DBA’s Equal Access to Justice Fundraising Breaks Record

© 2013 The Texas Lawbook.

Editor’s Note: The Dallas Bar Association, led by Gruber Hurst partner Michael Hurst, raised more than $831,000 for its Equal Access to Justice project – a new record. More than $200,000 of it came from first time donors. The Texas Lawbook thanks everyone who contributed and gives a special recognition to Mr. Hurst for his extraordinary efforts.

By Michael Hurst
Gruber Hurst

Many of us go to law school because we want to help people solve problems and we see the law as an effective tool to do so. In fact, our law licenses provide us with innumerable opportunities to make differences in the lives of people who truly need assistance.

While waiting for the results of my bar exam in 1990, I made a pact that upon receiving my license, I would volunteer much of my time and training to benefit pro bono legal services. I first volunteered by taking on and trying pro bono family and consumer law cases, and later added financially contributing, mentoring younger lawyers and fundraising to further my passion to assist our low income neighbors with our legal system.

Since 1990, I have come to understand, not just the value of having qualified legal representation, which every lawyer hopefully learns very early in their careers, but just how vital it is for those who have the least and, therefore, the most to lose. For anyone living in poverty, keeping family, home and hearth together is an extremely delicate balancing act of meeting the most important needs first. Sometimes we just can’t do that without help.

• Stephen” had a distinguished 12 year career in the U.S. Army. After his second tour of duty in Afghanistan after also serving three tours in Iraq, he separated from the service with an honorable discharge. But the horrors of war remained in his thoughts and his dreams. After applying for help with the VA for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder three times only to be denied, Stephen applied for help at the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program VA legal clinic at the Dallas VA Medical Center. His volunteer attorney was able to convince the VA to reverse its earlier denials and Stephen is now under the care of qualified medical staff and receiving full disability benefits until he recovers. Too many of our servicemen and women do not receive the help they need once they leave the service. DVAP represents them to insure the system that is designed to serve them does indeed do its job.

• James” and “Martha” have two adorable grandchildren ages three and five. The father ran out a long time ago and no one knows where he is. Their daughter has a serious substance abuse problem and no stable home. With the help of a pro bono attorney they were able to secure custody of the two children. Their landlord did not want children in his building and he filed eviction papers to force them out. Their volunteer attorney was able to prevent the eviction and allow them to maintain their stable home environment so important when raising children.

Whether it is preventing homelessness, protecting mothers and their children from violence in the home, preventing abuse of the elderly or securing urgently needed benefits for American heroes, the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program works to insure that those with the least can expect the same levels of justice that the rest of us rely on routinely. Your financial support makes this possible.

If you are an attorney and you wish to fulfill our profession’s most important moral imperative, to insure justice for those unable to pay an attorney, I urge you to go to www.dvapcampaign.org and make a gift. To learn more about DVAP or to volunteer, please go to www.dallasvolunteerattorneyprogram.org.

This year, I have been able to count on many of the lawyers, law firms and corporate citizens I admire the most to step up to make this Campaign successful. First, the trial boutiques kicked off the Campaign in a big way. Then, the larger firms joined in. Subsequently I have been touched by the generosity of our attorney leaders like Lisa Blue, Mike Kaeske, Mike McKool, Jr., Deborah Hankinson, and Mike & Judge Barbara Lynn. In record numbers, our beloved Dallas corporations including ExxonMobil, Mary Kay, Inc., AT & T, Belo Corp., A.H. Belo Corporation, Energy Future Holdings, and Hunt Consolidated helped to catapult us to our current level. Of course, many individuals and firms have participated at levels at which they felt comfortable.

Based upon this outpour of generosity, we have already exceeded our $700,000 goal, with a few weeks to go. All in all, 360 individuals, 69 law firms, 16 companies, and 15 Foundations & Organizations have participated in the Campaign.

While this year’s Campaign has been very successful so far, we cannot slow down our fundraising efforts given that the sources of funding are rapidly evaporating. Your support, no matter the size or scope, helps prevent tragedy and repair lives for our neighbors who need us most. I urge you to join me and hundreds of lawyers in Dallas and give generously so people we do not know can benefit by qualified legal representation from dedicated advocates for justice – volunteers like you and me.

© 2013 The Texas Lawbook. Content of The Texas Lawbook is controlled and protected by specific licensing agreements with our subscribers and under federal copyright laws. Any distribution of this content without the consent of The Texas Lawbook is prohibited.