General counsel and chief legal officers from 132 of America’s biggest companies — including AT&T, USAA and Oracle — are urging Congress to fully fund the Legal Services Corporation, arguing that civil legal aid strengthens economic stability for families, communities and businesses. The executives signed a May 29 letter to every member of Congress asking lawmakers to provide sufficient funding for fiscal year 2027 to LSC, the federal nonprofit that funds civil legal aid organizations nationwide. At least a dozen Texas-based legal leaders joined the effort.
This edition of P.S. also highlights the Dallas Hispanic Law Foundation, which recently awarded more than $46,000 in scholarships, bar study grants and judicial internships to law students across the state, and Shell USA Head of Legal Travis Torrence, who was the recipient of the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce’s 2026 Chamber Champion Award, recognizing his longtime advocacy for the Chamber and the Houston LGBTQ+ business community.
Corporate GCs, CLOs Urge Congress to Prioritize Legal Aid Funding
General counsel and chief legal officers from 132 of America’s biggest companies — including AT&T, USAA and Oracle — are urging Congress to fully fund the Legal Services Corporation, arguing that civil legal aid strengthens economic stability for families, communities and businesses.
The executives signed a May 29 letter to every member of Congress asking lawmakers to provide sufficient funding for fiscal year 2027 to LSC, the federal nonprofit that funds civil legal aid organizations nationwide.
“As business leaders, we appreciate and support the need for a responsible budget. We also support efforts to strengthen the economic viability and workforce of the communities in which we operate in America. Unaddressed legal issues resulting from the lack of access to legal resources lead to economic instability, which negatively affects families and the business community,” the letter states.
“Civil legal aid provided through LSC is critical to the stability of families and communities,” the letter continues.
At least a dozen Texas-based legal leaders joined the effort, including AT&T GC David McAtee, Dell GC Richard Rothberg, Jacobs CLO Joanne Caruso, Kimberly-Clark Chief Administrative Officer Jeff Melucci, Phillips 66 GC Vanessa Sutherland, LyondellBasell GC Jeffrey Kaplan and USAA CLO Bob Johnson.
“I decided to lend my support again this year because the need for access to legal representation and guidance remains critical to communities, nonprofits, veterans, families and children, at-risk populations and so many others,” Sutherland told The Lawbook. “To build healthy, safe and engaged citizens, we need a supportive legal framework to solve problems for those in need.”
LSC’s current appropriation of $540 million was the result of a 3.6 percent cut, resulting in an estimated $1.9 million loss for Texas. The organization provides funding to the state’s three largest legal aid providers: Lone Star Legal Aid, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas and Texas RioGrande Legal Aid.
RELATED: Legal Aid Feels ‘Death by a Thousand Cuts’ After Latest Funding Loss
At the current funding level, LSC grantees can fully serve fewer than one-third of eligible Americans who seek assistance and must turn away more than half of those who come through their doors, the corporate legal leaders wrote. LSC-funded organizations handle a wide range of civil legal matters, including disaster recovery, veterans’ benefits, domestic violence protective orders and housing disputes.
Maria Thomas-Jones, CEO of Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, described that reality in an interview with The Lawbook in January following the funding cut.
“We have staff that are very efficient and very professional and very dedicated to the work that we do, and so that just means that they have to look across the table at an applicant that has a very good case and tell them, ‘I’m sorry, we don’t have the manpower to provide you services,’” Thomas-Jones said.
The outlook for fiscal year 2027 is even more troubling. In May, the House Appropriations Committee approved legislation that would reduce LSC’s 2027 funding by more than 50 percent, to $268 million.
According to LSC, a cut of that magnitude would leave more than 2.8 million Americans without legal assistance or with unresolved civil legal matters.
“This impact would be especially severe for children, with an estimated 486,000 affected, and for survivors of domestic violence, with nearly 108,000 survivors losing access to protections obtained through legal services,” LSC said in a news release.
RELATED: P.S. — AT&T and Halliburton GCs: Legal Aid ‘Is a Texas Issue that Deserves Your Voice and Advocacy’
Federal law strictly limits how LSC funds may be used and restricts the types of cases grantees can handle to “really basic needs of people,” as Texas Supreme Court Justice Brett Busby has previously told The Lawbook. Busby is part of a Texas delegation that travels to Washington, D.C., each April to advocate for continued LSC funding before members of Congress.
Research has consistently found that civil legal aid delivers a strong return on investment. In Texas, every $1 invested in civil legal aid returns $7.48 in savings through reduced government expenditures, according to a 2013 economic impact study. A 2022 Louisiana study found returns as high as $17.99 for every dollar invested.
“As corporate leaders, we believe that sufficiently funding the Legal Services Corporation is a uniquely important priority for Congress and urge you to do so,” the legal leaders wrote. “This funding strengthens the economic stability of American communities and helps lay the foundation for a safe, stable and thriving society.”
Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce Honors Shell USA Head of Legal
The Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce recently honored Shell USA Head of Legal Travis Torrence with its 2026 Chamber Champion Award, recognizing his longtime advocacy for the Chamber and the Houston LGBTQ+ business community.
“For more than a decade, Travis has been a dedicated advocate for the Chamber and the LGBTQ+ community, helping advance economic opportunity, visibility, and connection across Greater Houston,” the Chamber wrote. “His leadership, authenticity, and commitment to creating inclusive spaces have made a lasting impact on both the Chamber and the many individuals and organizations it serves.”
The award recognizes an individual who has advanced economic opportunity and prosperity for the LGBTQ+ community through service with the Chamber. Torrence received the honor during the Chamber’s Pride in Business Celebration on June 12.
“Travis is a force of nature. He shows up as his full and authentic self, whether he’s in the workplace or in community,” said Tammi Wallace, co-founder, president and CEO of the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce. “He has been such a champion for our work at the chamber. He’s one of those individuals that uses his time, talent and treasure to give back.”
Torrence said that when he first arrived in Houston, he found a lack of professional development opportunities tailored to the LGBTQ+ business community. He said Shell became an early supporter when the Chamber was founded, a partnership he remains proud of, and that the relationships he has built through the organization have been especially meaningful.
“I’m gay, I’m Black, I work in one of the most conservative industries on the planet and I’m doing it deep in the heart of Texas,” Torrence said in a promotional video. “If I can do that in 2026 with the Chamber’s help, think about what we can do tomorrow, and it’s organizations like the Chamber that are making it all happen.”
Dallas Hispanic Law Foundation Awards $46K+ to Texas Law Students
The Dallas Hispanic Law Foundation this year awarded more than $46,000 to law students across the state during its annual Amanecer luncheon, which featured lawyer and politician Julián Castro as the keynote speaker.
The Foundation presented 10 scholarships and five bar study grants totaling $43,500. It also awarded three judicial internships, each providing a $3,000 stipend and a minimum four-week placement with a Dallas judge.
This year’s internship places students with Judge Martin Hoffman of the 68th civil district court, Judge Dale Tillery of the 134th civil district court and Judge Hector Garza of the 195th criminal district court.
Since its creation in 2006, the Foundation has awarded more than $650,000, said Foundation President Andrés Correa, a partner at Dallas boutique Lynn Pinker Hurst & Schwegmann. The firm served as the event’s presenting sponsor.