January 18, 2024 by Clarissa Ayala
Legal Services Corporation to Host Forum on Increasing Access to Justice and Pro Bono Awards Luncheon
Houston, TX – January 18, 2024 – Advocates, attorneys, and civic and nonprofit leaders will gather at a forum on January 22, 2024, hosted by the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) in Houston, Texas, to discuss the ongoing rise in reported incidences of domestic violence.
According to the National Coalition on Domestic Violence, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men experience severe intimate partner physical violence, intimate partner contact sexual violence, and/or intimate partner stalking with impacts such as injury, fearfulness, post-traumatic stress disorder, use of victim services, contraction of sexually transmitted diseases, etc. 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men have been victims of severe physical violence (e.g. beating, burning, strangling) by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Domestic victimization is correlated with a higher rate of depression and suicidal behavior. Only 34% of people who are injured by intimate partners receive medical care for their injuries.
This free and open-to-the-public event will feature speakers and panel discussions on domestic violence, as well as other barriers to justice for low-income Texans. The luncheon and forum mark the commencement of a series of events scheduled nationwide to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the LSC, the foremost supporter of civil legal aid in the United States, under the theme “Protecting the Promise.”
“Having access to legal help can balance the uneven power dynamics in abusive relationships,” said Harriet Miers, chair of the Texas Access to Justice Commission and co-chair of LSC’s Leaders Council. “We want to talk about ways to make legal assistance more accessible, especially for people with lower incomes.”
In conjunction with local legal aid providers and others, the event will discuss domestic violence and other barriers to access to justice, and also will feature awards for pro bono work by local attorneys. In addition to Miers, speakers include Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan Hecht, Texas State Bar President Cindy Tisdale, Emilee Dawn Whitehurst of the Houston Area Women’s Center, Maisha Colter of Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse, and LSC President Ron Flagg.
Also featured will be advocates from Texas’ civil legal aid organizations – Lone Star Legal Aid, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, and Texas RioGrande Legal Aid.
“Lone Star Legal Aid stands unwavering in our commitment to supporting survivors of domestic violence. Empowering and advocating for those affected is not just a mission; it is a moral imperative. As we navigate the complex legal landscape, we recognize that behind every statistic lies a human story, and our duty is to amplify the voices of survivors,” shares Paul Furrh, CEO of Lone Star Legal Aid.
The event will take place Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Magnolia Hotel Houston, 1100 Texas Ave, Houston, TX 77002. To learn more about this public forum or to register, please visit: https://www.lsc.gov/events/special-luncheon-and-forum-increasing-access-justice.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Clarissa Ayala, Lone Star Legal Aid, cayala@lonestarlegal.org
Shelby Jean, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, jeans@lanwt.org
Sam Rucobo, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, srucobo@trla.org
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Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is dedicated to ensuring equal access to justice under the law for all Americans. By providing funding and support to legal aid organizations across the nation, LSC empowers low-income individuals and families to navigate the legal system and secure their rights. With a rich history of advocacy and impactful initiatives, LSC continues to be a driving force in the pursuit of justice and equality. For more information, visit www.lsc.gov.
Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) is a 501(c)(3) focuses on advocacy for low-income and underserved populations by providing free legal education, advice, and representation. LSLA serves millions of people at 125% of federal poverty guidelines, who live in 72 counties in the eastern and Gulf Coast regions of Texas, and 4 counties in Southwest Arkansas. LSLA focuses its resources on maintaining, enhancing, and protecting income and economic stability; preserving housing; improving outcomes for children; establishing and sustaining family safety, stability, health, and wellbeing; and assisting populations with special vulnerabilities, like those with disabilities, the aging, survivors of crime and disasters, the unemployed and underemployed, the unhoused, those with limited English language skills, and the LGBTQIA+ community.
Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas (LANWT) strives to meet the legal needs of more than 1.5 million eligible clients in its 114-county service area. The fifth-largest Legal Aid program in the United States, LANWT provides a wide variety of free legal services to low-income and underserved clients including family law, wills and end-of-life documents, landlord/tenant issues, public benefits, real property, foreclosure prevention, and community revitalization matters.
Texas RioGrande Legal Aid provides free legal services to people who cannot afford an attorney in 68 southwestern counties, including the entire Texas-Mexico border. TRLA attorneys specialize in more than 45 areas of law, including disaster assistance, family, employment, landlord-tenant, housing, education, immigration, farmworker, and civil rights. TRLA also operates public defender programs that serve at least 10 Texas counties. Our hotline is open from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (CST) Monday – Friday: (956)-996-TRLA (8752) or toll-free at (833) 329-TRLA (8752).
