In this week’s column, renowned appellate attorney Mike Hatchell of Haynes Boone is set to receive the Chief Justice Jack Pope Professionalism Award for his decadeslong contributions to appellate law in Texas. The Houston Bar Association also announced its new Days of Service initiative, encouraging lawyers to participate in community events this fall and spring. Meanwhile, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas is seeking to raise $20,000 through the North Texas Day of Giving campaign with all donations being matched dollar-for-dollar. Lastly, the Texas Indigent Defense Commission approved more than $1.7 million in grants to bolster mental health defense services and public defender capacity across rural counties.
Haynes Boone Appellate Lawyer to Receive Ethics Award
Acclaimed appellate attorney Mike Hatchell of Haynes Boone is this year’s recipient of the Chief Justice Jack Pope Professionalism Award, presented by the Texas Center for Legal Ethics.
Hatchell will receive the award at the annual Texas Supreme Court Historical Society Dinner this Friday in Austin.
Over the course of his five-decade legal career, Hatchell has served as the lead counsel in more than 400 appeals. He has argued 47 cases — both appeals and original proceedings — before the Texas Supreme Court, appeared in all 14 Texas courts of appeals and twice presented en banc arguments before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Hatchell is “widely regarded as the dean of the Texas appellate bar — not only for his pioneering role when few appellate specialists existed, but for the standard of excellence, craftsmanship and integrity he has set throughout his career,” said Kevin Dubose, a 2012 recipient of the Pope Award.
Named for one of the nonprofit organization’s founders, the Pope Award is given annually to a judge or lawyer who “personifies the highest standards of professionalism and integrity in appellate law.”
Houston Bar Association Launches Service Initiative
The Houston Bar Association is launching a Days of Service initiative aimed at connecting lawyers with a variety of community service events.
Lawyers are invited to choose from an array of legal and non-legal events coordinated by HBA in collaboration with partner organizations. Full event details and registration are available at this link.
The Days of Service are scheduled for Sept. 27 and March 28, and the initiative marks a key priority of HBA President Daniella D. Landers’ term.
Double the Gift to Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
The Communities Foundation of Texas’ annual Day of Giving fundraiser has opened, and the Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas is matching donations dollar-for-dollar.
The nonprofit, partially funded by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation, provides pro bono civil legal services to low-income Texans in 114 counties and is striving to raise $20,000.
“In the face of rising legal needs — from housing insecurity to improper reductions in earned benefits — your matched gift will help us broaden our reach and amplify our resilience,” CEO Maria Thomas-Jones said.
The Day of Giving campaign runs through Sept. 18, but LANWT is asking donors to make their gifts or pledges by Sept. 17 to ensure the organization has time to boost the giving.
The match-donations provide “a transformational boost to our ability to serve those who rely on us for civil legal help to counter domestic violence, unlawful evictions, or wrongful denial of earned benefits,” Thomas-Jones said.
How to Give:
- Donate or pledge by visiting the NTGD Matching Gifts page: https://bit.ly/25NTXMatch
- Email LANWT at events@lanwt.org to pledge your support (must be received by September 17).
- Visit NorthTexasGivingDay.org or contact LANWT Director of Development Sam Prince at 817‑339‑5334 or PrinceS@lanwt.org.
Boosting Indigent Defenses in Texas
At its August 28 board meeting, the Texas Indigent Defense Commission approved more than $1.7 million in new Improvement Grants aimed at enhancing legal defense services for low-income Texans, with a focus on specialized mental health representation and increasing public defender resources in rural areas.
To quote the Commission’s press release, key grants include:
• $200,200 to Atascosa County to staff its new Mental Health Court with an attorney and social worker to serve clients with mental illness facing non-violent felony charges.
• $410,083 to Hays County to add a dedicated mental health team to the Hays County Public Defender’s Office, providing specialized representation and connecting clients to community resources.
• $362,549 to Medina County to expand capacity of the Hill Country Regional Public Defender’s Office by hiring a social worker and four case managers focused on clients with mental illness.
• $760,607 to Polk County to establish a new public defender’s office with four attorneys and two staff members, expected to manage about half of the county’s indigent defense caseload.
In addition to the Improvement Grants, the Commission also distributed the first round of awards from a new One-Time or Temporary Assistance for Existing Rural Public Defense Programs. Funded by the Texas Legislature with a $10 million allocation, these grants may be used for indigent defense internships and fellowships, recruiting, training, equipment and offsetting county matching fund requirements. About $3.5 million was awarded under this initiative to 10 counties — Atascosa, Bee, Burnet, Culberson, Hale, Maverick, Medina, Potter, Tom Green and Victoria — as well as to the Caprock Regional Public Defender Office at Texas Tech University School of Law.