TEXAS LAWYERS FORTEXAS VETERANS

2013-2014

LEGAL CLINIC HIGHLIGHTSSince the project’s launch in July 2010, more than 13,000 veterans have been assisted by more than 4,000volunteer attorneys through local bar association veterans’ legal clinics.

The base continues to expand nationwide. The State Barof Texas has shared this initiative with attorneyorganizations and pro bono groups in 25 other states.More than 55 local bar associations in Texas host weekly,monthly, bimonthly, or annual legal advice clinics for veterans.

The Houston Bar Foundation, Jefferson County BarFoundation, Fort Bend Lawyers Care, Baylor LawSchool, and Austin Bar Foundation created an expandedcoalition to provide legal services to veterans in a 17-county area, serving a veteran population of 500,000.

In August 2013, theCorpus Christi BarAssociation held its firstfree legal advice clinicfor veterans. More than60 veterans receivedlegal advice from morethan 30 volunteerattorneys on a variety of

legal issues. As a result of the advice clinic, 10 veteransreceived pro bono legal representation.

The Collin County Bar Association, Frisco BarAssociation, Plano Bar Association, Collin County YoungLawyers Association, Collin County Criminal DefenseLawyers Association, and Legal Aid of NorthWest Texashave partnered to hold free legal advice clinics bimonthlyfor veterans. Since May 2013, 47 veterans have beenserved by 20 volunteer attorneys.

Since May 2013,the JeffersonCounty BarAssociationVeterans Initiativehas assisted nearly90 veterans withmore than 43volunteer attorneysat veterans’ legal clinics.

The Houston Bar AssociationVeterans Legal Initiative (VLI)has served more than 9,100veterans with advice and/orlegal representation by 450volunteer attorneys sinceinception of the initiative in June 2008. In 2013, the VLIfocused outreach to young veterans through local collegesand universities and developed a traveling legal seminaron land-lord tenant law for student veterans madepossible through grants from the Texas Bar Foundationand United Way.

During the 2013-2014bar year, the TarrantCounty Bar held 10legal clinics servingmore than 200 veteransby more than 200volunteer attorneys.TCBA currently takes

60 appointments per clinic and numerous calls forveterans unable to attend clinics due to health ortransportation problems.

The Midland County Bar Association, Midland CountyYoung Lawyers Association, and the Howard County BarAssociation partnered to host free civil legal advice clinics

Volunteers assist veterans at the CorpusChristi Bar Association legal advice clinic.

A veteran receives advice at theHouston Bar Association’s clinic.

Volunteer attorneys at the Tarrant CountyBar’s veterans’ legal clinic.

Attorneys provide legal consultation at theJefferson County Bar Association’s veterans’ clinic.

serving more than 20 veterans. At each clinic, a

representative from the Texas Veterans Commission is onsite to answer specific questions regarding veterans’ benefits.

At its November 2013

veterans’ clinic at the El PasoCommunity College-Transmountain Campus, theEl Paso Bar Associationpartnered with 12 veteransagencies and held publicinformation seminars forveterans on civil, criminaldefense, and VA issues. Morethan 12 volunteer attorneys provided one-on-oneconsultations for more than 40 veterans.

Approximately 150 volunteer attorneys from the AustinBar Association have assisted approximately 300 veteransat veterans’ legal clinics since May 2013.

The Dallas Bar Association, in conjunction with theDallas Volunteer Attorney Program, holds monthly legalclinics at the local VA hospital. In 2013, more than 100attorneys served more than 500 veterans.

Since May 2013, the SanAntonio Bar Association’sCommunity Justice Programhas matched more than 150veterans to volunteer attorneysthrough a monthly veterans’legal clinic. More than 65attorneys volunteered alongwith volunteer law students,paralegals, and VAcounselors.

The Galveston County Bar Association held three clinicsin conjunction with the Houston Bar Association’sVeterans Legal Initiative during the 2013-2014 bar year,serving more than 50 veterans.

The Denton County Bar Association assisted more than40 veterans with the help of 17 volunteer attorneysthrough its veterans’ legal clinics held bimonthly.

The Bell County Bar Association sponsors quarterly legal

advice clinics for veterans alternating between Templeand Killeen. The bar provided counsel to more than 140veterans with the help of more than 50 volunteerattorneys and support staff.

TEXAS YOUNG LAWYERSASSOCIATIONThe Texas Young Lawyers Association (TYLA) producedthe informative pamphlets Resources for Veterans SeekingHelp and Resources for Lawyers Assisting Veterans. Morethan 13,000 copies of the veterans’ resource guide andnearly 3,400 copies of the lawyers’ resource guide havebeen distributed.

The Texas Young Lawyers Association hosted two freelegal advice clinics in Gillespie and Van Zandt counties toreach veterans in rural areas. Members of the TYLABoard of Directors provided legal counsel andinformational pamphlets, and drafted medical andfinancial powers of attorney to more than 30 veterans.

SPECIAL EVENTSThe Texas Access toJustice Commissionraised $351,450 forthe provision of civillegal services to low-income veterans atits Champions ofJustice Gala in May2014. The State Barof Texas coveredevent expenses,ensuring that allproceeds go to helping veterans get legal assistance.

The State Bar of Texas has partnered with the Texas CourtReporters Association to record the oral histories ofAmerican wartime veterans, including many lawyer-veterans, as part of the Library of Congress VeteransHistory Project. TCRA members have recorded more than200 interviews in conjunction with local bar associationsin San Antonio, Dallas, Rockwall, Austin, Houston,Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Hillsboro, and Fort Worth.

texasbar.com/veterans

Providing Legal Counsel To Those Who Served

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El Paso Lawyers for Patriotsreceived the LexisNexis NationalAssociation of Bar ExecutivesEducational Outreach Award.

2014-2015 President-elect Allan DuBois volunteers at theSan Antonio Bar Associationveterans’ clinic.

2013-2014 State Bar President Lisa M. Tatum,Access to Justice Foundation Executive DirectorBetty Balli Torres, and Justice Gina M. Benavidesat the 2014 Champions of Justice Gala.