This edition of P.S. is packed with inspirational words from Texas lawyers who are pushing pro bono and public service work forward. Take Galderma’s Devon Sharp, for example. In her acceptance remarks at the Texas General Counsel Forum Magna Stella Awards dinner, she urged fellow attorneys to meet the moment and serve their respective communities. “We are living in a world and country and state where, increasingly, those who live on the margins are being further marginalized,” she said. “The gap between privilege and need is widening and too many are being left behind.” White & Case Houston partner Taylor Pullins also offered a meaningful reminder of the personal nature of wills and estate planning for veterans in contrast to the transaction-heavy matters that dominate much of his big-law practice. And in Houston, Gibson Dunn is revolutionizing its pro bono culture with an annual tradition that pairs new associates with pro bono cases. We hope this column leaves you inspired.
Gibson Dunn Houston Opens Pro Bono Season with Case Auction
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s Houston office kicked off its annual Pro Bono Launch Initiative on Thursday, continuing a tradition the firm has maintained each fall since opening the office in 2017.
The event introduced new associates to the firm’s pro bono expectations and paired each incoming lawyer with a more senior attorney to jointly take on a case through Houston Volunteer Lawyers.
HVL staff arrive with their signature blue case folders — one for each new associate — and after presenting a brief pitch for every case, the room turns into a friendly auction of sorts, with first-year associates claiming cases while partners simultaneously volunteer to pair themselves with the new lawyers, said Stefan Koller, an associate in the Houston office and a member of the Pro Bono Committee.
The initiative is designed not only to strengthen the office’s commitment to pro bono but also to integrate pro bono work into associate training in a deliberate way, Koller said.
The Houston office has “revolutionized” its pro bono practice, Koller said, by applying the same rigor to pro bono matters that it brings to transactional client work. The office uses project management tools such as checklists and client calls to guide representation. One example is a 17-page-long divorce-proceeding checklist developed in collaboration with HVL, which now functions as a training document for new associates.
The system allows new lawyers to develop practical skills without billing paying clients for training time, while also elevating the quality and consistency of the firm’s pro bono services — an effort Koller noted has earned the office praise and recognition from outside organizations such as the Houston Bar Association and State Bar of Texas.
Texas GC Forum Honors Galderma’s Devon Sharp for Pro Bono Leadership
Devon Sharp, associate general counsel at Galderma Laboratories and immediate past chair of Dallas-area Attorneys Serving the Community, was honored with the Texas General Counsel Forum’s Magna Stella Award for pro bono service.
“Devon embodies the spirit of using one’s position and influence to create positive change,” said Betty Ungerman, Vice President, Deputy General Counsel, and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer at Lennox, who presented the award Thursday during the Forum’s 20th annual awards dinner at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort & Spa in San Antonio. “Her dedication to serving women and children in need is truly inspiring.”
From 2023 to 2025, Sharp served first as co-chair and then lead chair of ASC, an organization of more than 400 women lawyers, judges and law students that supports local nonprofits focused on women, children and families. In the 2023-2024 fundraising year, ASC raised more than $400,000 in net donations for Crossroads Community Services, a hunger relief organization in South Dallas. In 2024-2025, ASC raised more than $460,000 net for POETIC, which supports Dallas girls who have been sexually exploited and trafficked.
Sharp said the recognition was especially meaningful because it came from a community of lawyers she deeply admires. She also called on fellow lawyers to help their communities, saying, “We are living in a world and country and state where, increasingly, those who live on the margins are being further marginalized. The gap between privilege and need is widening and too many are being left behind. It has always been important for us to give back to our communities, but I would argue that it has never been more important than it is today. I believe that we as lawyers — we as humans — all have the responsibility to help those around us who are in need.”
White & Case Partners with Chevron, HVL for Veterans Day Estate Planning Clinic
White & Case’s Houston office marked Veterans Day by opening its doors to a group of veterans seeking help crafting wills and other estate planning documents.
In a first-time collaboration among White & Case, Chevron’s legal department and Houston Volunteer Lawyers (the pro bono legal aid arm of the Houston Bar Association), the firm hosted a clinic on Nov. 11 that brought together about 40 volunteers, including partners and in-house counsel, as well as legal analysts, paralegals, notaries and witnesses.
The idea began with internal conversations at White & Case about ways to address community needs while partnering with clients, said Taylor Pullins, a Houston partner who led the effort. When organizers looked at the fall calendar, Veterans Day felt like a natural fit. Pullins’ own family history of military service – a grandfather who survived Pearl Harbor and a father who served in the U.S. Army – has helped shape his approach to pro bono work over his 19-year legal career.
On Veterans Day morning, clients and their family members arrived at the firm’s office for private consultations, followed by a signing ceremony in the firm’s multipurpose room.
“It was awesome to see at each table a notary, two witnesses, family members, a client, attorneys – all kind of leaning into the center of the table and memorializing the desires of each client in these documents,” Pullins said.
One moment stayed with him: assisting a veteran over 80 years old who arrived with his wife of 60 years and their oldest daughter. They spoke with deep respect for him, and it meant something to them that his service was being honored in this way, Pullins said.
“The opportunity to give back in some meaningful way to our veterans and to provide peace of mind when it comes to having their affairs in order is just a fantastic opportunity,” Pullins said.
That the clinic took place on Veterans Day was especially meaningful, Kristie Tice, supervising counsel at Chevron New Energies, added in a statement.
“We are grateful to veterans for their service to the country, and it was a privilege, in turn, to serve them by providing wills and estate planning assistance,” Tice said. “Chevron has a strong in-house pro bono program, and this event was an opportunity for our Law Function to use our legal skills to support veterans and the community. Our legal team found it very rewarding to give back to veterans and their families and provide them with peace of mind.
Pullins noted that the wills and estate planning work is deeply personal – a contrast to the transaction-heavy matters that dominate much of his big-law practice.
“In the case of supporting these veterans, it was a matter of seeking out their personal desires and ensuring they are reflected accurately and clearly in their last will and testament and other estate planning documents,” Pullins described. “Anybody who engages in that process to understand an individual’s true desires when it comes to things of importance – including protection of the home that they’ve worked really hard to have and to leave for their loved ones – knows there’s a personal touch to it that is not an everyday feel in big law. It’s great to have that reminder of legal service that has very tangible personal impact.”
The event ended with a catered lunch from El Tiempo Cantina for the veterans, their families and volunteers – a celebratory close to a clinic that organizers hope becomes a recurring tradition.
Texas Bar Foundation Grants Help Genesis Women’s Shelter Upgrade Legal Services
Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support, a Dallas nonprofit that has supported survivors of domestic violence for nearly 40 years, has received a $6,408 grant from the Texas Bar Foundation to upgrade its legal support services.
The funding will cover one year of licensing for Clio, a legal case management platform the shelter will use to improve intake, streamline case and document handling and enhance coordination among attorneys and advocates, Genesis officials said.
The Texas Bar Foundation — the nation’s largest charitably funded bar foundation — has awarded more than $30 million to law- and justice-related programs across the state since 1965.
Legal support plays a pivotal role in a survivor’s journey toward healing and independence, Genesis CEO Jan Langbein said.
“At Genesis, we know that escaping abuse and rebuilding a safe, stable life requires more than shelter; it demands access to the justice system,” Langbein said.
The grant will enable Genesis’ legal team to “devote more time and resources to advocating for the rights of survivors,” she added.
The Genesis Legal Clinic offers pro bono representation and legal advocacy in matters such as protective orders, divorce, custody, child support, and a multitude of other family law issues.
Giving Back for the Holidays
Advocates for Community Transformation is offering a way to give back this Thanksgiving. On Saturday, Nov. 22, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., ACT is partnering with Salem Institutional Baptist Church to assemble Thanksgiving Blessing Baskets for families within the community.
For more than a decade, ACT has empowered residents in high-crime Dallas neighborhoods to reclaim safety and stability through legal advocacy, community organizing and long-term partnerships.
Volunteers will help prepare and package the baskets for delivery before Thanksgiving. The event is family-friendly and open to all ages, including kids, teens, and first-time volunteers. Registration information may be found at this link.
Personal injury firm Witherite Law Group and 1-800TruckWreck are partnering today with Fiesta Mart and Dallas radio hosts DeDe in the Morning and Cat Daddy on K104 FM to distribute 1,000 free turkeys and $50 Fiesta Mart gift cards to North Texas families in need.
The annual Turkey giveaway is taking place today from 10 a.m. to noon at Fiesta Mart #76 on East Berry Street in Fort Worth. Each family will receive one turkey and one gift card on a first-come, first-served basis, this represents more than $100,000 in donations from 1-800TruckWreck.
Texas currently leads the nation in food insecurity, with close to 5.4 million residents facing it, according to Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap report.
In response to these needs, Witherite Law Group has made this holiday food assistance a signature community initiative. The firm has hosted Thanksgiving and Christmas meal distributions for more than a decade, serving thousands of families.
Amy Witherite, founder of Witherite Law Group, and owner of 1-800TruckWreck, said this year’s event underscores the ongoing commitment the firm has to alleviate hunger in underserved neighborhoods.
“The statistics are sobering and reveal a growing hunger crisis in our community,” Witherite said. “No one should have to worry about where their next meal will come from, especially during the holidays. Together with our partners, we hope this food giveaway provides some relief. As more households rely on food pantries and community programs to meet basic needs, we remain committed to doing our part to serve the people of North Texas.”
The turkey giveaway remains one of the firm’s community initiatives aimed to promote hope, dignity and support during the holiday season for those facing economic hardship.