Billy Bob Thornton in Bad Santa had the “Three Bs,” and now The Texas Lawbook has the “Three Ps” — public service, pro bono and positive press.
Bracewell, O’Melveny & Myers, Haynes Boone and Yetter Coleman are the first four law firms in Texas to provide information on their efforts to help those in need during the holidays. The details of their initiatives are included in this week’s P.S. column. Please send us the good work you are doing.
In addition, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas is now accepting nominations for its annual Women’s Advocacy Awards. We have the details.
Bracewell Adopts Angels and Families
Each holiday season, the lawyers and staff at Bracewell participate in the Houston Young Lawyers Foundation’s Adopt-an-Angel gift drive. Bracewell associates Mollie Naegeli and Sam Folb are leading the firm’s efforts. The Adopt-an-Angel program unites the Houston legal community in providing gifts to local children in need — many of whom would not experience the joy of receiving a gift without support. Bracewell is committed to sponsoring 100 “angels” for the holidays.
Bracewell is also supporting the Houston Bar Association’s Holiday Adopt-a-Family Program. Bracewell partner Nancy McEvily Davis and associates Haley Bernal, Julia Boyce and Andrew Jacobs are joining with other volunteer organizations to purchase, wrap and deliver gifts to low-income, HIV/AIDS-affected individuals and families in the Houston area.
Haynes Boone & O’Melveny Join Salvation Army in Angel Tree
The Dallas offices of O’Melveny & Myers and Haynes Boone are participating with the other tenants in the new Harwood 14 building to support the Salvation Army Angel Tree program. The initiative provides holiday gifts for hundreds of thousands of children around the country each year. Once a child or senior adult has been registered and accepted as an Angel, their wish list is shared with donors in the community who purchase gifts of new clothing and toys. The gifts are distributed to the family and given to their loved one(s) during the holiday season. With your help, we can bring holiday happiness to children, men and women in need.
Yetter Coleman Adopts 100 Angels
The Houston litigation boutique Yetter Coleman just completed its internal office drive for the Houston Young Lawyers Foundation’s Adopt an Angel Program.
Yetter partner and pro bono coordinator Amy Farish and legal assistant Mayda Garza led the firm’s effort to adopt 100 Angels from Bellfort ECC Head Start in Houston. Bellfort provides education for children ages 3-5 whose families meet the federal poverty guidelines — a family of 4 with less than $30,000 of income. Through donations of cash and gifts, Yetter gave 100 children an overstuffed bag full of wrapped gifts to celebrate the holidays, with gifts ranging from bikes to toys, clothing and school supplies.
The Texas Lawbook truly appreciates the wonderful public service efforts of Bracewell, Haynes Boone, O’Melveny and Yetter Coleman.
Lawbook Seeks Pro Bono, Public Service and Diversity Info
As part of The Lawbook’s full-time coverage pro bono, public service and diversity in the Texas legal community, we need your help.
The Lawbook seeks to identify special public service projects that lawyers, law firms and corporate legal departments are doing to help those in need this holiday season. The Lawbook seeks to promote the valuable contributions Texas lawyers make this season by providing food, gifts, and support for the homeless, single families, and military veterans, as well as volunteering at shelters and food banks.
We also need the names and emails of one or two of the lawyers or staff in Texas who led the pro bono and diversity efforts.
Thank you for considering these requests and please do not hesitate to email me at mark.curriden@texaslawbook.net if you have any questions.
NorthWest Texas Legal Aid’s Women Advocacy Awards
Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas is accepting nominations for the Women’s Advocacy Awards, an event that highlights and recognizes honorees who have demonstrated extraordinary work benefiting women and children through their sustained service and leadership. The organization is now accepting candidate nominations for 2025. Past recipients include Nexstar Media GC Rachel Morgan, Dallas Mavericks GC Sekou Lewis, Heidelberg Materials GC Shonn Brown and American Airlines CLO Priya Aiyar.
Legal Aid encourages you to nominate an individual, a company or a nonprofit organization for one of the following categories:
1. Louise Raggio Women’s Legal Advocate: An attorney who has done something extraordinary in the interests of low-income women and their children;
2. Business Leadership: A company or individual in business who has made an extraordinary contribution to the improvement of the lives of low-income women and their children;
3. Civic Leadership: A person or nonprofit organization who/which has served the interests of low-income women and children;
4. Champion of Justice: A person who has done something extraordinary to serve justice;
5. Advocate on the Rise: An attorney under 40 who has gone above and beyond in mentoring and supporting women and diverse attorneys or who has demonstrated a commitment to pro bono efforts serving low-income women and/or children.
Here is a link to the Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas: https://www.lanwt.net/2025-womens-advocacy-awards-nomination-form.html.