- Currently in Texas , there are approximately 3.9 million people living below federal poverty level.1
- Over 938,386 (14.2 percent) of Texas families live in poverty.1
- To qualify for Legal Aid, an individual must not earn more than $12,250 per year. A family of four must not earn more than $25,000 per year.2
- Texas ranks 42th in the nation in per capita revenue for the provision of civil legal aid.3
- Due to a lack of resources, only about 20-25 percent of the civil legal needs of low-income and poor Texans are being met.3
The average starting salary for a public interest attorney is $35,000 per year. Most new law school graduates carry $80,000 or more in student loan debt. 4
According to the State Bar of Texas Survey of 2005 Pro Bono Report, Texas attorneys’ estimated contributions to legal services to the poor amounted to an approximate total of 1.6 million pro bono hours and 1.4 million hours at reduced rates. 5
In 2006, Texas attorneys donated more than $500,000 through the State Bar of Texas dues collection for the provision of civil legal aid for low-income Texans. 5
Sources:
1 U.S. Census Bureau
2 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
3 American Bar Association PERLS report.
4 State Bar of Texas
5 State Bar of Texas
