COURT APPOINTS HOUSTON ATTORNEY JAMES SALES
TO HEAD ACCESS TO JUSTICE COMMISSION

AUSTIN, Texas -- Houston attorney James B. Sales, who in the early 1980s helped create a volunteer legal services program for the working poor and a foundation to support it, has been appointed by the Supreme Court of Texas to lead the Texas Access to Justice Commission, effective June 1, 2004. The Supreme Court of Texas created the 15-member Access to Justice Commission in 2001 to expand and improve legal-assistance programs throughout the state.

Sales is a former Texas State Bar president who envisioned what became the Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program when he was Houston Bar Association president in 1980-81. He then initiated efforts to establish the Houston Bar Foundation to help finance the pro bono program. The foundation was created in 1983 with Sales as its first chair.

Sales, now serving of counsel to Houston-based Fulbright & Jaworski, headed Fulbright’s litigation section for 23 years until his retirement. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and is author of Texas treatises on torts, products liability and strict tort liability.

“Jim Sales is not only widely recognized as a skilled litigator, a legal scholar and an experienced bar leader; he has also devoted a substantial portion of his career working to ensure that the basic legal needs of low-income Texans are met,” said Supreme Court Justice Harriet O’Neill, the Court’s liaison to the Commission. “Jim will bring a vision and commitment to the legal services community that will chart a sure course for the future.”

Sales identifies a number of priorities for the Commission, funding and statewide distribution of legal services being foremost.

“We must focus our efforts on expanding funding sources and increasing lawyer and community participation to meet the basic civil legal needs that an ever-growing number of poor Texans face,” said Sales.

Sales will replace John R. Jones of El Paso, who has served as chair of the Commission since its inception in 2001.

“The Commission and all Texans are indeed fortunate that Jim Sales will be the new chair of the Texas Access to Justice Commission,” Jones said. “Jim's commitment to helping the less fortunate in our state is legendary. I cannot think of a more qualified or committed person to continue and expand the access to justice movement in our state so that one day the dream of equal access to justice will be realized for all Texans regardless of wealth.”