PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

By T. Mark Kelly Vinson & Elkins LLP

You Should Try It!

Returning on the plane from the Middle East this week, I reflected on the first four months of my term as president of the HBA. One of the questions often asked is, "What do you do at the Bar, and is there a way for me to be involved?" One of the primary focuses of the HBA is serving low-income residents through the Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program (HVLP), the Dispute Resolution Center and many other programs. According to 2009 Census Bureau statistics, nearly 57 million Americans now qualify for civil legal assistance from programs such as our HVLP. That is an increase of 3 million from 2008 and the highest number of people eligible for legal aid in our country in the 35-year history of the Legal Service Corporation (LSC), set up to provide federal funds to legal aid providers. Even more disturbing, 19.6 million are children.

Looking at statistics closer to home, the Texas Equal Access to Justice Foundation (TEAJF) reports there are 5.3 million people in Texas who qualify for legal aid, yet our state ranks 39th in the nation in per capita revenue for the provision of civil legal aid. We are meeting only 20-25 percent of the need.

The HVLP is funded in part by the TEAJF, but a primary source is the Houston Bar Foundation. So, there are a number of ways that you can be involved that will make a positive difference in the Bar's focus on providing pro bono services to low-income residents of Harris County.

• If you are a member of a law firm or corporate legal department, encourage your organization to become an HBA Equal Access Champion. This is a program in which law firms and legal departments commit to handle a certain number of pro bono cases through the HVLP each year, for five years. The level of commitment depends on the number of attorneys in your firm or legal department. The Equal Access Champions program is vital to the success of HVLP. Because of this program, HVLP has been able to increase its representation of poor Houstonians from approximately 1,000 cases a year to nearly 2,400. It is also good marketing for your organization. Your name appears in every Houston Bar Bulletin, every issue of The Houston Lawyer, on the HBA Web site, and even in the lobby of the HBA office.
  
  
• If you are a solo practitioner, you can also become an Equal Access Champion if you agree to handle just one pro bono case for HVLP each year, for five years. Solos and firms with fewer than five attorneys make up a significant percentage of the Equal Access Champions.
  
  
• If you or your firm is already an Equal Access Champion, sign on again for another five years. In 2011, it will be time for all our charter firms and individuals to re-commit to equal access for all Houstonians. Make sure your organization continues its support.
  
  
• Help a veteran through the HBA's Veterans Legal Initiative. You can volunteer for the legal clinics held every Friday afternoon at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center; you can volunteer for Saturday legal clinics held twice a year at American Legion and VFW halls; or you can volunteer to handle a pro bono case or appeal for a veteran directly through HVLP. Since 2008, over 3,000 veterans have received services through this program. You can read more about the initiative and opportunities to help our veterans on the HBA Web site, www.hba.org.
  
  
• Underwrite the Harvest Party, the main fundraising event for the Houston Bar Foundation, set for November 15 at River Oaks Country Club. It is the most important thing lawyers in our community can support financially during the year. One hundred percent of the net proceeds from underwriting go to the Houston Bar Foundation, which allows us to continue to fund the Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program and the services it provides to poor Houstonians. As of last week, we had raised $475,000, but were $50,000 short of reaching our goal.
  
  
• If you can't underwrite, buy tickets to the Harvest Party. Ticket sales cover the expenses for the party, which allows the underwriting to go directly to the Foundation. For $110 per person, you get food, drink and the camaraderie of your friends in the legal profession. Visit the HBA Web site for a ticket order form.
  
  
• Call HVLP at 713-228-0735 and tell them you want to accept a pro bono case on your own. Handle a divorce for an abused spouse, prepare a will for an elderly person, help someone get their disability benefits or keep their home. There are as many different types of cases as there are types of legal problems. If every lawyer in Harris County handled one pro bono case every year, we could quickly wipe out the critical status of legal services in our area.

With all the demands on our time, I know adding more activities to a person's schedule can sometimes be daunting. Two events I participated in during September reminded me of how spending a little time in the service of others is so worthwhile.

On September 12, the HBA provided a wills clinic at Ellington Air Force Base, and close to 90 Marine Reservists were given peace of mind in settling some of their affairs before their deployment. Attorneys from 15 law firms and legal departments prepared the wills, while 36 lawyers and 36 notaries volunteered a part of their Sunday to execute the documents in this worthwhile endeavor. I found it uplifting to visit with these brave individuals about their lives and their dreams.

The next week, I read to four classes of 2nd graders on Constitution Day about the Bill of Rights. Unbeknownst to me, two television stations showed up to film the event, and afterward I was asked why I would teach the Constitution to kids at such an early age. I noted how quick their minds are and how honest and uninhibited their questions were. Besides, where else after a lecture do you have people fill the front of the classroom eager to hear what you have to say (as opposed to the back row) and come up after to give you a hug!

Without question, involving yourself in a pro bono activity is invigorating, and I believe you will find it infectious. Having done it once, you will want to do more. You should try it.

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