This week’s edition of P.S. features a disaster relief fund offering financial aid to ranchers affected by the Panhandle wildfires, Congressional funding news for civil legal aid in Texas, an upcoming legal knowledge education event for the public at a Central Texas law school and the Texas Bar Foundation’s recipient choice for its annual public service and legal ethics-oriented award.
P.S. — Birdies, Aces and Honey Baked Hams
This week’s edition of P.S. features information on the Houston Bar Foundation’s new chair, an Easter-themed food giveaway sponsored by Witherite Law Group, a tennis clinic and exhibition match that hosted underserved youth in Austin and sponsorship opportunities for the Dallas Bar Association’s upcoming annual golf tournament.
Photo courtesy of Daniel McEnrue
Film About Landmark ATX Sex Assault Suits Debuts at SXSW
The high-profile South by Southwest Conference in Austin is commemorating International Women’s Day with the debut of “An Army of Women,” a documentary that follows the journey of 15 sexual assault survivors taking on the City of Austin and Travis County District Attorney’s Office for the mishandling of their cases, and the historic settlement that followed. Natalie Posgate and Bruce Tomaso spoke with the survivors’ lawyers, Jenny Ecklund and Elizabeth Myers of Thompson Coburn, before premiere day about the filming process, what they hope people take away from the documentary and how this case changed their lives.
Pictured: one of the plaintiffs, Marina, featured in the documentary. Courtesy of Julie Lunde Lillesæter/Differ Media
P.S. — A Wildfire Call to Action, A 6-Figure Grant for Pro Se Litigants, A Theater’s 40th Birthday
This edition of P.S. features disaster legal aid efforts underway for the Panhandle wildfire, an upcoming gala celebrating the 40th birthday of one of Dallas’ most established performance art nonprofits, news of two significant grants secured by the Houston Bar Foundation and Texas Young Lawyers Association, and March legal clinic dates hosted by the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program.
Legacy
In this essay, Sidley’s Chanse Barnes connects to his family roots, writes about some of his personal struggles as a Black lawyer in modern society and reflects on how the work of those in the present day impacts future generations.
“You may be the only person that looks like you in that room, but remember that people fought and died so you could be right where you are,” Barnes writes. “Sit up straight and take pride in that. Continue the work so that more people that look like you can be sitting shoulder to shoulder in the same room.”
Pictured: Barnes’ paternal grandparents, Isaiah and Hermenes Barnes.
What Does Black History Mean to Me? Education, Motivation and Hope
In this essay, Shackelford associate Artis G. Ulmer III explores the fundamental pillars of Black History Month through the lens of three historical anecdotes: Black cowboys of the American West, Charles Hamilton Houston and Ulmer’s own family history.
Pictured: Ulmer’s paternal grandmother, Ruth Conerly Ulmer (back) with his paternal great-grandparents, Ezra Conerly and Fannie Dillon Conerly (front).
An Opportunity to Honor Those Who Charted the Path Forward
“As we honor Black History Month, let us not only celebrate the achievements of trailblazers and visionaries but also commit ourselves to dismantling barriers and creating a more equitable future for all,” writes Imani Maatuka of Sidley Austin. In this personal essay, Matuuka reflects on the circumstances she was born into that helped her pursue the law and discusses why it’s important to pay it forward to those with less favorable circumstances.
Pictured: Maatuka as a toddler with her parents at her mother’s law school graduation.
Three Courts, Two Eviction Actions and One 11-Hour Move: How Four V&E Associates Kept a Pro Bono Client Off the Streets
It took six months, 177 pro bono hours, $167,000 of their firm’s resources, a U-Haul and an 11-hour move for a team of four Vinson & Elkins associates to secure a favorable resolution for their 74-year-old client who was facing eviction, but they never gave up. The V&E team recently spoke with The Lawbook about what made this case unusual from typical landlord-tenant disputes, why this pro bono matter was important to them and how the many twists and turns of the case mirrored some of their billable commercial litigation work.
“It took me days to figure out what the law on this was,” said Josh Jilovec, one of the lawyers on the case. “To expect a tenant to prepare a legitimate case in defense … it’s just a tall task.”
P.S. — Women’s Advocacy Honorees Revealed, A Discussion on Homelessness
This upcoming Tuesday, Feb. 27, St. Mary’s University will host a panel of policymakers and experts as they discuss how the community can help people experiencing homelessness. More than 3,155 people in Bexar County experienced homelessness during the 2023 point-in-time count, according to nonprofit Close to Home San Antonio.
Firms and nonprofits mentioned in this week’s column include Akin, Boeing, Carter Arnett, SBA, Figari & Davenport, Nexstar Media Group. Frazier Revitalization, Haven for Hope, Close to Home San Antonio, the DBA and Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas.
An Attorney Lended, A Public Service Election, An Award Nomination Open
This week’s edition of P.S. features two president-elect candidates for an upcoming election for the State Bar of Texas’ public service arm, background on an associate who Weil is lending to a Dallas-area legal aid organization for two months to provide full-time pro bono legal services and nomination information for Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas upcoming Builders of Justice awards.