President's Page • September 2025
Standing For Justice in Times of Disaster
As president of the State Bar of Texas this year, my focus is access to justice for our neighbors across Texas who can’t afford civil legal services. I announced the “Stand With Santos” access to justice campaign after my swearing in at the State Bar Annual Meeting on June 20 and called on Texas lawyers to donate their time and money to the cause. Just two weeks later, over the July Fourth weekend, the need for access to justice was made even clearer due to the catastrophic flooding and loss of life in the Texas Hill Country.
As I write this column in late July, more than 130 people—including dozens of children in Kerr County—have lost their lives in the floods and some are still missing. I personally know Texas lawyers who lost loved ones, and their accounts are harrowing. Texas lawyers have lost children, grandchildren, spouses, and other loved ones. These losses are simply unthinkable, and I extend my deepest sympathies to the victims’ families along with everyone else personally affected by the storms.
What encourages me is the outpouring of love and support that our fellow Texans—including Texas attorneys—have shown in response to the tragedy. In the legal profession, the State Bar, legal aid agencies, local bar associations, and individual attorneys sprang into action to assess the legal needs on the ground, determine areas where attorneys could help, and provide training to volunteer attorneys to meet survivors’ legal needs.
To name one example, on July 21, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA), the legal aid provider that serves most of the affected areas, joined with the State Bar of Texas’ Disaster Legal Task Force to host a one-hour CLE webcast. The training equipped volunteer attorneys with the knowledge to help survivors in navigating post-disaster legal issues including housing, benefits, contractor fraud, and recent changes to Federal Emergency Management Agency individual assistance. More than 800 attorneys attended the training, which is a testament to the selfless spirit of pro bono service that so many of our colleagues exhibit on a daily basis.
Also, in light of the Hill Country flooding, I immediately dedicated all donations received between July 7 and July 31—later extended to September 30—to the Stand With Santos campaign specifically for legal aid disaster relief. Donations to the Stand With Santos campaign benefit the Texas Access to Justice Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides grants to organizations statewide offering free legal assistance to low-income Texans.
It’s not too late for you to Stand With Santos and support expanding access to justice to those who need it most. In fact, now is the time. You can:
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Go to standwithsantos.org or scan the QR code on this page to donate money or pledge your pro bono hours;
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Invite me to speak to your local bar association; or
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Introduce me to clients or other groups that you work with that might be interested in joining me in the cause.
Volunteer to help Hill Country flood victims directly through TRLA
at trla.org/volunteer or explore other pro bono opportunities across
Texas at
probonotexas.org. Additionally, the Texas Bar Foundation’s
Emergency Disaster Relief Fund accepts donations at txbf.org/emergency-disaster-relief.
Working together, we can help ensure access to justice in Texas is not just a privilege for the few, but a reality for all.
SANTOS VARGAS
President, 2025-2026
State Bar of Texas
