Family Violence (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Melanie Morgan

1:00pm – 2:00pm Texas Council on Family Violence (TCFV)’s 89th Legislative Session Update (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Molly Voyles, Jen Mudge

1:00pm – 2:00pm The Emotional Cost of Lawyering; Lawyer Burnout: It's Real and What to Do About It

Speakers: Paul Jacobs

1:00pm – 2:00pm Your Honor, I Need a Nap: How to Lawyer Without Losing It (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Elizabeth Barrera-Sepulveda, Stephanie Medellin

2:15pm – 3:15pm A Muggle's Guide to Bankruptcy: What Every Non-Bankruptcy Attorney Must Know to Survive (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Amy Allen, Samantha A. Kehl

2:15pm – 3:15pm In and Outs of the OAG - Child Support Division

Speakers: Sharon T Forbes, Judge Shelly Dukes

2:15pm – 3:15pm Tackling Coerced Debt: Nuts and Bolts of Helping Survivors Recover (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Brittany Hightower

2:15pm – 3:15pm When Tech Turns Toxic: Digital Abuse & Intimate Partner Violence (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Kaitlyn Eberhardt, Beeral Gupta

2:15pm – 3:15pm H 2025 Legislative Update for Housing Advocates

Speakers: Nelson H. Mock

2:15pm – 3:15pm T Left Behind: Confronting Texas’s Legal Deserts with Data and Advocacy (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Eden Kriz Klein, Judge Roy Ferguson

3:30pm – 4:30pm Beyond Passive Debt Defense: Stronger Strategies for Current Challenges

Speakers: Melinda Lopez

3:30pm – 4:30pm Criminal Record Clearing Made Easy

Speakers: Brettney Moore, Justin Thompson, Angel G. Williams

3:30pm – 4:30pm Ethical Conundrums in Mandatory Reporting of Child/Elder abuse (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Jonna Treble

Salon E (500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701) Room 406 (500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701) Room 410 (500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701) Room 408 (500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701)

412 (500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701)

78701)

3:30pm – 4:30pm Help! I Need Somebody. Help!: Tears, Trauma, and Telling their Story - Working With Traumatized Clients (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Richard Bell, Eden Kriz Klein, Janet Heppard

3:30pm – 4:30pm Protective Order Toolkit: Updates and Improvements for your Practice (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Anwesha Sarkar, August Mustillo

TX 78701)

408 (500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701)

3:30pm – 4:30pm The Intersection of Human Rights, Domestic Violence, and Human Trafficking: Legal Frameworks and US Obligations (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Emily Gustafson

4:45pm – 5:45pm CREJ Task Force Meeting

4:45pm – 5:45pm Disaster Law Task Force Meeting

4:45pm – 5:45pm Family Law Task Force Meeting

4:45pm – 5:45pm Housing and Consumer Task Force Meeting

4:45pm – 5:45pm Public Health & Benefits Task Force Meeting

Room 412 (500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701) Room 415 (500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701) Room 406 (500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701) Room 410 (500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701) Room 408 (500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701) Room 412 (500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701)

7:45am – 8:50am Breakfast

8:00am – 5:00pm Stand With Santos Storytelling Collecting

9:00am – 10:00am Empowering Crime Survivors with Web3 Technologies: Decentralization, Immutability, and Data Ownership (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Davina Ugochukwu

9:00am – 10:00am B Benefits 101: A Practical Guide to Assessing Basic Client Eligibility

Speakers: Jeff Larsen, Gloretta Thornton, Kim Brown

9:00am – 10:00am E The Current State of Disasters: What the FEMA? (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Sapna Aiyer, Stephanie Duke, Amanda Bosley

9:00am – 10:00am H Update on Defending Evictions in Federally Subsidized Housing & Public Housing

Speakers: Fred Fuchs

9:00am – 10:00am T Data-Driven Insights: Using Automation to Improve Client Satisfaction (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Mary Molandes, Nick Whitaker, Ashley Oborn

9:00am – 11:00am P Empowering New Legal Professionals: Drafting Wills and TODDs for Low-Income Texans (.50 ethics)

Speakers: Karis Adams, Hannah Dyal, Brittanny Perrigue Gomez

10:15am – 11:15am Navigating New Laws: Legal Strategies for Assisting Defendants in Driver’s License Reinstatement (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Justin Thompson, Stephanie Marrone, Sam Marsh

10:15am – 11:15am B A Lawyer's Guide to Children’s Medicaid and Managed Care

Speakers: Elizabeth Green, Cristina Palacios

10:15am – 11:15am E Disaster Lawyering 5.0 (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Stephanie Duke, Sean Jackson

10:15am – 11:15am H Eviction Advocacy and Challenging Illegal Lease Provisions through the DTPA

Speakers: Benjamin Gerzik

10:15am – 11:15am T Generative AI as a Tool for Litigation (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Katie Valle, Andrew Edge

Keynote Luncheon: Keegan Warren (.25 ethics)

PINNED

11:30am – 1:00pm

Speakers: Keegan Warren, JD, LLM, April Faith-Slaker, Trey Apffel

1:00pm – 2:00pm B Social Security Appeals Process (.50 ethics)

Speakers: Renee Trevino

1:00pm – 2:00pm M Empowered Choices: Legal and Health Interventions for Pregnant and Parenting Youth (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Jessica Trevino, Kayla Mize

1:00pm – 2:00pm T AI Chatbot Development for Legal Services (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Martha Beard-Duncan, Aaron Varner, Ashley Oborn

1:00pm – 3:00pm E Community Empowerment to Enforce Environmental Protection Laws: How to Hold State and Federal Agencies Accountable

Speakers: Michael Bates, Adam Pirtle, Wendi Hammond

1:00pm – 3:00pm H Evidence: A Refresher and Demonstration

Speakers: Leesa Everitt, Eric Kwartler, Jonna Treble

1:00pm – 3:00pm P Empowering New Legal Professionals: Drafting Affidavits of Heirship for Low-Income Texans (.50 ethics)

Speakers: Karis Adams, Hannah Dyal, Brittanny Perrigue Gomez

2:15pm – 3:15pm Bridging the Justice Gap: The Legal Resource Center Model for Community-Centered Access to Justice (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Judge Steven Duble, Andre Davison

2:15pm – 3:15pm B Addressing SNAP Overpayments and Intentional Program Violations in Texas: Legal and Practical Perspectives (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Marty Orozco, Tobenna Okezie, Tunrayo Lumpkin

2:15pm – 3:15pm M Recipe for Success: Access to Justice through a Medical-Legal Partnership (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Susan Soto, Carol Luna, Darci Moore

3:30pm – 4:30pm Defying Gravity: Rising Above Credit Card Lawsuits

Speakers: Becky Moseley, Amy Allen, Samantha A. Kehl

3:30pm – 4:30pm Fighting the Good Fight - Self Care for Sustainable Client Advocacy (.50 ethics)

Speakers: Michael Bates, Adam Pirtle, Haley Varnadoe

3:30pm – 4:30pm B Legal Issues Regarding Mixed Immigration Status Families: Meeting Basic Needs with Public Benefits and Services (.50 ethics)

Speakers: Melissa M. Lopez, Bernadette Segura

3:30pm – 4:30pm H Data-Driven Strategy: How Data Analysis Has Helped in Housing and Can Be Used In Your Projects

Speakers: Erin Hahn, Lizbeth Parra Davila, Genevieve Hebert-Fajardo

3:30pm – 4:30pm M Indigent Healthcare in Texas - From COVID to Measles - Where Are We Now? (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Marty Orozco, Bruce Bower, Jeff Larsen

3:30pm – 4:30pm P Empowering New Legal Professionals: Understanding Capacity and Drafting Advanced Directives for Low-Income Texans (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Karis Adams, Hannah Dyal, Brittanny Perrigue Gomez

4:45pm – 5:45pm Poverty Law Section Meeting

6:30pm – 8:30pm 2025 TxMLPC Affinity Dinner

7:45am – 8:50am Stand With Santos Breakfast

Speakers: Santos Vargas

9:00am – 10:00am Emergency Preparedness for Immigrant Families at Risk of Detention & Removal (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Eva Sikes, Cori Hash

9:00am – 10:00am Paralegal Perspectives: Strategies for Legal Outreach and Education

Speakers: Gloretta Thornton, Doris Garcia Ruiz, Penelope Rodriguez

9:00am – 10:00am They Not Like Us: The Grit, Grind, and Heart of Legal Aid Attorneys (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Lindsay Eustace, LaRonda Pondexter

9:00am – 10:00am B #Winning Social Security Disability Benefits Claims For Veterans (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Sondra Haltom, Lori Fergie

9:00am – 10:00am P Wills & Estates for All: Estate Planning for You and Your Low-Income Clients

Speakers: Sheena Teague

9:00am – 11:00am H Housing Meets Consumer Law: Advocacy Without Silos

Speakers: K'Lisha Rutledge, Amir Befroui, Molly Rogers

10:15am – 11:15am Empowering Older Adults: Overcoming Legal Barriers to a Better Future

Speakers: Mariah Gorom, Fallon Hamilton Vaughn

10:15am – 11:15am Essentials for Non-Immigration Practitioners: 2025 Immigration Legal Updates and Practical Tips (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Jessica Cisneros

10:15am – 11:15am Huh? . . . Effectively Communicating Legal Topics to Those with Low Literacy Skills (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Melissa Waggoner, Stephanie Marrone, Sam Marsh

10:15am – 11:15am P Probate Mythbusters : Probate Methods for Low-Income Texans

Speakers: Sheena Teague

10:15am – 11:15am T Work Smarter, Not Harder: Tech Solutions for Client-Facing Tools and Internal Workflows Work Smarter, Not Harder: Tech Solutions for ClientFacing Tools and Internal Workflows (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Amy Dinn, Ashley Oborn

11:30am – 12:30pm Bridging the Justice Gap: Community Justice Workers in Texas and Beyond

Speakers: Bethany Carson, Cristian Sanchez, Sean Jackson

11:30am – 12:30pm Improving Advocacy for Veterans Claims by Using VA IT Systems (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Chris Rogers

11:30am – 12:30pm Municipalities and Legal Aid Organizations: Responding to Substandard Structures, Demolitions, and Heirs’ Properties”

Speakers: Jill Haning, Benjamin Gerzik, Kelsey Ciluffo

11:30am – 12:30pm Title IX: We’re Not in Kansas Anymore. How to Navigate the Yellow Brick Road to Keep Survivors in School (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Brittany Hightower

11:30am – 12:30pm E Beyond Natural Disasters: Expanding Legal Aid's Role in Crisis Response Session

Speakers: Amanda Bosley, Melissa Waggoner, Brittanny Perrigue Gomez

11:30am – 12:30pm P Guardianship Guide (.25 ethics)

Speakers: Tiffany C. Green