Advancing access to justice in rural Texas, advocating for domestic violence survivors and ensuring Spanish speakers aren’t left out are among the pro bono initiatives for which lawyers and a judge were honored during the State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting in San Antonio.
For pro bono work on behalf of low-income Texans and his efforts to promote pro bono culture within the corporate framework, Dave Louie, lead counsel at Houston-based LyondellBasell, received the Corporate Counsel Pro Bono Award from the Texas Access to Justice Commission. The award includes a $2,000 stipend — funded equally by the Commission and the State Bar of Texas Corporate Counsel Section — to be donated to a Texas legal services program chosen by the award recipient. Louie selected Houston Volunteers Lawyers to receive the donation.
LyondellBasell has consistently exceeded its annual pledge of pro bono cases worked with Houston Volunteer Lawyers, Supreme Court Justice Brett Busby said as he presented the award. Under Louie’s leadership, LyondellBasell more than doubled its pledge and his department accepted 13 new pro bono cases, Busby said.
Louie has particularly devoted efforts to help young adults with disabilities create legal agreements as an alternative to guardianship, Busby noted. The “Supported Decision Making Agreements” allow people with disabilities to maintain autonomy while receiving medical and financial support.
“Dave exemplifies every aspect of the Texas Access to Justice Commission’s Corporate Counsel Pro Bono Award criteria,” Busby said. “He has demonstrated unwavering dedication to pro bono service, inspired meaningful volunteer engagement within the corporate sector, and addressed unmet legal needs with innovative and impactful solutions. His leadership is not only sustaining but expanding the pro bono culture at one of Houston’s leading corporate legal departments.”
Judge Roy B. Ferguson, who recently retired from the 394th District Court of Texas, received the Judge Merrill Hartman Pro Bono Judge Award from the State Bar of Texas Legal Services to the Poor in Civil Matters Committee. Ferguson was honored for his pioneering work advancing access to justice in the rural parts of his district, which is the largest judicial district in Texas. Ferguson was an early adopter of virtual hearings during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic that shut down many courtrooms. The retired judge has also recruited lawyers statewide to take on pro bono cases, the committee noted. Judge Hartman was a highly respected civil court trial judge in Dallas County who advocated pro jury reforms.
The same committee selected Christina Yarnell, a trial lawyer at Nix Patterson in Austin, for the Frank J. Scurlock Award. Yarnell was honored for her strategic outreach, training initiatives, and statewide collaborations that have strengthened legal aid networks and empowered lawyers to provide pro bono representation in the areas of housing, family law and indigent defense.
The committee’s J. Chrys Dougherty Award went to Ricardo Loza, a staff attorney at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid. Loza has secured key partnerships and grants to expand legal access for vulnerable communities and he has advanced legal aid services through his advocacy for domestic violence survivors, commitment to mentorship and contributions to legal education.
The Mexican-American Bar Association of Houston was the committee’s choice for the Pro Bono Award which honors a volunteer lawyer organization that has made an outstanding contribution toward guaranteeing access to justice for those who are low-income. The Mexican-American Bar Association of Houston was recognized for its Consejos Legales program, which provides free bilingual legal advice to the Spanish-speaking community. MABAH’s legal aid ranges from immigration issues to housing, the committee noted.
The Pro Bono Coordinator Award was given to Brittany Krohn, pro bono director for Houston Volunteer Lawyers. The committee noted that Krohn “transformed” the organization into Texas’ largest pro bono provider. The committee credited Krohn with increasing volunteer engagement and reducing service costs, “ensuring timely, client-centered assistance.”
Robert M. Caine, a senior corporate paralegal at Baker Botts, received the Pro Bono Support Staff Award. In his role, Caine oversees data management for more than 600 pro bono cases firmwide and about 300 cases in Houston, the firm reported. Caine’s work has strengthened the firm’s impact in Texas and elsewhere, the committee noted.
The Dallas office of Hunton Andrews Kurth was selected to receive the Frank Newton Award, which honors the pro bono work of lawyer groups whose members have made an outstanding contribution on access to justice for low-income people. The firm’s Virtual Legal Clinic, in collaboration with the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program, has served thousands of low-income people, the committee noted. The firm’s pro bono work is credited with revitalizing small business clinics. Its lawyers also championed cases of veterans and domestic violence survivors.