Lone Star Legal Aid is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit law firm with a rich and deeply respected history of advocacy on behalf of low-income and underserved populations, beginning with the Houston Legal Aid Clinic in 1948 and East Texas Legal Services in 1977.
Lone Star Legal Aid has a rich history that began with the establishment of the Houston Legal Aid Clinic, later known as the Houston Legal Foundation. It was founded by the Houston Bar Association and Texas Southern University, along with other contributors. Similarly, East Texas Legal Services came into fruition due to local interest from various parties, including client groups in Nacogdoches and Tyler, as well as members of the Nacogdoches County Bar Association and partially the Jefferson County Bar Association. Both organizations shared a common mission: providing equal access to justice for low-income individuals who lacked the means to hire an attorney to safeguard their rights and meet essential needs.
As the years passed, both legal aid firms expanded their services, covering an increasing number of counties in their respective areas. In response to the Supreme Court decision in Gideon v. Wainwright during the 1960s, the Houston Legal Foundation offered criminal defense for a period and eventually transformed into the Gulf Coast Legal Foundation. On the other hand, East Texas Legal Services took steps to address Fair Housing Act violations by creating the East Texas Fair Housing Center in the 1980s. Throughout their natural evolution, both East Texas Legal Services and Gulf Coast Legal Foundation remained committed to their original purposes.
In 2002, a significant milestone occurred when the two organizations decided to merge to leverage their resources effectively. The merger brought together East Texas Legal Services, serving largely rural areas, and the primarily urban Gulf Coast Legal Foundation, along with a portion of Legal Aid of Central Texas. This amalgamation resulted in the birth of Lone Star Legal Aid, which stands as the third largest legal aid organization of its type in the United States.
Lone Star Legal Aid has earned a reputation for client-centered work and a proud tradition of successful advocacy. Over the years, the firm has achieved victories that extend beyond individual cases, impacting low-income communities, states, and the nation. Notable achievements include facilitating systemic policy and procedural changes, such as desegregating public housing and improving access to healthcare for children.