EL PASO
Standing strong in the face of tragedy.
Feature and photos by Amy Starnes
Leaders and legal professionals taught attendees at a free CLE
session in El Paso how to respond to a community disaster in the wake of
the mass shooting there just a few weeks earlier. Clockwise from top
left: Judge Patricia Chew, of El Paso Probate Court No. 1, discussed
probate disaster issues; Soraya Yanar Hanshew, of Texas RioGrande Legal
Aid, talked about employment disaster issues; Veronica Carbajal, of
Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, examined evictions and foreclosures disaster
issues; and Daniel Hernandez, president of the El Paso Bar Association,
provided an update on the bar’s response to the tragedy.
“El Paso Strong” means different things to different people. The words
are emblazoned on banners hoisted to the tops of area businesses and on
T-shirts of individuals attending a CLE to learn how to recover from a
community disaster many would call unthinkable just weeks before.
To the approximately 75 lawyers and judges who filled an El Paso
courtroom on August 22, perhaps “El Paso Strong” means to be united,
prepared, and ready to give back.
Less than three weeks after a gunman killed 22 people and wounded
dozens more at a local Walmart, these lawyers and judges coordinated and
attended a free CLE session to understand “How Do You Respond to a
Community Disaster.” Hosted by the El Paso Bar Association with help
from Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, or TRLA, the event taught attorneys how
to answer and assess problems that may be posed to them by survivors of
the mass shooting and their families.
“I was heartbroken, saddened, and just disturbed that someone would
come to our community and do what they did,” Daniel Hernandez, president
of the El Paso Bar Association, told the crowd. “We are El Pasoans, and
we are strong. And this community has responded to those who are in
need.”
Several experts from TRLA, the State Bar of Texas Family Law Section,
the Office of the Texas Attorney General, the El Paso County Attorney’s
Office, and Judge Patricia Chew, of El Paso’s Probate Court No. 1,
walked attendees through the various types of legal issues that can
affect survivors of disasters.
TRLA attorney Brittanny Perrigue explained the phases of disaster
recovery and informed attorneys that given the trauma associated with
this type of tragedy, survivors actually may be hesitant to go to
crowded places like a resource or recovery center to ask for help. This
fact alone could delay cases and make it more challenging to ensure
survivors receive the assistance they need.
In the first four weeks after a disaster, Perrigue said, survivors are
addressing immediate needs such as safety and security, housing and
employment issues, and perhaps public or financial assistance depending
on the situation.
In the midterm—one to six months out—survivors may need help
addressing health, life, or property insurance problems. If they have
been unable to work for physical or mental health reasons, they could
face employment concerns, Perrigue said. If they have been unable to pay
bills as a result of any of these factors, there could be evictions, car
repossessions, or debt collections.
Long-term legal issues—arising one to three years after the
disaster—include heirship and probate matters, foreclosures, bankruptcy,
title clearance needs on property or vehicles, increasing debt, and
performance-based employment issues stemming from trauma, Perrigue said.
Attorneys must remember the El Paso tragedy has created legal issues
for individuals who were simply in the vicinity of the shooting but not
directly attacked. For example, hundreds of cars in the Walmart parking
lot were temporarily impounded. Many shoppers dropped whatever they were
carrying—including purses that held cellphones, IDs, and even Lone Star
Cards—and ran, said TRLA attorney Bernadette Segura. Those items were
collected, cataloged, and taken as evidence. Recovering them is possible
but still a process that some may struggle to navigate, she said.
TRLA attorney Soraya Yanar Hanshew said the agency is assisting many
clients with unemployment cases. While Walmart has offered to move
employees to other stores, some workers are unable to return to work due
to trauma, the lack of transportation options available to them, or the
needs of dependents. Employees stuck in situations like this over the
long term could face shift reductions or layoffs, Hanshew said.
Nancy Gallego, executive director of the El Paso Bar Association, said
the CLE event came together in a matter of days as the bar rallied
speakers, assembled topics, and received MCLE accreditation for the
event.
“I am extremely happy and touched that our legal community came
together so fast in the face of this horrible shooting,” Gallego said.
“Everyone who attended was very pleased and happy that the EPBA stepped
up. They told me that they learned so much vital information that will
help the victims and the community.” TBJ
In
response to the tragic mass shooting in El Paso, the State Bar of Texas
created a webpage—texasbar.com/elpasosupport—to
communicate with members and the public on how best to receive help or
offer it. The page includes information about CLE events, donations, and
attorney wellness in light of the tragedy.
AMY STARNES
is the public information director for the State Bar of Texas.
