TEXAS LAWYERS FORTEXAS VETERANS

2011-2012

LEGAL CLINIC HIGHLIGHTS

In 2012, Texas Lawyers for Texas Veterans continues togrow and expand across the state. Since the project’slaunch in July 2010, more than 5,200 veterans havebeen assisted by more than 2,000 volunteer attorneysthrough local bar association veterans legal clinics.

The AmericanCollege of TrialLawyers awardedthe State Bar ofTexas a $20,000grant to expandTexas Lawyers forTexas Veterans.

The Houston Bar Foundation, Jefferson County BarFoundation, and Fort Bend Lawyers Care formed theVeterans Legal Initiative, a coalition to expand veteranslegal services in a 14-county area, serving a veteranpopulation numbering 350,000. Thanks to a grant fromthe Texas Access to Justice Foundation, the Veterans LegalInitiative has assisted local bar associations in Angleton,Conroe, Huntsville, Katy, and Santa Fe, among others, inholding veterans legal clinics in their communities.Approximately 200 veterans have been assisted by 84volunteer attorneys.

The Collin County Bar Association, Frisco BarAssociation, Plano Bar Association,Collin County Young LawyersAssociation, Collin County CriminalDefense Lawyers Association, and LegalAid of NorthWest Texas have partneredto hold veterans clinics in McKinney.

Since August 2011, the JeffersonCounty Bar Association has assisted

75 veterans with 57 volunteerattorneys at veterans legal clinics.The JCBA also has held seminarsfor veterans at the Beaumont VAOutpatient Clinic on family law,veterans benefits, consumer law,and wills and probate.

The Houston Bar Associationconducts weekly clinics at theDeBakey VA Medical Center, providing assistance to anaverage of 35 veterans per week, and monthly clinics atthe U.S. VETS at Midtown Terrace residential facility.Since its veterans initiative began in 2008, the HBA and

Houston VolunteerLawyer Program hasassisted 6,000 veteransthrough their legal clinics.

The Tarrant County BarFoundation received the2012 NationalConference of BarFoundations LexisNexisPartnerships for Success

Award for its Texas Lawyers for Texas Veterans – TCBAChapter. The Tarrant County Bar holds monthly clinicsand has served 151 veterans since January 2012 with 55attorney volunteers. The TCBA plans to expand to 50appointments per month by September.

At its May 2012 veterans clinic at theAmbrosio Guillen Texas State VeteransHome, the El Paso Bar Associationheld public information seminars forveterans on civil, criminal defense, andVA issues. Volunteer attorneys alsoprovided one-on-one consultations formore than 30 veterans.

Houston Bar Association President Denise Scofield(red jacket) and other volunteers at the HBA’s Nov. 5 clinic

The Tarrant County Bar hosted aninformation booth at the Universityof Texas at Arlington Veterans Fairin November 2011

Volunteer attorneys and VA representatives at theConroe clinic in September 2011

A one-on-one legal consultation at theEl Paso Bar Association’s veteransclinic in May 2012

More than 200

volunteer attorneysfrom the AustinBar Associationhave assisted morethan 500 veterans at

veterans legal clinicssince May 2011.

Since September2011, the San Antonio Bar Association’s CommunityJustice Program, recently awarded the ABA 2012Harrison Tweed Award, has had more than 80 volunteerattorneys provide assistance to nearly 150 veterans.

VETERANS DAY 2011

In November 2011, to commemorate Veterans Day, 16 veterans clinics were held across the state, including all major metropolitan areas as well as in Beaumont, Bell County, Brazoria County, Hidalgo County,Longview, Midland/Big Spring, and Porter.Approximately 400 veterans received free legal assistance from nearly 200 attorney volunteers.

Texas Young Lawyers Association officers, includingPresident Natalie Cobb Koehler, and members of the

Waco-McLennanCounty Young Lawyers Associationparticipated in theWaco Veterans DayParade. Theydistributed pins andTLTV informationalong the parade route.

ATTORNEY TRAINING

The Texas Young LawyersAssociation produced theinformative pamphletsResources for Veterans SeekingHelp and Resources for LawyersAssisting Veterans. More than9,000 copies of the veteransresource guide and nearly3,000 copies of the lawyers resource guide have been distributed.

The Dallas Bar Association, in conjunction withAmerican Airlines and Haynes and Boone, held a CLEin August 2011 for more than 60 attorney volunteers andplaced all available veterans cases. At its monthly clinics,the DBA hasassisted nearly

200 veterans with 90 volunteerattorneys sinceJanuary 2012.

Lone Star LegalAid, as part of itsveterans project,holds veterans lawCLEs that are free to attorneys who agree to take oneveterans pro bono case from LSLA. In August 2011, 70attorneys attended one such training in Longview.

SPECIAL EVENTS

The Texas Access to Justice Commission raised $413,000

for the provision of civil legal services to low-income

veterans at its Champions of Justice Gala in May 2012.

The State Bar of Texas

covered the expenses to hold

the event, ensuring that all

proceeds go to helping

veterans get legal assistance.

The State Bar of Texas has

partnered with the Texas

Court Reporters Association

to record the oral histories

of American wartime

veterans, including many

lawyer-veterans, as part of the Library of Congress

Veterans History Project. TCRA members have

recorded approximately 100 interviews in conjunction

with local bar associations, including Bexar County,

Cameron County, Coastal Bend, Dallas, Houston,

Liberty County, Tarrant County, and Texarkana.

Bob Black with the Champions ofJustice Gala keynote Adm. WilliamH. McRaven, ninth commander ofU.S. Special Operations Commandwho was in command of the missionto apprehend Osama Bin Laden

TYLA leaders and Waco-McLennan Countyyoung lawyers at the Waco Veterans Day Parade

Volunteer attorneys and paralegals assisted 58 veteransat a November “Wills for Heroes” clinic hosted by theNortheast Texas Association of Paralegals in Dallas

State Bar President Bob Black (back row, center)and other Jefferson County Bar volunteers at itsNovember 2011 veterans clinic

www.texasbar.com/veterans

Providing Legal Counsel To Those Who Served