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October 15, 2019 by Clarissa Ayala

October 20-26, 2019 is National Pro Bono Week


Lone Star Legal Aid is pleased to announce its 2019 Pro Bono Award recipients in celebration of the American Bar Association’s Pro Bono Week – October 20-26, 2019. The National Celebration of Pro Bono is an annual opportunity to shine a spotlight on the amazing work done by pro bono lawyers, paralegals, and law students across the country.

LSLA joins the week-long celebration to thank all of the volunteer lawyers that have helped assist low-income Texans. Volunteer lawyers make a huge impact on the lives of those in need by joining our force to meet the overwhelming need for civil legal aid.

As part of its celebration, LSLA awards attorneys, law firms, and community partners for their work throughout its service area. These are this year’s award recipients.

LSLA’s Beaumont office recognizes Provo and Provo for the Law Firm Award and Jefferson County Bar Association Foundation for the Community Partner Award. 

LSLA’s Belton office recognizes Steven Duskie for Most Litigated Cases, Janna Gustafson for Most Contested Cases Handled, Vicki Carlson for Most Litigated Bankruptcy Cases, Lindley, Wiley, and Duskie for the Law Firm Award, Central Texas Family Violence Task Force for the Community Partner Award, and Joshua Tisdale for Pro Bono Attorney of the Year. 

LSLA’s Bryan office recognizes Baker and Associates for Most Cases Handled, Roy D. Brantley and Keeli N. Rogers for Most Litigated Cases, The Law Office of Mark R. Maltsberger for the Law Firm Award, Brazos County Bar Association, President Matthew D. Doss, and Suzanne Scully for the MVP Award. 

LSLA’s Clute office recognizes the Brazoria County Dream Center & Palacios Hub as Community Partners and Shawn M. Grady with the Disaster Relief Pro Bono Award. 

LSLA’s Conroe office recognizes Evan Olson for Most Cases Handled, Lorena Perez McGill for Most Litigated Cases, Evan Olson for Most Contested Cases Handled, Exxon Mobil for the Law Firm Award, Montgomery County Dispute Resolution Center for the Community Partner Award, and Lorenza Perez McGill for the Outreach Development Coalition Partner Award.

LSLA’s Galveston office recognizes Mark Aronowitz for Most Cases Handled, Helen Truscott for Most Litigated Cases, Mark Aronowitz for Most Contested Cases Handled, Lrtiz-Taing Law Firm for the Law Firm Award, St. Vincents for the Community Partner Award, and The Resource and Crisis Center of Galveston County for the Heroes Award. 

LSLA’s Houston office recognizes Alexandra Udeh for Most Cases Handled, Marilyn McGuire for Most Litigated Cases, Latham & Watkins for the Law Firm Award, Isabel Longoria of AARP for the Community Partner Award, Judge Sharon Fox for Access to Justice Champion, Merri Schneider-Vogel for the Persistence & Commitment Award. 

LSLA’s Longview office recognizes Vicki Haynes for Most Cases Handled, R. L. Whitehead for Most Litigated Cases, Ebb Mobley for Most Contested Cases, Kroscher & Kroscher for the Law Firm Award, Greater Longview United Way for the Community Partner Award, and Joe Newsom for the Star Achiever Award. 

LSLA’s Nacogdoches office recognizes Carter A. Meyers for Most Cases Handled, Heather Bradford Patterson for Most Litigated Cases, Lynda K. Russel for Most Contested Cases Handled, Perkins & Meyers Law Firm for the Law Firm Award, Family Crisis Center of East Texas for the Community Partner Award, and Micheal P. Wallace for the East Texas Pro Bono Bankruptcy Award.

LSLA’s Paris office recognizes Sarah Kaminar for Most Cases Handled, Nick Stallings for Most Litigated Cases, Gary Waite for Most Contested Cases Handled, the Moore Law Firm for the Law Firm Award, Safe-T Agency for the Community Partner Award, and Judge Bill Harris for the Judicial Award.

LSLA’s Richmond office recognizes Libby King for Most Pro Bono Advice Provided, Chiang Law Firm for the Law Firm Award, and Fort Bend Law Library for the Community Partner Award. 

LSLA’s Texarkana office recognizes Pamela Fisk for Most Cases Handled, John Delk for Most Contested Cases Handled, and Domestic Violence Prevention for the Community Partner Award. 

LSLA’s Tyler office recognizes Holly Anderson Boyd for Most Handled Cases, Sravanesh Muralidhar for Most Litigated Cases Handled, Danna Kirk Mayhall for Most Contested Cases, Peter G. Mine, P.C. for the Law Firm Award, Smith County Bar Foundation for the Community Partner Award, and Cristy A. Arscott for Most Outstanding Executive Director of a Local Bar Organization. 

LSLA’s Waco office recognizes Brittany Scaramucci of The Scaramucci Law Firm for Most Litigated Cases, Baylor University Department of Political Science’s Dr. Joseph Brown for the Community Partner Award, and Tameika Johnson for the Newcomer of the Year Award. 

To celebrate Pro Bono Week, LSLA is hosting the following events to educate, recruit, and honor volunteer attorneys.

10/10/2019 Pro Bono Award Presentation | Nacogdoches

10/14/2019 Pro Bono Gift Distribution | Belton

10/14/2019 Presentation of Pro Bono Proclamations during Texarkana, TX City Council Meeting | Texarkana

10/15/2019 Presentation of Pro Bono Awards during monthly Texarkana Bar Association meeting | Texarkana

10/21/2019 Presentation of Pro Bono Proclamations during Texarkana, Arkansas Board of Directors Meeting | Texarkana

10/21/2019 Legal Clinic: Estate Planning, Expunctions & Non-Disclosures, Property Taxes, Transfer on Death Deeds | Longview

10/21/2019 LSLA Pro Bono Luncheon, Awards, & CLE Program for Montgomery County | Conroe

10/21/2019 Pro Bono Awards Ceremony and Reception | Nacogdoches

10/21/2019 Pie Party | Waco

10/22/2019 Introduction to LSLA & Adv. Planning Presentation | Bryan

10/22/2019 Human Trafficking Bus Tour + CLE event w/ Children at Risk | Houston

10/22/2019 Pro Bono Award Presentation | Nacogdoches

10/22/2019 Smith Volunteer Attorney Appreciation Luncheon and Awards Ceremony | Tyler

10/22/2019 Smith County Bar Free CLE and recruitment event featuring TCLE speaker presenting “Your Brain on Ethics” | Tyler

10/22/2019 Meet, Greet, & Eat | Richmond

10/23/2019 Pie Party | Belton

10/23/2019 LSLA Introduction & Clinic | Conroe

10/23/2019 Debt Collection Relief CLE / Outreach | Houston

10/24/2019 Introduction to LSLA and Advance Planning Presentation in Polk County | Conroe

10/24/2019 Legal Clinic: Estate Planning, Expunctions & Non-Disclosures, Property Taxes, Transfer on Death Deeds | Longview

10/24/2019 Outreach event w/ LSLA information and refreshments | Waco

10/24/2019 Pro Bono Awards Luncheon | Richmond

10/25/2019 Pro Bono Award Ceremony and Reception | Bryan

10/25/2019 Introduction to LSLA & Adv. Planning Presentation | Bryan

10/25/2019 Domestic Violence CLE | Houston

10/26/2019 Legal Clinic Estate Planning, Property Taxes, Reverse Mortgage | Longview

10/31/2019 Brazos County Bar Association Monthly Meeting and CLE and Volunteer Attorney Recruiting Event | Bryan

11/1/2019 Henderson County Bar Association Meeting and luncheon; presentation of Pro Bono Awards, free CLE, and recruitment event | Tyler

11/5/2019 Pro Bono Awards Ceremony | Bryan

The week of October 20 – 26th has been designated as the “National Pro Bono Celebration” by the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service. The goal is to showcase the remarkable difference that pro bono lawyers make to our nation, to our system of justice, to our communities and, most of all, to the clients they serve. For more information about the annual celebration of pro bono see www.celebrateprobono.org.

Lone Star Legal Aid is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit law firm focused on advocacy on behalf of low-income and underserved populations. Lone Star Legal Aid serves millions of people at 125% of federal poverty guidelines that reside in 72 counties in the eastern and Gulf Coast regions of Texas, and 4 counties of southwest Arkansas. Lone Star Legal Aid focuses its resources on maintaining, enhancing, and protecting income and economic stability; preserving housing; improving outcomes for children; establishing and sustaining family safety and stability, health and well‐being; and assisting populations with special vulnerabilities, like those who have disabilities, or who are elderly, homeless, or have limited English language skills. To learn more about Lone Star Legal Aid, visit our website at www.lonestarlegal.org.

Media contact: Clarissa Ayala, cayala@lonestarlegal.org.

Communications Director at Lone Star Legal Aid | + posts