Pro Bono/Public Service/D&I Archives

P.S. — Texas Attorneys Step in as Santa for Kids in Need, Kiosk in Travis County Boosts Access to Legal Aid

Holiday giving is in full swing across Texas law firms, with many stepping up to ensure kids across the state have gifts waiting for them. In Houston, the Holland & Knight office “adopted” a whopping 141 children through the Houston Young Lawyers Foundation’s drive. Boutique law firm Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Mensing set a firm record by adopting 56 children among 35 volunteers. The Texas Lawbook's Krista Torralva and Elle Grinnell cover that and more in this edition of P.S.

December 12, 2025 Krista Torralva & Elle Grinnell

P.S. — TX Appleseed, V&E and Witherite Making the Holiday Spirit

The Texas Lawbook will announce next week the finalists for the 2025 DFW Corporate Counsel Awards, including Achievement in Pro Bono and Public Service and Achievement in Diversity and Inclusion. In addition, the Texas Lawbook Foundation is seeking interests for its board of directors. More details in this week's column, plus, we have two firms — Vinson & Elkins and the Witherite Law Group — and a group of lawyer volunteers led by Michael Hurst that are spreading the holiday spirit early, and TODAY ONLY we have an extraordinary opportunity to help Texas Appleseed achieve some of its amazing public service work.

December 5, 2025 Krista Torralva & Mark Curriden

Mike Androvett Joins Texas Lawbook Foundation Board

The Texas Lawbook Foundation, a nonprofit that supports news coverage of pro bono, public service and diversity in the legal profession, announced Monday that longtime Texas legal media executive Mike Androvett is joining the foundation’s board of directors. Derek Lipscombe, managing counsel at Toyota North America and co-chair of the Lawbook Foundation, said Androvett “brings much needed professional expertise that will help promote the extraordinary efforts of Lawbook Foundation and pro bono, public service and diversity reporter Krista Torralva.”

December 1, 2025 Mark Curriden

P.S. — At 35, Texas Center for Legal Ethics Faces New Era of Lawyer Engagement — and its New Leader Says the Mission is as Urgent as Ever

In this edition of P.S., we bring you an exclusive interview with the Texas Center for Legal Ethics’ new executive director, Brad Johnson. Johnson spoke one-on-one with The Texas Lawbook in October, when he was about four months into the job. He said he entered the helm at a significant moment for the center, which recently marked its 35th anniversary.

November 28, 2025 Krista Torralva

P.S. — White & Case Partner: Pro Bono Veterans Wills, Estate Services Have ‘Very Tangible Personal Impact’

This edition of P.S. is packed with inspirational words from Texas lawyers who are pushing pro bono and public service work forward. Take Galderma’s Devon Sharp, for example. In her acceptance remarks at the Texas General Counsel Forum Magna Stella Awards dinner, she urged fellow attorneys to meet the moment and serve their respective communities. “We are living in a world and country and state where, increasingly, those who live on the margins are being further marginalized,” she said. “The gap between privilege and need is widening and too many are being left behind.” White & Case Houston partner Taylor Pullins also offered a meaningful reminder of the personal nature of wills and estate planning for veterans in contrast to the transaction-heavy matters that dominate much of his big-law practice. And in Houston, Gibson Dunn is revolutionizing its pro bono culture with an annual tradition that pairs new associates with pro bono cases. We hope this Column leaves you inspired.

November 21, 2025 Krista Torralva & Elle Grinnell

Haynes Boone Duo Wins $973K Pro Bono Fraud Verdict in Trial Debut

Haynes Boone associates Ashley Koos and Sean Lewis secured a $973,000 pro bono verdict for gospel singer and minister Wintley Phipps in their first-ever trial, convincing a Harris County jury that a longtime acquaintance and former business partner defrauded Phipps. Their performance, firm leaders say, reflects both the professional development the academy is designed to foster and the essential role pro bono cases play in giving young attorneys real courtroom experience while expanding access to justice.

November 20, 2025 Krista Torralva

P.S. — Baker Botts Launches Women’s Summit for Senior In-House Counsel

In this edition of P.S., Baker Botts launched a new women’s summit, which convened leading women general counsel for cross-industry dialogue and professional development. The law firm, which boasts a strong pipeline of alumni who advance to senior in-house roles, plans to make the summit a recurring flagship event.

We also report on significant pro bono and public service recognitions, with the Texas Access to Justice Commission honoring South Texas College of Law Houston and standout students at the University of Texas and Texas A&M law schools and the Anti-Defamation League Texoma awarding its prestigious Larry Schoenbrun Jurisprudence Award to longtime First Amendment advocate Thomas Leatherbury.

Meanwhile, Haynes Boone attorneys statewide marked Pro Bono Week through a range of volunteer legal initiatives. This issue of P.S. closes out with a call for submissions for the 2025 DFW Outstanding Corporate Counsel Awards, which includes honors for excellence in pro bono, public service and diversity and inclusion among North Texas in-house lawyers.

November 14, 2025 Krista Torralva

Civil Rights Litigator Christina Jump Leaving Texas-Based Muslim Legal Fund of America to Launch Solo Practice

Christina Jump, a longtime Dallas-based attorney who leads the civil litigation department of the Richardson-based Muslim Legal Fund of America’s Constitutional Law Center for Muslims in America, is leaving to launch a solo practice. A former president of the Dallas Women Lawyers Association, Jump says the move will give her the ability to “work each case more deeply and interact with each client more directly and often.”