Dearth of Legal Aid for Low-Income Texans ‘Really Dire’

At a time when lawyers and law firms in Texas are making record amounts of money, the number of Texans who need legal assistance but cannot afford an attorney is at an all-time high. The unmet need is increasing so significantly that it is having a negative impact on the state’s economy, according to leaders of the legal profession in Texas.

New data gathered by The Texas Lawbook shows that most large corporate law firms in Texas that have reaped huge financial benefits from the state’s economic gusher have not increased the amount of pro bono legal work they are doing on behalf of the poor and disadvantaged. Many law firms, in fact, are doing less pro bono work than they were just a few years ago.