Development

AT A GLANCE: LEGAL SERVICES & NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT

Through partnerships with area law firms, St. Philip’s has offered free legal services to South Dallas residents for over a decade. St. Philip’s focus on Neighborhood Development began thirty years ago.

Collaboration Ensures St. Philip’s Neighbors Receive Free Legal Aid

A decade ago, St. Philip’s partnered with a few area lawyers, most of whom worked with Hunton & Williams, LLP, to establish a free legal clinic on the campus. These monthly evening clinics are run by a dedicated group of volunteer attorneys to provide legal advice and sometimes representation to those with problems in civil law matters, such as family, housing, guardianships, wills, and estates. The clinic serves about 300 clients a year and is currently operated by attorneys from Hunton & Williams, Thompson & Knight, and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP. Attorneys receive legal clinic training from the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program (DVAP).

“Many people can’t afford legal services,” says Lasheryl Walker, Coordinator of St. Philip’s Community Center programs. “They don’t always have access to lawyers but we have them right here – once a month. St. Philip’s is creating access – to justice.”

Bryan Garner, a former St. Philip’s trustee and attorney with Thompson & Knight, is heavily involved in the program and is proudly following in the footsteps of his father, Dan Garner, of Hunton & Williams. “My dad’s firm has played a major role in founding this clinic and been a huge part of its success. I’m very grateful to my dad. He’s been involved since 2006.”

Garner is also gratified to see the response from the legal community as a whole in providing pro-bono services. He considers St. Philip’s clinic to be impressive given the loyal dedication of its volunteers. “Every month is rewarding,” he explains. “Although we can’t solve everyone’s problem, we are consistently reminded about how much people appreciate just being heard and listened to. Clients are happy to talk through their issues and for us to give our thoughts. That’s what anyone would want.”

On some occasions, the attorneys are able to do more than listen, but take on a case from a St. Philip’s client and enter into an attorney/client relationship. “The legal system can be overwhelming for a lot of people,” says Walker. “The clinic is a wonderful service we’re able to consistently provide our neighbors. We’re blessing lives.”

Building Transformation

Last year, St. Philip’s purchased two properties near the campus that formerly housed neighborhood lounges. Both were troublesome vestiges to the oversaturation of liquor and drug related properties in the South Dallas/Fair Park community. For over two decades, St. Philip’s has pursued the transformation of its immediate neighborhood through collaborations to develop dilapidated, neglected, or undesirable properties into an extension of its campus or neighborhood housing. As the City makes the “Grow South” initiative a priority, St. Philip’s is excited to inject its resources and focus back into neighborhood development efforts.

With the expert support of one of our long-term partners, The Real Estate Council (TREC), St. Philip’s will begin converting these properties for uses that we anticipate will be beneficial to the community. KWA Construction and Schmidt & Stacy Consulting Engineers, Inc. are also lending their expertise to the project. The property adjacent to our recently renovated athletic field will be transformed into an athletic field house and

the other will be developed into a unique innovation lab to be used by the neighborhood and St. Philip’s students.

“The generosity of TREC and its volunteers has made all the difference in the feasibility of these projects at this time,” says Bill Keslar, a St. Philip’s trustee and founder/president of Building Solutions, a local firm that provides due diligence, facility audits, and capital project leadership for new construction projects. “Without their help, St. Philip’s could only have resorted to fundraising and hiring the many consultants and contractors needed for both the Field House and We Creation innovation

space.”

The opportunity to develop a true Field House is critical as we work to secure appropriate support to our dynamic athletics program, arguably the largest and most diverse in the southern sector. St. Philip’s currently serves more than 700 children through the program that includes football, baseball, lacrosse, basketball, cheer, track, tennis, wrestling, swimming, and volleyball.

The We Creation innovation lab will be a space where education, the arts, technology and entrepreneurship intersect. Under the direction of a trained program director, children, youth, and adults will gather to collaborate, create, and innovate in an effort to impact and contribute to the world around them.

This project is about more than aesthetics. “It’s ultimately about empowering a neighborhood,” explains Keslar, “and reaffirming St. Philip’s commitment to correct blighted conditions in our neighborhood by reinvesting in buildings it owns for the benefit of the community.”