FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 15, 2024
Rebecca Johnson
Public Affairs Director
State Bar of Texas
(512) 427-1714; rjohnson@texasbar.com
Clarissa Ayala
Communications Director
Lone Star Legal Aid
(832) 627-8404; cayala@lonestarlegal.org
Shelby
Jean
Communications Director
Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
(817) 339-5384; jeans@lanwt.org
Samantha Rucobo
Public Relations Manager
Texas RioGrande Legal Aid
(915) 241-6923; srucobo@trla.org
Free legal assistance, toll-free hotline
available
For low-income individuals affected by Hurricane
Beryl
AUSTIN — Free legal resources are available to low-income individuals affected by Hurricane Beryl in 17 Texas counties included in the federal disaster declaration of July 13. They include Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Orange, Polk, San Jacinto, Walker, and Wharton.
The State Bar of Texas provides a toll-free legal hotline (800-504-7030) that connects low-income individuals affected by the disaster with local legal aid providers who can help with:
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Assistance securing government benefits as they are made available to disaster victims;
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Assistance with life, medical, and property insurance claims;
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Help with home repair contracts and contractors;
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Replacement of wills and other important legal documents lost or destroyed in the disaster;
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Consumer protection issues, such as price-gouging and avoiding contractor scams in the rebuilding process;
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Mortgage-foreclosure problems; and
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Landlord-tenant problems.
Additional disaster recovery resources are available at texaslawhelp.org,
lonestarlegal.org/services/disaster-relief/, and texasbar.com/disaster.
The State Bar of Texas reminds the public that in many cases it is a
crime in Texas for a lawyer or someone representing a lawyer to contact
a person for purposes of legal representation if the person has not
first requested the call or personal visit. The contact is not illegal
if the attorney is not seeking payment or has a preexisting
professional-client or family relationship with the person being
contacted.
If you witness something you believe to be improper solicitation, or
barratry, please get the name and phone number of the person making
contact and report it to your local law enforcement authority or the
State Bar Chief Disciplinary Counsel’s Office via email at CDCinfo@texasbar.com or toll free at
866-224-5999
