FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 26, 2023
Contact: The Honorable Lora J. Livingston (Ret.)
lora.livingston@texasatj.org
| 512-427-1855
Champions of Justice Gala Benefiting Veterans Raises $485,000
AUSTIN – The Texas Access to Justice Commission with its co-sponsor,
the State Bar of Texas, honored veterans throughout the state at the
Champions of Justice Gala Benefiting Veterans last night at the Bullock
Texas State History Museum in Austin. Almost half a million dollars was
raised to help provide civil legal services to low-income Texas
veterans.
Proceeds are distributed by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation and
dedicated to the provision of civil legal services for low-income Texas
veterans.
Texas Supreme Court Justice Brett Busby served as the master of
ceremonies for the evening. Justice Busby is the Court's liaison to the
Texas Access to Justice Commission. Throughout the evening, he
emphasized how drastically civil legal issues can impact our veterans
and the myriad of ways they can benefit from help when they need it.
This year’s “Macey and Harry Reasoner Access to Justice Lecture
Series” featured Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht of the Supreme Court of
Texas who has long been at the forefront of access to justice efforts in
Texas. As a veteran himself, the Chief Justice spoke movingly about the
importance of a justice system that is accessible and available to
assist veterans when they need it most. Illustrating his point were a
pair of veterans, joined by the legal aid professionals who helped them,
who recounted their own experiences navigating the justice system and
the enormous impact legal aid had in helping them solve their legal
problems.
Justice Busby presented the 2023 James B. Sales Boots on the Ground
Award to Victor L. Hunt, of Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, and Maureen
O’Connell, of Disability Rights Texas; the 2023 Harry M. Reasoner
Justice for All Award to Thomas S. Leatherbury, director of SMU Dedman
School of Law’s First Amendment Clinic; and the 2023 Emily C. Jones
Lifetime Achievement Award to Betty Balli Torres.
A dedicated public servant for four decades, Mr. Hunt’s career has
always involved providing direct legal representation to low-income
clients. His work in Oklahoma helped the mentally disabled integrate
into society instead of being institutionalized, and his work with
homeless communities helped individuals overcome barriers that
historically reinforce homelessness. As head of LANWT’s Bankruptcy
Practice, he developed and provided training that ensured LANWT’s
ability to provide bankruptcy representation to clients in all 114
counties it serves.
Throughout her 45-year career, Maureen O'Connell represented the
rights of disabled persons. She helped found, and later served as
director of, the Southern Disability Law Center, an organization whose
work benefited individuals in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. She won
ground-breaking cases, helping to set legal precedents that will benefit
the community of disabled persons well into the future. With tact and
nuance, she has fundamentally altered the perspectives of those she
encounters while preserving relationships, enlightening opposing
parties, and ensuring fundamental changes that benefit the wider
community.
Thomas S. Leatherbury recently retired from Vinson & Elkins and
opened Thomas S. Leatherbury Law. He has spent his career defending the
constitutional rights of his fellow citizens, frequently doing so on a
pro bono basis. While at V&E, he served as Chair of Talent
Management, overseeing training, evaluation, development, and the firm's
DEI initiatives, which allowed him to mentor the next generation of
lawyers. He currently combines his mentoring abilities, the defense of
the constitution, and passion for pro bono work by serving as director
of the SMU Dedman School of Law's First Amendment Clinic.
Betty Balli Torres has made a career out of her passion for access to
justice. She has served as the Executive Director of the Texas Access to
Justice Foundation since 2001 and has been instrumental in ensuring
funding for legal aid throughout that time, especially in times of
economic distress when the public's need for legal aid increases at the
same time funding sources become scarce. Through her efforts, the Texas
Access to Justice Foundation is currently responsible for distributing
$50 million in funds annually to legal services organizations in the
state.
Champions of Justice Gala Benefiting Veterans
The Gala Committee was chaired by Harry M. Reasoner, who also serves
as Chair Emeritus for the Texas Access to Justice Commission. Gala
co-chairs include prominent Texas attorneys who donated their time and
talents for the 2023 effort: Jerry Clements, with Locke Lord; Elizabeth
Gibson, with Toyota Motor North America; Monica Karuturi, with
CenterPoint Energy; David McAtee II, with AT&T; Richard Warren
Mithoff, with Mithoff Law; Ross R. Moody, with The Moody Foundation and
National Western Life; Stephen C. Mount, with H-E-B; Marie Yeates, with
Vinson & Elkins LLP; and Carlos M. Zaffirini, Jr., with Adelanto
HealthCare Venture.
Harriet E. Miers, of Locke Lord LLP, serves as chair of the Texas
Access to Justice Commission.
Texas Legal Aid
More than 5.4 million Texans qualify for civil legal aid but only 10
percent of the legal needs are actually met due to inadequate funding
resources. Legal aid organizations help more than 100,000 Texas families
each year.
Photos are available at: https://tinyurl.com/3zswesj4
For caption information, contact: David Bristow, Program Developer, Texas Access to Justice Commission, 512.427.1873, david.bristow@texasbar.com
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The Texas Access to Justice Commission was created in 2001 by the
Supreme Court of Texas to develop and implement policy initiatives
designed to expand access to and enhance the quality of justice in civil
legal matters for low-income Texans. The Commission has created several
initiatives to increase resources and awareness of legal aid. For more
information, please visit
www.TexasATJ.org.