(Aug. 6) – The State Bar of Texas was recently honored with the 2018 Harrison Tweed Award at the American Bar Association’s Annual Meeting in Chicago for its efforts to provide and expand the availability of legal services to the poor.
The ABA recognized a few specific State Bar programs, according to a press release, including its relief efforts after Hurricane Harvey, pro bono assistance programs and the creation of the Texas Opportunity and Justice Incubator (TOJI).
The TOJI was launched in April 2017 to expand access to justice and assist new lawyers in establishing practices that serve the unmet legal needs of low-income Texans. The program’s 30 participating lawyers served 600 clients and worked nearly 5,500 hours providing a monetary benefit totaling more than $712,400, according to the State Bar announcement.
A program the State Bar launched in conjunction with the ABA’s Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service is TexasLegalAnswers.org, a free online legal advice clinic. In its first year, the State Bar signed up more than 600 lawyers to volunteer and answer more than 5,000 civil legal questions.