CCBA recognized for Community Justice Program
Left to Right: Elma Garcia, Executive Director of the Texas Access to Justice Commission; Daniel Micciche,
Chair of the Taxation Section; Laura Urbis, President of the Cameron County Bar Association; and Natalie
Cobb Koehler, Secretary of The Texas Young Lawyers Association.
Pro Bono Section Awards Announced
State Bar of Texas Sections and Bar Organizations Recognized
for Programs That Increase Legal Services for the Poor
The Cameron County Bar Association was recently recognized for its Pro Bono Divorce Clinic. The clinic is a night court involving volunteer attorneys, judges, court reporters, and bailiffs all coming together to aid indigent county residents. Volunteer attorneys train local volunteer family law specialists to prove-up pro bono divorces.
The Cameron County Bar Association's Community Justice Program is completely volunteer-run and helps with the overloaded court system by providing free legal services to clients. Since its inception in September 2006, volunteer attorneys have handled 101 uncontested divorces on behalf of the indigent residents of Cameron County. CCBA President Laura J. Urbis accepted the award at the second annual Pro Bono Section Awards luncheon on April 3, 2009 in Austin.
At the State Bar of Texas Council of Chairs meeting in April, the Supreme Court of Texas Task Force to Expand Legal Services Delivery presented one State Bar of Texas section and two State Bar of Texas organizations with the second annual Pro Bono Section Awards. A large, medium, and small section/bar organization each received a $1,000 prize to invest in their statewide pro bono efforts. The Pro Bono Section Award Program was established in 2007 to recognize State Bar sections that create and develop innovative pro bono projects to extend legal services to unders.erved areas of Texas. In 2008, the Program was expanded to include State Bar associations and organizations that foster pro bono projects as well.
The following received the 2009 Pro Bono Section Awards:
· Texas Young Lawyers Association (large section/bar organization)
· Taxation Section (medium section/bar organization)
· Cameron County Bar Association (small section/bar organization)
"The Texas Supreme Court Task Force to Expand Legal Service Delivery was delighted to recognize members of the Texas Young Lawyers Association, as well as the State Bar of Texas Tax Law Section, and Cameron County Bar Association for their innovative projects," said Karin Crump, chair of the Task Force. "Each project was designed to serve the legal needs of Texans who need the most help."
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