FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 27, 2011

Bar Associations Honored with Access to Justice Awards

More than $835,000 raised by Texas attorneys for the Access to Justice Campaign

AUSTIN, Texas - The Texas Access to Justice Commission has recently recognized several local bar associations that are working to ensure access to justice for all Texans. The annual Deborah G. Hankinson Access to Justice Awards were presented at the Bar Leaders Conference in Houston on July 23, 2011. These awards honor the local bar associations and Texas Young Lawyers Association (TYLA) affiliates whose attorneys contributed at the highest rates through annual State Bar dues to the Access to Justice (ATJ) Campaign.

Each year, Texas attorneys choose to contribute to the Access to Justice (ATJ) Campaign through their annual State Bar dues statements. In 2011, Texas attorneys have raised more than $835,000   for the campaign. All funds generated by the campaign are earmarked for civil legal aid. The donations of Texas lawyers play a vital role in the effort to meet the critical legal needs of poor and low-income Texans in civil matters.

Texas Supreme Court Justice Nathan L. Hecht presented the 2011 Hankinson Awards to:
•    Midland County Young Lawyers Association – Small City TYLA affiliate
•    San Antonio Young Lawyers Association – Large City TYLA affiliate
•    Harrison County Bar Association – Small City Bar Association
•    Austin Bar Association – Large City Bar Association (This is the eighth year in a row the Austin Bar has received this award.)

Named for former Supreme Court of Texas Justice Deborah G. Hankinson, an outstanding advocate of access to justice, the awards are meant to encourage competition between local bar associations and TYLA affiliates in the ATJ Campaign.

The Texas Access to Justice Commission also presented the Pro Bono Service Award, designed to recognize organizations that have created self-sustaining pro bono projects that motivate lawyers to provide pro bono legal assistance to poor Texans. The award was presented to the Texas Young Lawyers Association for its Partnering for Pro Bono project that matches in-house counsel with law firm lawyers to work on pro bono cases together.

More than 5.7 million Texans qualify for legal aid, yet there is only one legal aid lawyer for every 10,838 Texans who qualify. Legal aid organizations help more than 100,000 low-income Texas families each year with their civil legal needs. However, for every one person helped by legal aid, a qualified individual is turned away. The Texas Access to Justice Commission works to increase resources for legal aid and encourages the pro bono involvement of Texas lawyers in its efforts to expand access to justice.  

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The Texas Access to Justice Commission was created in 2001 by the Supreme Court of Texas to develop and implement policy initiatives designed to expand access to and enhance the quality of justice in civil legal matters for low-income Texans. The Commission has created several initiatives to increase resources and awareness of legal aid. For more information, please visit www.TexasATJ.org.
 

Contact: Kimberly Schmitt, 512-320-0099 x 104 or kschmitt@teajf.org